Frequently Asked Questions

Our list of FAQs tackles some of the most common questions and queries you might have about our DNA tests. This page should help resolve most issues; however, we do urge you to contact us should you require anything further!

How much does a paternity test cost?

The cost of a paternity test is of $109. There are no extra fees.

Can paternity testing be offered to New York residents?

Due to the New York State Department of Health’s regulations, we cannot offer Home Paternity Tests to New York residents.

How are samples collected?

Most of the DNA tests we offer (which include home paternity testing and relationship tests) are carried out using mouth swabs. Once your order is processed, we will deliver a kit to your specified address at the time of purchase. The kit will contain the required number of swabs (depending on how many people are being tested), as well as instructions and consent forms. Individuals taking part of the test will need to physically swab their own mouth. This is done by rubbing the swab against the lining of mouth to collect check cells – it only takes a couple of seconds and is entirely painless and problem-free. The full step-by-step process to follow can be found on our page about DNA sample collection.

Do I need to collect my own samples? Do you provide a sample collection service?

Mouth swabs are so easy to use that our clients never have any problems collecting their own samples. However, there may be cases where clients may prefer to have a third party nurse, sampler or doctor collect their samples. In such cases, EasyDNA offers 2 convenient options to clients who do not wish to collect samples themselves:

1. Home or work-place sample collection through one of our mobile samplers.
2. Sample collection at one of our partner clinics. We will find the clinic in our vast network of clinics that is closest to you.

More information about this special service can be found by clicking here.

After noticing “accreditation” on the site, could you elaborate on this?

ISO 17025 accreditation is a very important aspect of the DNA test. From a laboratory perspective, an accreditation like ISO ensures that calibrating bodies and laboratories, such as the one carrying out your DNA test, follow the strictest guidelines and always maintain very high testing standards. Getting an accreditation is not an easy job – the laboratory really needs to “prove itself” and show its technical competence. Once given an accreditation, regular auditing ensures that laboratories keep operating optimally, as per the guidelines of the accreditation.

As we offer a wide range of DNA tests, the turnaround times for different tests will vary. We recommend checking individual test pages for more information or contacting our customer service team if the information is not readily available.

What prices can I expect to pay for a DNA test?

Different tests come at different prices. The cost will also change depending on the number of people taking part, the sample you are going to use and whether you need a legal test or a home test.

What are your payment options?

Payment is made when ordering your test. We accept payment by either MasterCard or Visa. Payment can also be made by bank draft or money order. We suggest that you visit the payment options page for more information.

What is the turnaround time for your results?

You should expect to receive your DNA test results within 3-5 working days after we receive the samples. Paternity test results can be expedited if you select the express DNA testing option. With this service, you will get your results in 3 to 4 working days as opposed to getting them in the standard 3-5.

As we offer a wide range of DNA tests, the turnaround times for different tests will vary. We recommend checking individual test pages for more information or contacting our customer service team if the information is not readily available.

How does a paternity test work?

For any paternity test, we first extract 21 different genetic loci from the DNA samples provided. Usually, our clients send in the samples collected from the putative father and the child or children (where possible we also strongly suggest the mother’s sample). Once we have the 21 genetic marker profile for all the test participants, we can compare the profiles. A match between the father’s profile and the child’s means that he is, without shadow of a doubt, the biological father of the child. In paternity testing, we exclude the tested man as the father if the profiles do not match. Our sample collection guide will help you to understand how samples are collected with the kit we send you. Samples are collected with sterile oral swabs in cases where test participants are all available and willing to be tested.

How will my kit arrive?

The DNA sample collection Kit will be sent to you in a plain envelope, not marked with our company name. We also include a plain addressed envelope for you to send the samples back to us in.

How accurate is the paternity test?

Our paternity tests are extremely accurate. The result is practically a Yes or No answer. If the alleged father has the same genetic markers as the tested child, then he is the biological father. The result will show a probability of 99.9% in such instances. If the alleged father and the child do not share the same genetic markers, he will be excluded as the father with a 100% probability.

Each kit is assigned its own case number. Unless specifically required that the individual samples be tested separately, no tests will be carried out until all of the samples associated with a particular case have been logged and received at the laboratory. We advise you to email us at [email protected] to make sure that your needs can be met and that we fully understand your requirements before placing your order.

Do I need to include the mother’s sample for a paternity test?

We carry out many paternity tests without the sample of the mother,
whilst still maintaining highly accurate results. Including the mother’s
sample is always recommended as this can help us provide you with an
even more accurate result.

Can you send kits to different locations?

It is also possible to have separate kits sent to individuals residing at different addresses both within the same country as well as in different countries. We handle many cases where the parties being tested are not based in the same countries. Since we operate a large number of offices worldwide we will ship the kit from the nearest office. The extra kit will incur an administration charge which will depend on the destination of the extra kit.

