Are At Home Paternity Tests Legally Binding?

Will a Home DNA Test hold up in court?

No. At-home paternity tests are not legally binding. These tests provide DNA results for personal knowledge but do not meet legal standards for establishing paternity.

A legally binding paternity test requires a documented chain of custody. Trained, unbiased third-party collectors must obtain the DNA samples. Our partner accredited laboratory, is recognized by the Association for the Advancement of Blood and Biotherapies (AABB), must conduct the DNA analysis. This accreditation ensures that results are accepted in the following situations:

• Adding a father’s name to a child’s birth certificate
• Child custody cases
• Child support cases
• Submission of secondary evidence for immigrant visas and consular reports of birth abroad (CRBA)
• Estate cases
• In-vitro fertilization matters
• Social Security benefits

For accurate and reliable legal paternity testing, call 888-970-4211 to schedule an appointment with one of our experienced DNA consultants. Click to learn more about our legal paternity test process here.

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Difference Between Legal vs At Home Paternity Tests

Feature	At-Home DNA Testing	Legal DNA Testing
Purpose	Peace of mind	Legal validation
Chain of Custody	Not required	Required
Sample Collection	Self-collected at home	Collected by a third-party collector
Use of Results	Informational only	Legally admissible

Can you be forced to give a DNA sample?

No, you cannot be physically forced to give a DNA sample. DNA sample submission is voluntary. However, a court may order a Legal DNA Test to determine paternity. Refusing to comply with a judge’s order to submit a DNA sample may result in the judge holding the refusing parent in contempt of court.