Before you order.

Start with who is available. If the alleged father can be tested, that is a paternity test and it is the most powerful option. If he cannot or will not take part, you can often reach an answer indirectly through his brother or sister (an aunt and uncle test), through his parents (a grandparent test), or by comparing two children (a sibling test). Indirect tests are less definitive than testing the parent directly, so tell us the situation and we will tell you honestly what each one can and cannot settle.

Not usually. A conclusive result can normally be reached with the child and the alleged father alone. Including the mother strengthens the statistical power of the report and reduces the chance of an inconclusive result that would need re-testing at additional cost, which is why we often recommend it.

Sometimes. Depending on what is available, options include testing his parents, his siblings, or a preserved sample. These cases need a conversation before you open them, because what is possible depends entirely on what exists. Call us.

A personal test is for your own peace of mind and is not intended for legal proceedings. A legal test is for matters that may require court or official use — such as child support, custody, paternity establishment, birth certificate matters where applicable, inheritance, or other proceedings. Legal testing follows a documented chain of custody, with photo identification verified and the collection conducted under controlled conditions.

If you think your results might be needed for a legal matter, now or in the future, select legal. If you only need personal knowledge, select personal.

Laboratory analysis takes 2 to 3 business days from the moment the final sample arrives. Before that, your case needs review, an appointment for every participant, and shipping. Most families should plan on one to two weeks from opening a case to holding a report. The most common delay is not the laboratory — it is waiting on a participant.

No. It is a soft cotton swab rubbed against the inside of the cheek for a few seconds. It is not a blood draw and it does not hurt. We collect from newborns regularly.

No, and this surprises most people. A father in one state and a child in another can each be collected at a center near where they live, on different days, and the laboratory still produces one report.

You get a case number and a link to your private case file straight away. We review the case personally, usually within one business day. We confirm that every adult participant is willing to take part. We tell you what documents we need and confirm your quote. Only then do you pay, inside your case file.

It happens more often than people expect, which is exactly why we ask every adult participant to give their own consent early — before you have paid for anything. If someone declines we tell you promptly and discuss your options, which may include an aunt and uncle test, a grandparent test, or a court order.

A legal chain-of-custody report from an AABB-accredited laboratory is the standard U.S. courts recognise. We cannot guarantee what any individual judge will accept, and we are not able to give you legal advice. If a court has ordered testing, tell us at intake and send us the order — it often specifies requirements we need to follow.

Immigration DNA testing follows a separate process set by the U.S. Department of State and must be arranged directly by the petitioner through an AABB-accredited laboratory. It is not something you can order through this website. Call us and we will walk you through how it works.

No. Once a personal collection has taken place there is no chain of custody to reconstruct, and the sample cannot be retroactively made admissible. If there is any chance you will need this result for a legal purpose, choose the legal option at the start. Re-collecting later costs more than testing correctly the first time.

Yes. We record an authorised recipient on your case and log every release. Tell us at intake or add it in your message thread, and we will confirm what we need from you first.

Your sample is destroyed by the laboratory 60 days after an informational result is released, and 180 days after a legal one. It is analysed only for the relationship you asked about — never for health, ancestry or research — and it is not added to any database. If you want it destroyed sooner, the laboratory requires a notarized letter; call us and we will help you word it. Full detail on our Privacy Policy.

Only you and the Divine DNA staff assigned to your case. Staff cannot browse cases they are not assigned to. Every view, status change, document access and message is logged with who did it and when.

No, and this is deliberate. When results are ready we email you to say so, with nothing in the message — no names, no test type, no result. You sign in and confirm a code sent to your phone before downloading. Email gets forwarded, and read on shared devices.

Not until you approve your quote inside your own case file. Submitting a request does not create a testing agreement and does not charge you. We review every case and contact you before any payment is collected.

Personal review of your case, collection for each listed participant at an accredited center, laboratory analysis, chain-of-custody documentation on legal tests, your confidential report, and two-way messaging with our team for the life of your case. Additional participants, mobile collection, rush processing and non-standard samples are quoted separately.

Before your collection kit is dispatched, a full refund less a $75 administration fee for the case review already done. Once the kit has shipped, 50% is non-refundable — the laboratory charges us from the moment a kit leaves, which is earlier than most people expect. Once samples are collected, no refund. The full policy, including what happens if a participant will not take part or a sample fails, is on our Refund & Cancellation Policy.