Paternity Testing
Paternity Testing Summary
A DNA paternity test compares genetic markers from a child and an alleged father to establish whether they share a biological parent-child relationship. A properly conducted laboratory test can exclude a tested man with certainty or report a very high probability of paternity, usually above 99.99% when the appropriate participants are tested. At-home tests use simple cheek swabs and are suitable for personal information, while court, immigration, passport and child-maintenance cases require an approved legal test with verified identities and a documented chain of custody.
The mother does not always need to provide a sample for a standard paternity test, although her participation can strengthen the statistical result. If the alleged father is unavailable, an indirect relationship test involving siblings, grandparents or an aunt or uncle may help, but these tests can be less conclusive. Consent is essential: adults must consent to the use of their own samples, and somebody with parental responsibility must normally consent for a child under 16.
For our personal information service, a discreet kit is sent to the requested address, samples are collected with mouth swabs, and the completed kit is returned to our UK laboratory. Our published paternity testing options currently start from £85, with results available in two working days after correctly completed and consented samples reach the laboratory. Faster processing is also available.
- 2 working day results available from £85*
- Next working day results available from £115*
- All shipping included in advertised price, including return of samples to our laboratory.
- Discreet sampling kit to a single address. Option to send additional kit to separate address if required.
- UK based customer service and laboratory. We will never send your samples to another company for processing.
- If you cannot see the type of test you need, or have any questions, please contact us and we can tailor make your order.
* From the time we receive your samples in the laboratory.
Please note, this test is for personal information purposes only, for paternity tests for legal purposes and those required for immigration purposes please refer to our sister site dadcheckgold
Understanding Paternity DNA Testing
A paternity test answers a very specific question: is the tested man the biological father of the tested child?
The science works because a child inherits half of their DNA from their biological mother and half from their biological father. The laboratory examines selected areas of DNA called markers or loci. The child’s profile is compared with the alleged father’s profile to see whether the expected paternal markers are present.
The final report will normally state that the alleged father is either excluded or not excluded. An exclusion means the genetic evidence is incompatible with him being the biological father. A non-exclusion is accompanied by a statistical probability showing how strongly the DNA supports the relationship. Our tests analyse approximately 23 markers, and a standard paternity result can exclude a tested man with certainty or support paternity with a probability normally exceeding 99.99%.
Personal information testing and legal testing are not the same service
A personal information test, sometimes called a peace-of-mind test, is collected privately at home. It can give you a scientifically robust answer, but the laboratory has not independently witnessed the collection or verified every participant’s identity. That means the result is not intended for a court, the Child Maintenance Service, immigration, a passport application or an official birth-record change.
A legal DNA test uses controlled collection procedures. A trained sampler checks identification, witnesses the collection, documents the samples and returns them through a secure chain of custody. In the UK, a test intended for court use should be carried out through a provider that meets the applicable Ministry of Justice requirements. Our sister service, dadcheck®, handles legally approved testing, including nationwide and international sample collection.
Taking the samples
For a standard personal information paternity test, the sample is collected by gently rubbing a sterile swab inside the mouth. The process is quick, non-invasive and suitable for adults, children and babies. Blood is not normally needed.
Hair is not an advisable sample because cut or naturally shed hair may not contain enough usable nuclear DNA. Hair with intact follicles can sometimes be considered for specialist testing, but availability, consent, cost and the likelihood of obtaining a profile must be discussed with the laboratory before sending anything. Generally we do not accept any sample other than a buccal swab.
The alleged father and child are the essential participants in a direct paternity test. The mother can often be included at no additional laboratory charge and is strongly recommended, particularly where there may be a close male relative who could also be the father.
Testing without the alleged father or mother
A paternity test can usually proceed without the mother, provided the correct consent has been obtained for the child. However, including the mother helps the laboratory identify which part of the child’s profile came from her, leaving the paternal contribution more clearly defined.
If the alleged father cannot be tested, a laboratory may be able to investigate the family relationship through his biological parents, full siblings or other close relatives. These are indirect tests rather than direct paternity tests. They can provide useful evidence, but because more distant relatives share less DNA, the result may be less decisive.
Consent, privacy and records
DNA should never be collected or submitted secretly. In the UK, analysing bodily material without qualifying consent can be a criminal offence. Every adult participant must sign the appropriate consent documentation. Where a child under 16 is involved, consent must normally be provided by someone with parental responsibility, and evidence of that responsibility may be requested.
