How does a paternity test work and what do the results mean?

What is a paternity test?

A paternity test is a DNA analysis that determines whether a specific man is the biological father of a child. It is one of the most commonly requested relationship DNA tests worldwide and is available for both personal and legal purposes.

How does it work?

Every person inherits 50% of their DNA from their biological mother and 50% from their biological father. A paternity test compares the DNA profiles of the child and the alleged father across multiple genetic markers.

If the child carries genetic markers that match the alleged father across all tested locations the result confirms paternity. If the markers do not match the man is excluded as the biological father.

How accurate is it?

Kindra paternity tests analyse a minimum of 24 genetic markers, delivering:

• 99.9% probability of paternity when the tested man is the biological father

• 100% exclusion when he is not

Personal vs legal paternity testing

A personal paternity test is for private use only and cannot be used in court. A legal paternity test follows a strict chain of custody process making the results admissible in legal proceedings including child support, custody and inheritance cases.

When might you need a paternity test?

• Personal peace of mind

• Child support or custody proceedings

• Changing a birth certificate

• Immigration and visa applications

• Inheritance and estate claims

What do the results look like?

Results are delivered as a clear written report stating either a confirmed probability of paternity or a complete exclusion. Our team is available to walk you through your results if you need support.