Welcome to DNA Testing Centers

In the city of Chicago, it is estimated that 266,000 children are in Single-Parent Families. That’s 48% of all children in Chicago.

DNA Testing Centers provides accredited, court-admissible DNA Testing in Chicago.  We test for Paternity, Maternity and Other Relationships, as well as Specialty Testing. We have over 2,000 centers in 49 states, including 3 centers in the Chicago, IL Area, making us one of the nation’s largest network of testing labs.

Our DNA Tests are incredibly accurate and usually show a conclusive result — 99.99% is positive, and 0% if negative.  In most cases, only the father and child needs to be tested.  There is no minimum age for the child — we can even test a child before they are born.  And it’s not necessary for father and child to be in the same state to be tested, they can visit the DNA Testing Center closest to them.

DNA Testing Centers offers over 2,000 centers nationwide, with same-day appointments available.  For even greater convenience, we sell in-home testing kits, with simple instructions and painless collection of the samples.  When performed properly, these tests are just as accurate as lab tests, but are not court-admissible.

We strive to be the most affordable provider of court admissible DNA Testing in Chicago. For your convenience, you have the option of only paying half of the testing fee up front. The second half is due before test results are released back to you. We accept Major Debit/Credit Cards, Cashier’s Check/Money Order, or even Pre-Paid Gift cards — the most discreet payment option as they are not traceable.

Chicago Area DNA Testing Centers

DNA Paternity Testing Center
111 N. Wabash Ave
Chicago, IL, US, 60602
(866)944.9546 or info@dnapaternitytestingcenters.com

Mon-Fri 8am – 7pm
Sat 9am – 3pm
Same Day Appointments? Yes
Walk-Ins Accepted? No

DNA Paternity Testing Center
233 E Erie St. Suite 602
Chicago, IL, US, 60611
(866)944.9546 or info@dnapaternitytestingcenters.com

Mon-Fri 8am – 7pm
Sat 9am – 3pm
Same Day Appointments? Yes
Walk-Ins Accepted? No

DNA Paternity Testing Center
6191 N. Canfield Ave.
Chicago, IL, US, 60631
(866)944.9546 or info@dnapaternitytestingcenters.com

Mon-Fri 8am – 7pm
Sat 9am – 3pm
Same Day Appointments? Yes
Walk-Ins Accepted? No

Why should I get a Paternity Test in Chicago?

It is estimated that between 5% and 20% of children do not know the identity of their biological father, or have the wrong man identified as their father. Sometimes, the mother knows the father’s identity and chooses not to disclose it to their child, but sometimes the mother genuinely may not know who the father is.

A paternity test establishes a scientifically sound, legally binding relationship between father and child. Establishing this sort of parentage provides many potential benefits.

  • A sense of belonging for your child knowing who both their parents are. Establishing this biological origin is widely recognized by psychologists as highly important for a child’s sense of identity.
  • A full family medical history in case your child gets ill would be invaluable to doctors trying to treat them.
  • Your child may become eligible for new government benefits like social security or veterans dependent.
  • Your child may qualify for medical coverage under the other parent’s health plan.
  • Your child could become the beneficiary of the other parent’s life insurance policy.
  • Your child may also gain the right to further inheritance benefits from the other parent.
  • Your child will become eligible for financial support from both parents.

A court-admissable paternity test can also definitively solve relational strife between the parents and doubts about the true parent of the child. For example, when a couple separates on bad terms, the father may try and claim the child is not his and thus he doesn’t need to pay child support. Child support can amount to up to 15% of disposable income, so this is an important source of financial help that would be blocked off from the mother without a paternity test. Even if the man disputes the results, he will have to pay child support until new DNA tests prove otherwise.

Or, the father may want to be part of his child’s life but the mother claims it’s not his just to get the father out of her life. The father has no way of knowing for sure if this is true without a paternity test.

In 2007-8, nearly 1 in 5 paternity tests showed the mother was either deliberately or inadvertently mistaken about the true identity of the child’s father.

Without these tests, 661 children would have grown up believing the wrong man was their dad, and these men would have been on the hook for up to $63 million dollars in child support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Not usually. Most DNA paternity tests that include only the father and child show a conclusive result — usually 99.99% if positive, and 0% if negative.

However in rare cases, the father may have a mutation in his DNA, causing a mismatch in part of the DNA match and dropping the likelihood of biological parentage below 99.99%. In these circumstances, testing the mother’s DNA increases the likelihood of a conclusive result.

There is no minimum age for a child to be tested.

