Private paternity
For personal knowledge when you do not need the result for court or another official process.
Request private testing →DNA • Paternity + relationship testing
Paternity DNA testing without the runaround.
Need a paternity test? Choose the option based on what you need the result to do—personal knowledge, legal or official use, an at-home kit, or testing before birth.
Tell us what the result is for and where each participant is located. We’ll confirm the right workflow and availability before anything is charged.
Cheek-swab collectionPrivate + legal workflowsMobile optionsSplit-location coordination
Quick answer
Paternity DNA testing can provide a personal answer or support legal and official processes when the collection follows the required chain-of-custody workflow. Most post-birth cases use cheek-swab samples, and participants may be able to collect in different locations.
Start with the result you need—not the testing terminology.
If you simply want to know whether someone is the biological father, a standard paternity DNA test is usually the most direct path. If the result may be used for court, child support, custody, a birth-certificate matter or another official purpose, start with legal paternity testing from the beginning so the collection is documented correctly.
For most post-birth paternity tests, collection is simple.
Many paternity and relationship DNA tests use a cheek swab. There is no reason to make a straightforward collection feel clinical or confusing. Choose the testing purpose, tell us where the participants are, and Caliber Ready can route the case into the right collection path.
Want the simplest personal-use option?
An at-home paternity DNA kit is the direct-commerce option for eligible personal-use testing. The kit is shipped to you, the cheek-swab samples are collected according to the lab instructions, and the samples are returned for analysis. If you would rather have someone handle collection, mobile assistance may be available in supported markets.
People can be tested in different locations.
If the participants are not in the same city or state, that does not automatically stop the test. Separate collection arrangements may be possible under one case. Tell us where each participant is located when you start.
Do not pay for the wrong test twice.
The most expensive mistake is buying a personal-use test and later learning that you actually needed a documented legal collection. If there is any chance the result will be submitted to a court, agency or other official process, choose the legal path first.
Before you book
Questions people ask.
Which paternity test should I buy?
Choose a standard personal-use test if you only want the answer for yourself. Choose legal paternity testing from the beginning if the result may be used for court, child support, custody or another official purpose.
Can I buy a paternity test kit to use at home?
Yes. Personal-use paternity testing can use an at-home cheek-swab kit. Legal testing uses a controlled collection process instead. Checkout availability depends on the test and location.
How is a paternity DNA sample collected?
Many post-birth paternity tests use a buccal cheek swab. The laboratory determines the accepted specimen and collection instructions.
Can the father and child be tested in different states?
Often, yes. Split-location collection may be possible. The exact process depends on the laboratory and whether the case is personal or legal.
How do I know whether I need a legal paternity test?
If the result may be submitted to a court, government agency, attorney or other official process, start with the legal testing workflow.
Ready to get this moving?
Start with what you need the result for, where the participants are and how soon you need collection. We’ll take it from there.
Start my paternity test request →