A private DNA report is not automatically a public record. Personal information results are normally delivered securely to the authorised recipient. Retention periods differ between providers and services, so anybody concerned about how long a report, profile or case information will be kept should read the laboratory’s current privacy and retention terms before ordering.
Choosing a reliable test
A good test is not simply the cheapest kit on a marketplace. Look for a real laboratory rather than an anonymous reseller, clearly stated participant requirements, written consent procedures, transparent pricing, secure delivery of results and accessible customer support.
It is especially important to explain the full family circumstances before testing when two possible fathers are related. Brothers, fathers and sons share more DNA than unrelated men. The laboratory may recommend testing both possible fathers, including the mother or performing additional analysis.
At thatDNAcompany®, your kit, return envelope, laboratory analysis and reporting are included in the advertised personal testing service. Testing is carried out through our UK operation, and results are made available securely once the case has passed the laboratory’s quality checks.
Paternity Testing FAQs
Are paternity test covered by insurance?
Personal paternity testing is not usually treated as medically necessary healthcare, so many insurers will not cover it. Coverage varies by policy, country and reason for testing, so ask the insurer whether parentage testing is specifically included before ordering.
Are paternity test covered by the NHS?
Personal or court-related paternity testing is often handled either privately of through a child-support agency, it is not a medical matter and is not a service your GP should be offering.
Are paternity tests in my record forever?
We have our own retention schedule for reports, samples and case information and a DNA relationship test is not made available to your medical record. Please see our website for sample and case destruction information.
Are paternity test private?
A ThatDNAcompany personal information test is confidential to you and the report is supplied securely only to the authorised recipient. A legal DNA test result may need to be shared with a court, solicitor, social services, the local authority or other instructed party when testing is undertaken for an official purpose.
Are paternity test required?
DNA testing is often necessary where parentage must be established for child maintenance, a court case, inheritance, immigration, a passport application or another official process.
Can a father insist on a paternity test?
A person cannot simply force another adult to provide a private sample. Where parentage is disputed and if agreement cannot be reached with a person who has parental responsibility, the alleged father can apply to the court, which can decide whether testing should take place.
Can paternity test be done with hair?
The normal and preferred sample is a cheek swab. Hair may only be useful if suitable follicles are attached and it is generally handled as a specialist sample after the laboratory has confirmed that it can accept it.
Can paternity test be wrong?
A correctly performed test from the correct participants is extremely reliable. Problems are more likely to arise from incorrect identities, sample substitution, contamination, inadequate samples or failing to tell the laboratory that possible fathers are close relatives.
Can you do a paternity test at home?
Yes. A personal information kit allows the participants to collect painless cheek-swab samples at home and return them to the laboratory. The resulting report is for private knowledge rather than legal use.
Can you do a paternity test without the father?
A direct paternity test cannot be completed without DNA from the alleged father. An indirect test involving his biological parents, full siblings or other close relatives may be possible, although it may not be as conclusive.
Can you do a paternity test without the mother?
Yes. The alleged father and child can normally be tested without the mother, but including her can produce a stronger and easier-to-interpret calculation.
Does paternity test prove father?
It can provide extremely strong scientific evidence. The report either excludes the tested man or gives a probability showing how strongly the genetic profiles support him being the biological father.
How does a paternity test work?
The laboratory compares inherited DNA markers from the child with markers from the alleged father. Matching paternal markers are assessed statistically to calculate the probability of the relationship.
How long do paternity test results take?
Our standard personal information service currently reports in two working days after all properly completed samples and consent documents reach the laboratory. A next-working-day option is also available for eligible paternity cases.
How much does a paternity test cost?
The price depends on the number of participants, turnaround time, sample type and whether the result is for private or legal use. A direct home test costs less than a witnessed legal test or an indirect family relationship investigation.
How much does a paternity test cost uk?
Our currently published UK personal paternity test starts from £85 for one child and one alleged father on the standard service. Check the live order page before purchasing because prices and optional delivery upgrades can change.
How much is a peace of mind paternity test?
At thatDNAcompany®, the standard personal information test currently starts from £85. The displayed price includes the kit, standard shipping, return envelope, laboratory processing and report.
Is paternity test free?
Private DNA paternity tests are paid for services. A court, public authority, legal-aid arrangement or child-support agency may sometimes fund or initially cover testing, depending on the case and jurisdiction.
Is paternity test illegal?
The answer depends on where the participants live, how the samples are obtained and why the test is being performed. In the UK, consensual testing is lawful; secretly analysing another person’s DNA is an offence.
Is paternity test illegal in france?
Private paternity testing is prohibited in France outside the legally authorised judicial framework. French government guidance states that privately ordering a test online or abroad can be unlawful, so obtain French legal advice before proceeding.
