Do you need a legal or in-home paternity test? DNA and paternity tests are typically taken to answer important questions about biological relationships. They are often taken to: Provide peace of mind and satisfy curiosity, and/or Use as evidence in legal cases such as child support and others (see below). These two purposes require the same high quality DNA testing services, but they have different requirements for DNA sample collection.
Standard Test:
Like all of our tests, the standard home paternity test kit is simple, confidential, but may not be admissible in court.  Results of this test are typically used to satisfy curiosity or to provide the tester with peace of mind.
Legally Admissible Test:
Paternity test results can be used for many different legal purposes, including child support, child custody cases, estate, inheritance determination, immigration and adoption.  To ensure that the DNA test results are legally defensible, tested parties must undergo a legal testing process through which 'chain of custody' is maintained.  The 'Chain of Custody' process ensures that (cheek-swab) samples are performed & collected by a neutral third party & never by the donors themselves.  The legally admissible test kit includes detailed instructions and forms required to legally document the 'Chain of Custody' home sample collection.
Sample Collection Instructions:
You will receive a DNA sample collection kit that contains swabs and envelopes that you can use to mail your samples back to us. This kit contains detailed instructions for sample collection and shipping. To collect a person’s DNA sample, simply rub the swab against the inside cheek. Send the samples to our laboratory—we will extract DNA from these cell samples and run the DNA paternity test.