Every kit will be assigned its own special reference code so that we can properly track it within our system. Testing will commence only once all samples are received and logged in by our administration. We will not commence testing on individual samples unless the case requires such testing. We recommend that you contact us via email [email protected] to organise everything prior to placing your order.

Is your test court admissible?

We offer home paternity testing and legal paternity testing. Our home paternity test results are simply done for peace-of-mind. The sample collection does not follow the procedure required for a court admissible test and it is therefore, not accepted in court. You need legal or court admissible test if the results are to be legally certified. A legal test requires proof to identify from whom each sample was collected. It must follow a procedure which is used in legal testing called the Chain of Custody.

What is the Chain of Custody?

“Chain of custody” refers to the verification and documentation of all DNA samples. The first step required in a chain of custody is to employ a third party person to collect the samples – any professional will do, although people tend to often chose a doctor. This person is known as the sampler. The sampler must collect samples from every person taking part in the test and make sure that nobody has access to those samples. Only the sampler can handle the swabs. The sampler will also need to check all the identity documentation of the people taking part. Participants will need to take with them (besides their chosen form of ID), passport sized photographs. Once all is done, the sampler must seal everything into and envelope and personally send it to the laboratory for a DNA test.

Is there any difference between a Maternity test and a paternity test?

A paternity test establishes the biological father of a child and a maternity test establishes the biological mother. The two tests are carried out in exactly the same way. The former compares the genetic profiles of the alleged father and child, whilst the second compares the DNA profiles of the mother and the child.

What happens to my samples after you test them?

For informational DNA paternity testing cases, we destroy the samples you submit to us immediately following the release of your results. Should you decide that you want us to archive your samples, we will archive them for up to six months for an additional fee. Please contact us if you need us to archive your DNA Test samples. For Court Admissible DNA Testing cases, we automatically archive your samples for six months at no additional cost.

The 128-bit encryption ensures the secure transmission of your card details to your card provider, and we retain nothing. Because of this, you have to re-enter all of your card details if you have to make any additional payments.

What does a paternity test result look like?

In our sample test results section, we have provided some examples of what our DNA paternity test result looks like. In addition, we have also provided comprehensive information on how to interpret the results.

Can you assure me of total privacy and confidentiality?

The information you provide during the purchase process is protected during transmission by using a 128-bit Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption software, which encrypts all the information you input. You can verify this yourself by checking our encryption certificate displayed on the Order page.

In addition, we reveal only the last four digits of your credit card numbers when confirming an order. Of course, we securely transmit the entire credit card number to the appropriate credit card company during order processing. EasyDNA does not retain any credit card information itself. Therefore, if there is any need to make an additional payments, we cannot process this ourselves but will require the client to go through the ordering process again.

Do you only test oral swab samples?

We test a whole range of samples. Oral swabs are just the most common sample we test and the one we always encourage our clients to use simply because the sampling is painless, DNA sample extraction is more simple and the price is lower. But in some cases, it is impossible for our clients to provide oral swabs samples and we can, in such instances, suggest testing with other DNA samples.

Take a look at our DNA forensics section- take special care to note the success rate for each sample as well as the added cost.

I have some hair samples. Can you use these for a DNA test?

We often get special requests for DNA testing with hair- hairs are so easy to come by and can be easily and discretely collected. But it is not so simple and straightforward. Any hairs that have fallen out of the body will not be suitable. This is because we need the hairs provided to have the root attached. If they do not have the roots attached, we cannot extract DNA. Moreover, we do need a minimum of 4 hairs. If you do happen to have some hair samples, take a close look to see whether you can identify a little white ball at the end of each hair – this is the hair follicle.

I need a paternity test but cannot get a sample from the alleged father. Can you help?

It is possible to do paternity testing if a relative of the alleged father is tested. If only the child and relative of alleged father are tested, the results may not be completely conclusive. If the mother’s DNA sample is available for the testing, the results will be more conclusive.

Please refer to our DNA relationship testing section for more information on relationship testing.

How long can I keep my samples before sending them to you?

Samples collected using oral swabs can be kept for weeks or even months without the DNA being affected; however, we cannot guarantee success and the older the samples are, the less likely we are to extract a complete profile. Always make sure to allow swabs to dry well and to them store them in a dry place in paper envelopes.

With other DNA samples, such as finger nails or clothing items, the chances of success will vary greatly. With nails, we particularly have higher success rates with freshly/recently cut nails. Always contact us for a full consultation.

Is it possible to do infidelity testing by DNA analysis?

Infidelity DNA testing is one method of scientifically knowing whether a sample of biological material contains male DNA or female DNA. We can test a whole range of samples including bed sheets, items of clothing, cigarette ends and many more thanks to our advanced DNA forensic testing capabilities. Besides what we call gender profiling, we can also compare DNA samples to see if they belong to different people or the same person.

With other DNA samples, such as finger nails or clothing items, the chances of success will vary greatly. With nails, we particularly have higher success rates with freshly/recently cut nails. Always contact us for a full consultation.