Is paternity test legal in uk?
Yes, provided the required consent is in place and the sample is lawfully obtained. An official purpose also requires the correct legal testing procedure rather than an unsupervised home collection.
What are paternity test results?
A report normally says that the tested man is either excluded or not excluded as the biological father. A non-exclusion is supported by a calculated probability of paternity.
What do you need for a paternity test?
For a standard test, you need cheek-swab samples from the child and alleged father, completed consent forms and appropriate consent for any child. Adding the biological mother is recommended where possible.
What is a paternity test?
It is a DNA relationship test used to assess whether a tested man is the biological father of a particular child.
What is peace of mind paternity test?
It is an DNA test intended for personal information. Because collection is not independently witnessed, it cannot be used where a court or government body requires legally verified evidence.
What does “paternity test kit” mean?
A kit is the package used to collect and return the participants’ samples. It usually includes labelled mouth swabs, instructions, consent paperwork and secure return packaging.
What paternity tests are available?
Options include personal information home tests, witnessed legal tests, immigration testing, prenatal paternity tests and indirect relationship tests using siblings, grandparents or aunts and uncles.
When can you do a paternity test?
A cheek-swab test can be performed after birth at any age, including on a newborn. A specialist non-invasive prenatal test may be available during pregnancy from the provider’s stated gestational point.
When is a paternity test needed?
Testing is useful when biological fatherhood is uncertain or must be documented. Common reasons include personal knowledge, maintenance disputes, court proceedings, inheritance, immigration and passport applications.
When is the earliest paternity test?
A standard test can be taken as soon as the baby has been born. Alternatively, our current non-invasive prenatal service is offered from approximately 10 weeks of pregnancy.
Where can I buy a paternity test?
Order directly from a specialist relationship-testing laboratory with clear consent procedures and UK-based customer support, like thatdnacompany, which operates it’s own UK based laboratories and customer service. Avoid purchasing solely on the basis of the lowest marketplace price and be aware that some companies are just resellers and send your samples overseas. .
Where can i get a paternity test?
A personal test can be ordered online and completed at home. Legal testing must be arranged through an approved provider that can organise witnessed collection and identification checks.
Which paternity test is best?
The best option is the one suited to your intended use. Choose an at-home test for private information and a chain-of-custody test for court, maintenance, immigration, passport or other official purposes.
Who can order a paternity test?
An adult can normally place the order, but ordering does not replace the need for each participant’s consent. A child’s sample requires consent from an appropriate person with parental responsibility.
Who does paternity test?
A specialist DNA relationship-testing laboratory performs the analysis. For an official test, the provider must also arrange the required identity verification, witnessed sampling and chain of custody.
Who gets paternity test results?
The report is released according to the permissions agreed when the case is opened. For a personal test, this is commonly the authorised ordering person; legal cases may require reports to be sent to participants, solicitors, courts or government bodies.
Who has to pay for the paternity test?
For a private test, the person placing the order normally pays. If the UK Child Maintenance Service arranges testing, the person considered to be the possible parent may initially be charged and can be refunded if excluded; the current government-published fee is £325.62 for a standard case.
Who invented the paternity test?
Parentage testing existed before modern DNA profiling through blood-group analysis. The breakthrough behind modern DNA fingerprinting was made by Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys at the University of Leicester in 1984.
How accurate are at-home paternity testing kits?
The laboratory analysis can be highly accurate, but home collection does not independently prove who supplied each sample. Follow the instructions carefully and use a reputable laboratory; choose witnessed testing when identity must be legally established.
What are the steps to order a confidential DNA test online?
Choose the correct test, enter the participants’ details, select delivery options and complete payment. The discreet kit is sent out in a plain envelope, each participant collects a cheek-swab sample and signs the consent form, and the package is returned for laboratory processing and secure reporting.
What are the most reliable home paternity test kits available in the UK?
Look for testing performed by an identifiable UK laboratory, clear accuracy information, written consent controls, secure results, transparent inclusive pricing and direct customer support. thatDNAcompany® kits are processed through our own UK laboratory service rather than resold to an unidentified third party.
Where can I buy a discreet paternity test kit online with UK delivery?
A discreet personal information kit can be ordered directly through thatDNAcompany®. Separate-address delivery can also be arranged where participants do not live together.
How much does a typical paternity test cost from a UK lab service?
A standard private test commonly costs less than a legal or prenatal service. Our published price currently starts at £85 for one child and one alleged father, including standard kit and laboratory services.