Home Paternity Testing
If you have determined that you do not need a DNA test for a legal matter — and only want to take a paternity test strictly for your own knowledge — a home DNA test might be an appropriate option for you. In a home DNA test, the tested parties collect the DNA samples themselves, at a time and place of their choosing. You can simply place an online paternity test order, and we will send you the kit in discreet packaging.
Please note that the results of a home DNA test cannot be used as legal proof of paternity, because the identity of the persons tested cannot be verified.
If you need to review the differences between a legal (chain of custody) test and an in-home test, you can find a detailed explanation here. You may also discuss your situation with one of our caring, confidential case managers by calling 1-800-453-6846. Note: Due to New York State Department of Health regulations, Home DNA Testing is not available for residents of New York.
DNA Testing: The DDC Advantage
DDC leads the DNA testing industry in its quality of service, which focuses on ensuring DNA test accuracy as well as a smooth experience for our clients. For all our DNA paternity testing clients, we:
- Run each test twice using the DDC DualProcess™ which follows the most stringent procedures
to guarantee accurate and conclusive results.
![]() Complete testing in 3 working days (5 working days for a prenatal test). ![]() Maintain confidentiality of each case using strict communication
protocols.
DNA Test Participants
In a standard DNA paternity test, the tested parties include a child, the alleged father, and the mother (called a trio).
The mother’s participation in the paternity
test helps to exclude half of the child’s DNA, leaving the
other half for comparison with the alleged father’s DNA. However,
we can perform a paternity test without mother’s participation
(called a motherless). A motherless test involves additional analysis, which DDC performs without
any additional charge. Results are equally conclusive whether or
not the mother participates. Motherless tests are guaranteed to
have at least a 99.9% probability of paternity for inclusions and
100% for exclusion.
DNA Collection Kit
Collecting the DNA sample is quick and painless. Once you place an online DNA test order, we will send you a DNA sample collection kit within one business day. The kit will contain the following:
- Complete instructions for collecting the DNA samples
- Buccal swabs and swab envelopes for the child, alleged father, and mother (if participating)
- Business return envelope for shipping the samples back to the laboratory
We can send separate kits free of charge, if the tested parties live in different addresses.
DNA Testing Costs
The basic cost for the Home DNA test is $275. This all-inclusive fee includes the DNA sample collection kit, Dual Process™ DNA testing, and shipping of kits and samples from and to the laboratory.
We will send you a kit and start the testing process with only a $99 non-refundable partial payment, and you can pay the balance over time. However, the results are not released until the balance is paid in full.
Additional Tested Parties
We can test additional children or alleged fathers
if needed; there is a DNA testing and analysis fee of $95 for each
additional tested party. The additional tested parties need to be added to the case during setup (before the testing process is started in the laboratory).
Special DNA Paternity Testing Options
We often work with customers who would like to know the paternity
relationship even before the child is born. We’re able to
test prenatal samples in such situations. Alternatively,
we can use umbilical cord blood taken at birth—this option
is less expensive than the prenatal test, which requires special
procedures performed by an OB-GYN.
We can also test unusual samples when the father is
missing or deceased based on a viability test performed on the
samples.
Please visit the Special DNA Paternity Testing Options page to learn more.
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