Home Paternity DNA Tests
Get a private, highly accurate answer about a biological relationship — for your own peace of mind, on your own schedule, from home.
A home paternity test answers one of the most personal questions there is: is there a biological parent–child relationship? Our at-home kits use the same genetic science as a clinic — typically reporting 99.9% or greater accuracy for an inclusion and 100% for an exclusion — but they're designed for your personal information and peace of mind, not for legal use.
The difference between a peace-of-mind test and a legal test isn't the science; it's the chain of custody. Because you collect the samples yourself at home, there's no neutral third party verifying who was tested. That's exactly why these tests are private and convenient — and also why they can't be used in court.
Paternity tests
Standard Trio Paternity Test
Mother, child, and alleged father seeking personal answers
- Participants:
- Mother, Child, Alleged Father
- Lab time:
- 2 business days
Motherless Paternity Test
Child and alleged father when the mother isn't available
- Participants:
- Child, Alleged Father
- Lab time:
- 2 business days
Maternity Test
Mother and child confirming a biological relationship
- Participants:
- Mother, Child
- Lab time:
- 2 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
People choose at-home paternity testing for many private reasons:
- Personal reassurance. Parents who simply want to know, for themselves, before any conversation or decision.
- Family clarity. Adult children, siblings, or extended family resolving a long-standing personal question.
- Planning ahead. Some people test privately first, then pursue a formal legal test later if a court ever requires one.
What an at-home paternity test can do is give you a scientifically accurate answer for your own information. What it cannot do is establish paternity for any legal purpose — child support, custody, inheritance, or immigration all require a court-approved, chain-of-custody test. If you may need a result for any of those, start with a legal test instead; a peace-of-mind result can't be converted into a legal one after the fact.
What you’ll need
- The cheek swabs included in your kit — no needles, no blood
- About one minute of swabbing per participant
- Consent from every adult participant (minor-consent rules vary by state)
Accuracy & methodology
Home paternity testing analyzes a large panel of genetic markers and compares the DNA inherited by the child against the alleged father.
- Inclusion: When the alleged father is the biological father, the lab reports a probability of paternity of 99.9% or greater.
- Exclusion: When he is not, the lab reports an exclusion with 100% certainty.
- The mother's sample helps. Including the mother (a "trio" test) lets the lab subtract the child's maternal DNA and focus on the paternal contribution, giving the strongest result. Testing is still possible without her ("motherless"), and is conclusive in most cases.
The genetic accuracy of an at-home test matches a lab-based one — the only difference is the absence of a verified chain of custody, which is what makes the result informational rather than legal. Testing is performed by our accredited partner laboratory.
Testing is performed by our AABB-accredited partner laboratory.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I use a home paternity test for child support or custody?
- No. At-home tests are for personal peace of mind only and are not admissible in court. For child support, custody, or any legal matter you must use a court-approved, chain-of-custody test performed through an accredited laboratory, where a neutral party verifies each participant's identity.
- How accurate is home paternity testing?
- The genetic accuracy is the same as a clinical test — 99.9% or greater for an inclusion and 100% for an exclusion. What's different is the chain of custody, not the science.
- Do I need the mother's DNA?
- It isn't required, but including it gives the most conclusive result. Our trio test includes the mother; our motherless test works with just the child and alleged father and is conclusive in most cases.
- What if a participant won't consent?
- Every adult participant must consent to be tested, and consent rules for minors vary by state. Never collect a sample from someone who hasn't agreed to be tested.
- How long until I get results?
- Lab processing for paternity tests is typically about 2 business days from when the lab receives your samples. Counting kit shipping and your own collection and return time, plan for roughly 3–6 weeks end to end.
- Will my results stay private?
- Yes. Results are delivered privately by email and are never sold or shared with third parties for marketing. DNA information is treated as sensitive personal data.
- Can two possible fathers be tested?
- Yes. Add an Additional Tested Party to include a second alleged father in the same order. It's the simplest way to compare two possibilities.
Related tests & legal note
If a home paternity test isn't the right fit, explore our grandparentage, siblingship, and avuncular tests — these estimate a relationship through other family members when an alleged father isn't available.
Need a result for a custody case, child support, or immigration? An at-home test cannot be used for those purposes. You'll need a court-approved, chain-of-custody DNA test through an accredited laboratory, where a neutral third party verifies every participant's identity and handles the samples.
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.