Frequently Asked Questions

If you order a test from us on working days, you will receive the test kit the next day. Once the laboratory has received the samples from you, testing will take a few working days. How many days varies per test. We indicate how many days it takes during the tests. If you need the results urgently, we can speed up the process for an additional fee. For the prenatal paternity test, you can indicate this in the ordering process. For the other tests you can contact us.

If the alleged father is unable or unwilling to participate in a DNA test, other (indirect) DNA tests can provide a solution. Could you have a grandparent test or an uncle-aunt test. You can also have a Y chromosome comparison test done for boys or men. With our selection aid you can select the right DNA test.

The paternity tests from dna-test.co.uk are completely harmless for everyone. In most tests, only cheek mucus is taken. Blood is only taken from the mother during the prenatal paternity test, but this does not entail any risk for the unborn child.

No, for almost all our tests, cheek mucus will suffice. Blood is only taken from the mother during the prenatal paternity test. This does not pose any risk to the unborn baby.

The number of loci indicates the accuracy of the test. Loci means place. At 20 loci, the DNA is compared at 20 different sites. At 25 loci, the DNA is compared at 25 sites. At 20 loci, the laboratory provides at least 99.999% certainty about relatedness. At 25 loci, that certainty is at least 99.9999%. If the DNA does not match, it can always be ruled out with 100% certainty that the tested persons are related to each other.

Yes, that’s possible. You must then choose the ‘legally valid’ option when you order the test. You will then be sent a different test kit to your home than with the peace of mind test. In a legally valid test, the collection of the DNA samples is subject to more conditions. You will find all the information and requirements for this in the test kit of the legally valid test. You can also have all tests legally performed with us. The result of a legally valid paternity test is just as reliable as the result of a peace of mind test.

Yes, that’s possible. You can have a prenatal paternity test from the 9th week of pregnancy. For this purpose, blood is taken from the mother (by a doctor, nurse or puncture center). The blood also contains the unborn baby’s DNA, which is isolated and then compared with the DNA of the presumed father.

Your privacy is just as important to us as it is to you. That is why we guarantee your privacy as well as possible. All your data will be treated confidentially, carefully and according to a strict protocol. We only use your data for the purpose for which you provided it to us. We only provide your data to third parties if you have given us permission to do so and we always act in accordance with the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation. Would you like to know more about how we handle your privacy? Then read our privacy statement.

The lab stores samples for peace of mind testing for 6-8 weeks. This period is based on legal regulations and standards of accreditation bodies. The laboratory stores samples for legal testing for 6 months. After this mandatory retention period, your DNA samples will be destroyed. DNA samples cannot be used for other tests during this period.

We receive the test result from the laboratory and then pass the result on to you. We do this in the way that you have indicated yourself (by post, e-mail or telephone). We do not store the results for longer than is strictly necessary. You can read more about this in our privacy statement. The laboratory has a secure document storage facility, where the test results are anonymized and stored by serial number. The results are also stored digitally, and professionally destroyed after the mandatory retention period, in accordance with legislation, regulations and industry standards.

Yes, all participants in a DNA test must give permission in advance. In the case of a minor child, one of the parents or the legal representative may give permission for the test to be performed.

Does one of the participants not want to cooperate? Then other (indirect) DNA tests are also possible, such as a grandparent test or an uncle-aunt test (both on the father’s side). You can also have a full brother/sister test or a half-brother/half-sister test performed. A Y chromosome comparison test is available for boys. With our selection aid you can select the right DNA test.

Yes, both full and partial anonymity are possible, but only on peace of mind testing. If you would like more information about the anonymous procedure, please contact us.

With a prenatal paternity test you can already have a test performed from the 9th week of pregnancy. You can also take DNA samples from newborn babies and have them tested. So there is really no age limit.

The package you receive from us contains:

• a manual
• 4 sterile swabs per participant
• a small envelope for each participant to put the cotton swabs in
• A client consent form
• an addressed return envelope

In principle, the test kit can be kept for years.

Once you have ordered and paid for the test of your choice, we will send you the package as soon as possible. If you order and pay on working days before 5.30 p.m., you will in principle receive it the next day (for an address in Belgium, count an extra day). We send the test in a discreet and blank package that fits through any letterbox. We send it by post, so you don’t have to stay at home for it.

You can cancel the paternity test within 14 days, but only if you have not yet sent the samples to the lab. If you already had the test kit at home, you cannot return it to us. We cannot reuse the package, because we can no longer guarantee its integrity. In that case you will receive the amount paid by you minus € 25,- within 14 days. Hadn’t we sent the test kit yet? Then you will receive the full amount paid by you within 14 days.

Only if there is no other option, for example in the event of great time pressure. We prefer that you use our cotton swabs. The heads of these cotton swabs have been specially developed for taking DNA material. This increases the chance of a successful DNA sample.

Yes that is possible. Please contact us for this. Then we will send you new cotton swabs for a small fee.

There are several ways to pay for the paternity test of your choice. This is obvious during your order. We cannot start the investigation until we have received your payment.

No, because it is not a medical treatment.

Extra measures are taken for legally valid tests to prevent manipulation and influencing. As a result, the procedure looks different and the costs are slightly higher than with a peace of mind test.

Yes, with our peace of mind tests you can do that yourself. The package you receive from us contains all the necessary equipment and a manual. If you read this manual carefully and follow the steps exactly, the DNA collection is very simple. You are not allowed to take the samples yourself for legally valid tests. This must be done by an independent third party (preferably a doctor or nurse). If you order a legally valid test from dna-test.cok.uk, you will receive a package containing the instructions and all necessary materials.

If you follow our instructions carefully and thoroughly scrape back and forth with the swab on the inside of the cheek, there will almost always be sufficient DNA material on the swab. Does the laboratory show that the sample did not contain enough DNA, or that the sample was of too poor quality? Then you will have to take another DNA sample. We will provide you with a new test kit once free of charge.

No not at all. Not even on children or newborn babies. You simply move the cotton swabs sent by us back and forth on the inside of the mouth for 20 to 30 seconds. In this way, the swab absorbs enough cheek mucus to perform a paternity test.

After taking the DNA sample with a cotton swab, it can be stored under good conditions for about 3 months. If you do not send the swabs to us immediately after collection, let them dry before closing the bag. That way there is no mold on the head of the cotton swab. In any case, never pack the cotton swabs in plastic! Then they stay wet and mold will certainly develop. Mold makes the DNA samples useless.

Please contact us for this. In principle, the samples will only be used for the test you have ordered, but if all parties agree, it is sometimes possible to reuse the DNA samples for another test. This is of course only possible if all tested parties agree. Please contact us for the possibilities.

The reliability and accuracy of our paternity tests is very high. In the case of a paternity test with a negative result (no biological relationship), the laboratory can always determine this with 100% certainty. In the event of a positive result (or biological relationship), the laboratory always determines this with at least 99.999% certainty in paternity tests. With a prenatal paternity test this is at least 99.9%