FAQ
Here are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions. If you can’t find what you are looking for, we encourage you to contact us directly. All inquiries are kept confidential.
1. Why do I need a DNA test?
2. How do you collect my sample?
3. What is a $99 paternity test?
4. Do I need to wait until the baby is born?
5. How long before I have my results?
6. How do I receive my results?
7. What if one of the parties lives in another city, state, or country?
8. Does insurance pay for the test?
9. Do you have payment plans?
10. How do I arrange for a test?
11. Are there any additional fees?
12. What about your lab qualifications?
1. Why do I need a DNA test?
- Establishing paternity for the unknown paternal question.
- Completing the Acknowledgement of Paternity or Affidavit of Paternity
- Child support or child custody claims
- Social Security or other benefits if the alleged father is deceased
- Inheritance claims
- Immigration
- Adoption
- Native American tribe enrollment
- Forensic testing for criminal purposes
- Answer ancestry/genealogy questions
- Medical diagnostics
- Twins determination
- Siblingship questions
- Zygosity test
2. How do you collect my sample?
The sample collection process we use is simple and painless. We use two buccal cheek swabs to collect DNA samples inside the individual’s cheek. If any of the parties are deceased or unavailable for any reason, other options for samples exist. These include but are not limited to a blood sample from the medical examiner’s office, a toothbrush, a drinking utensil or cigarette butts. Drug testing collections are just as simple and painfree. Saliva-based tests are similar to the DNA collection procedure referenced above while hair follicle testing involves a small cut of hair, usually from the head.
3. What is a $99 paternity test?
These tests can be more expensive in the long run. Courts do not recognize these tests because the testing could be done outside of industry protocols. Many times these tests are done by inexperienced and/or unaccredited laboratories which could lead to results being inaccurate. If you do require a legal document, further tests could be required which will incur additional fees. It makes sense, therefore, to have the correct test done professionally and accurately the first time.
4. Do I need to wait until the baby is born?
Prenatal testing can be done as early as the 8th week of pregnancy and as late as the 35th week. Non-invasive testing can be done simply through a blood draw from the mother coupled with a buccal swab sample from the alleged father. Invasive testing using either chorionic villi sampling (CVS) in which cells are collected from the placenta or an amniocentesis that collects loose fetal cells can be performed. Please note that there are slight medical risks for invasive procedures. We encourage you to talk with your medical professional to determine if you should attempt these types of procedures.
5. How long before I have my results?
For any paternity or maternity test, results are available in as little as two business days.
6. How do I receive my results?
You have the option of receiving your test results in any or all of the following ways. We can call you and/or they can be texted, emailed, or sent by US mail to you. All legal DNA test reports are automatically mailed to all adult parties (which includes the untested mother of a child).
7. What if one of the parties lives in another city, state, or country?
We have a network of collectors throughout the US and Canada who are familiar with Chain of Custody protocols. Separate appointments can be made for any tested party who lives in a different location. Alternatively, DNA collection materials can be mailed to a tested party or parent of a tested party, who would then mail their sample back to us.
8. Does insurance pay for the test?
DNA testing is not covered by medical insurance since it is not considered to be a medical procedure. However, invasive prenatal paternity testing can be covered by health insurance. Your medical professional can determine that for you.
9. Do you have payment plans?
We can set up a payment plan for you. However, internal/lab policy dictates that we cannot provide you with any test results until the test has been paid in full. We accept cash, checks, money orders, and credit/debit cards.
10. How do I arrange for a test?
You can call us or use the portal to set up an appointment. For Saturday appointments, you will need to call us. Same-day appointments on weekdays can be arranged.
11. Are there any additional fees?
No, we do not have any additional fees. We do not have set up fees, collection fees, or any other fee that would be added to the quoted cost of a test. There is one exception and that is if a mobile collection is requested. Call or email us to find out our fees for a test.
12. What about your lab qualifications?
For all of our DNA and drug testing, our laboratories are fully accredited by all of the accrediting agencies in the industry (such as the AABB). In addition, they meet accreditation and government requirements for immigration testing procedures and Department of Homeland Security requirements.