Paternity Test Cost Calculator
Compare paternity test options side-by-side, including home DNA kits, legal chain-of-custody tests, and prenatal testing. Estimate your total costs including court filing fees and rush processing surcharges.
Types of Paternity Tests Explained
Modern paternity testing uses short tandem repeat (STR) analysis to compare DNA markers between the child and alleged father. All accredited labs achieve 99.99% accuracy for inclusion and 100% accuracy for exclusion regardless of the test type. The difference between test types is not accuracy but rather the legal admissibility and timing of the test.
Home DNA tests are the most affordable option and work well when you need personal confirmation before deciding whether to pursue legal proceedings. You collect cheek swab samples at home and mail them to the lab. However, because nobody verified who provided the samples, these results cannot be used in court. If the results indicate paternity, you would then need to obtain a legal test to use as evidence. Legal tests follow identical laboratory procedures but add chain-of-custody protocols: a trained collector verifies identities, collects samples, seals and labels specimens, and maintains documentation at every step.
Prenatal Paternity Testing
Prenatal testing allows paternity to be established before birth. Non-Invasive Prenatal Paternity testing (NIPP) is available as early as 7-8 weeks into pregnancy. It works by analyzing cell-free fetal DNA circulating in the mother's blood -- a simple blood draw from the mother and a cheek swab from the alleged father. NIPP carries zero risk to the pregnancy and is over 99.9% accurate, making it the preferred prenatal option despite its higher cost of $1,500-$2,000.
Invasive prenatal methods include amniocentesis (performed at 15-20 weeks) and chorionic villus sampling or CVS (performed at 10-13 weeks). These procedures cost $1,000-$1,500 for the DNA analysis alone, plus medical procedure fees. Both carry a small risk of miscarriage (approximately 0.1-0.3%), which is why most experts now recommend NIPP unless amniocentesis or CVS is already being performed for other medical reasons.
Who pays for a court-ordered paternity test?
In most jurisdictions, the court can order either party or both parties to pay for the test. Common arrangements include: the petitioner pays upfront and is reimbursed if paternity is established, the alleged father pays if he is found to be the father, or costs are split. In state-initiated child support cases, the child support agency often covers the testing cost and may seek reimbursement from the father if paternity is confirmed.
How long do paternity test results take?
Standard processing takes 3-5 business days for postnatal tests (home and legal), 7-10 business days for prenatal NIPP, and 10-14 business days for amniocentesis or CVS-based tests. Rush processing is available for most test types at a 50% surcharge and can deliver results in 1-3 business days. Legal tests may take slightly longer due to chain-of-custody documentation requirements.
Can paternity be established without the father's cooperation?
Yes, through several paths. A court can order an alleged father to submit to testing, and refusal can result in a default judgment of paternity. Some labs also offer testing using samples from the alleged father's parents (grandparent testing) or siblings, though these tests are less definitive. In some cases, courts have accepted DNA from personal items, though this is rare and legally complex. The most reliable path is to petition the court for a compelled test.