DNA Testing Without the Father

One question we often get asked is:

Can a DNA Paternity Test be Done Without the Father?

We understand there are several reasons why the father may not be able to participate in testing.

• He might be unavailable
• He might not want to take the test
• He might be deceased

The good news is YES, there are several options to provide conclusive paternity testing without the Father’s direct involvement!

Let’s look at some of the ways DNA Paternity Testing can help you obtain results.

Without the Father’s direct DNA, testing close relatives of the father is the next strongest method to determine paternity. The best relatives will be one or both of the father’s biological parents (your child’s grandparents). Testing both parents will strengthen the accuracy of the result, but even just one parent would be great.

After parents, the accuracy starts to decrease the further removed the relative is biologically from the father. An Aunt/Uncle test, or a Sibling Test, are also good options.

The standard, and preferred, collection method is a buccal swab – a long Q-Tip that brushes against the inside of your cheek. However, DNA testing can be performed on other samples as well. In certain conditions, we can perform accurate testing on the Father’s blood, hair, finger/toe nails, and more. If you have access to these samples, they may provide more conclusive results than a Relationship DNA Test, or could be used in conjunction with another type of test to support the result.

If the Father is alive and unaware that a Paternity Test has been conducted, the results are called “non-legal”, which means a court cannot use them as evidence. For the results to be legally binding, the Father must sign a “Chain of Custody” form that gives his permission to conduct the test. It doesn’t make the results of the test any more or less accurate however, so the knowledge from the test can still be used personally.

DNA’s Home Testing Kits are not designed for relationship testing or non-standard tests. If you need to do a paternity test without the father, please do not order one of our kits to do so. Instead, call us at 866.232.7660 and we’ll advise you on the best type of test to take for the most accurate results.