We can even test a child before they are born. We can perform a Cervical Villis Sample (CVS) which can be collected at 10 to 12 weeks pregnancy. We can also sample the amniotic fluid which can be collected at 12 to 21 weeks of pregnancy, and is the preferred method. And finally we can perform a non-invasive blood sample which can be collected any time after 12 weeks of pregnancy. Please see our “Specialty Testing” page for more details regarding these prenatal testing options.

Yes. DNA Testing can be performed on the parent or sibling of the alleged father. We can also use a sample of the father’s DNA such as blood, hair, fingernails/toenails, or more.

Sometimes, depending on your location. Typically, there is an additional fee for a mobile collection. The fee varies depending on the distance the collector needs to travel.

While Home Test Kit results are just as accurate as Laboratory tests, there is no way to verify whose DNA was collected, or prove that the DNA was not contaminated or tampered with. There is no neutral third party healthcare professional supervising the test to make sure it was performed accurately. For this reason, Home Tests are not Court-Admissible evidence unless the court specifically agrees to allow them.

Yes. With over 2000 Locations Nationwide, individuals from different cities or states can just schedule an appointment with their nearest DNA Testing Lab and conduct the test. There is no additional fee to use separate locations.

The difference between 'Court Directed' and 'Unofficial' Paternity Tests

DNA Paternity Testing offers two sets of options for accurate DNA testing: Lab Testing and In-Home Testing Kits.

For ‘Court Directed’ tests, the courtroom will appoint an accredited company (like DNA Paternity Testing) to carry out DNA Testing and submit a report. These will be conducted in a laboratory by certified healthcare professionals, and legal documents will be provided that will settle any court, social security, or birth certificate issues.

For convenience and comfort, DNA Paternity Testing Centers also provides ‘Unofficial’ In-Home Testing Kits. The results are just as accurate as the laboratory tests, but they are not court-admissible. This is because there’s no way to verify whose DNA samples were collected, since no one is watching you perform the test. This means our in-home test is for pure knowledge only. If you need a DNA test for any legal reason, we recommend our Lab Testing Option.

Chicago, Illinois Single Parent Resources

DNA Paternity Testing provides these resources as-is.  We urge you to seek qualified legal counsel if you have questions.

Illinois Action for Children Chicago

1340 S. Damen Ave, 3rd Floor
Chicago, IL – 60608
(312) 823-1100

Local Child Care Resource & Referral agency if you would like to find quality child care or receive an application to apply for the Child Care Assistance Program.

The DHS’ Child Care Assistance Program provides low-income, working families with access to quality, affordable child care that allows them to continue working and contributes to the healthy, emotional and social development of the child. Families are required to cost-share on a sliding scale based on family size, income and number of children in care.

The State of Illinois helps income eligible families pay for their child care services while they work, go to school, training and other workrelated activities.

The 16 Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies also perform the following services for parents and/or providers:

– Provide parents with consumer education and referrals to child care in their communities;
– Deliver training and assistance to providers in order to improve the quality of care offered;
– Help develop new child care resources in communities where they are needed;
– Assemble and maintain an accurate child care database to provide up-to-date information to parents; and
– Record and analyze data on child care supply and demand to support community capacity building.
– Great START – provides wage supplements to eligible practitioners working in licensed centers and homes.
– Gateways to Opportunity Scholarship Program – is an individual-based scholarship opportunity for practitioners working in Early Care and Education (ECE) or school-age care. The Gateways Scholarship Program is administered by the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (INCCRRA) and funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Bureau of Child Care and Development and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

For questions about the Gateways Scholarship Program, please call a scholarship counselor toll-free at: (866) 697-8278 or email gatewaysscholarship@inccrra.org.

Illinois Department of Human Services

The Department of Human Services is one of Illinois’ largest agencies, with more than 13,000 employees and an annual budget of over $5.4 billion.

Illinois created DHS in 1997, to provide our state’s residents with streamlined access to integrated services, especially those who are striving to move from welfare to work and economic independence, and others who face multiple challenges to self-sufficiency.

DHS is proud of its diversity, efficiency, and the services that the agency and its community partners provide to Illinois citizens.

Financial Help for Single Mothers in Illinois – Single Mother Guide

Apart from the financial challenges, playing the roles of both a mother as well as a father is perhaps the most difficult aspect of being a single mother.
Being a parent and earning a living, single mothers are more likely to experience parental stress while trying to juggle work and parenting responsibilities.
To address the issues, the state of Illinois runs several programs that hope to ease the stress of single motherhood.