Grandparentage DNA Tests
When an alleged parent isn't available to test, a grandparent's DNA can help estimate a biological relationship to a child — privately, for your peace of mind.
Sometimes the person at the center of a relationship question can't be tested — perhaps an alleged father is unavailable, unwilling, or has passed away. In those cases, his parents' DNA can help estimate whether a child is biologically related to that family. This is called grandparentage testing.
Because grandparentage estimates a relationship indirectly, its results are reported as a likelihood (a combined relationship index and probability) rather than a simple yes/no. The more relatives you can include — both grandparents, and ideally the child's mother — the stronger the result. Like all of our DNA tests, grandparentage testing here is for personal peace of mind, not for legal use.
Grandparent tests
Single Grandparentage Test
Confirming a relationship through one grandparent when the parent isn't available
- Participants:
- Mother, Child, One Grandparent
- Lab time:
- 5 business days
Grandparentage Test (With Mother)
Both grandparents and the mother confirming a relationship to a child
- Participants:
- Both Grandparents, Child, Mother
- Lab time:
- 5 business days
Grandparentage Test (Without Mother)
Both grandparents and a child when the mother isn't available
- Participants:
- Both Grandparents, Child
- Lab time:
- 5 business days
How it works
- 1
Order your kit
Choose your test and check out online. No appointment or doctor's order needed.
- 2
We ship within 1 business day
Your collection kit ships free with cheek swabs, step-by-step instructions, and a return mailer.
- 3
Collect samples at home
Each participant gently swabs the inside of their cheek. Painless and takes about a minute per person.
- 4
Mail samples to the lab
Drop your samples in the mail using the supplied envelope. Prepaid Return Mailer or FedEx Overnight Label Provided. Lab processing time starts when the lab receives your samples.
- 5
Receive results securely
The lab sends your report to us and we forward it to you privately by email.
Who uses this test
Grandparentage testing is chosen when a direct paternity test isn't possible but family members are willing to help:
- An alleged father is unavailable — and his parents agree to test in his place.
- A family wants private clarity about whether a child is biologically connected to their side.
- Preparing for a conversation within a family, before any decisions are made.
Honest framing matters here. A grandparentage test can give you a meaningful likelihood for your own information, especially when both grandparents and the mother participate. It cannot deliver the same one-to-one certainty as a direct paternity test, and it cannot be used for custody, child support, immigration, or any legal purpose. For legal needs, a court-approved test is required.
What you’ll need
- The cheek swabs included in your kit — no needles, no blood
- As many of the relevant relatives as possible (both grandparents and the mother give the strongest result)
- Consent from every adult participant (minor-consent rules vary by state)
Accuracy & methodology
Grandparentage analysis compares the DNA a child carries against what could have been passed down through a grandparent.
- Results are reported as a combined relationship index and probability, not a fixed percentage.
- Both grandparents give a stronger result than one.
- Including the mother lets the lab remove the child's maternal DNA, sharpening the analysis — sometimes approaching the conclusiveness of a direct paternity test.
- Where a result is borderline, the lab may recommend adding participants.
Testing is performed by our accredited partner laboratory.
Testing is performed by our AABB-accredited partner laboratory.
Frequently asked questions
- How is grandparentage different from a paternity test?
- A paternity test compares a child directly with the alleged father. Grandparentage estimates the relationship indirectly through the alleged father's parents, which is useful when he can't be tested. It's generally less conclusive than direct testing.
- Is it better to test one grandparent or both?
- Both, whenever possible. Two grandparents provide much more genetic information than one and produce a stronger, clearer result.
- Does including the mother help?
- Yes, a great deal. Her sample lets the lab subtract the child's maternal contribution so the analysis can focus on the paternal side.
- Can I use the result in court?
- No. Grandparentage testing here is for personal peace of mind only and is not admissible in court or for immigration. Legal matters require a court-approved, chain-of-custody test.
- What if the result is inconclusive?
- It can happen, especially with fewer participants. The lab may recommend adding the second grandparent or the mother to reach a clearer answer.
- How long does it take?
- Lab processing is typically about 5 business days from receipt of samples. With kit shipping and your own collection and return time, plan for roughly 3–6 weeks end to end.
Related tests & legal note
If the alleged father's parents aren't available, an avuncular test (using his brother or sister) or a siblingship test may help instead. Where the alleged father can be tested, a direct paternity test is always more conclusive.
Need a result for a legal matter? Grandparentage testing here cannot be used in court, for child support, or for immigration. Those require a court-approved, chain-of-custody DNA test through an accredited laboratory.
Need results for a custody case, child support, immigration, or any other legal matter? An at-home test cannot be used for those purposes. You'll need a court-approved, chain-of-custody DNA test performed through an accredited laboratory, where a neutral third party verifies every participant's identity and handles the samples.
Privacy & data handling
Your privacy matters to us, and DNA information is among the most sensitive personal data there is.
- Samples are used only to perform the test you ordered and are destroyed after testing is complete. <!-- TODO: confirm exact sample-retention window with fulfillment lab before publishing -->
- Results are delivered privately by email and are never sold, rented, or shared with third parties for marketing.
- Your DNA data is treated as sensitive personal information. While at-home, informational tests are generally not covered by HIPAA, we handle your results with comparable care.
- You can request deletion of your records at any time by contacting us.