Paternity Testing for New York State

New York Paternity Tests

by HOMEDNA on 08/22/2014

HomeDNA New York DNA paternity test kits provide a fast, convenient, and cost-effective option for those with paternity questions. We designed the first DNA Paternity Test Kit approved by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH)that is available at your local drugstore or super center.

New York at-home paternity testing requires authorization (authorizing agents may be a doctor or lawyer), and the collection process must be witnessed by a ‘disinterested third-party’ (a Collector). This collection process is the same one used for court-admissible legal paternity testing in other states.

How a New York Paternity test works

1.Purchase the HomeDNA New York Paternity Test Kit

You can purchase the HomeDNA Paternity Test Kit for New York Residents at your local drug store.  Find the paternity test kit at CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, or Walmart.com.

What’s in the Box

The Paternity Test Kit for New York Residents includes the following:

  • $30 DNA Paternity Testing Discount Card
  • Instruction Booklet
  • Collection Appointment Reminder
  • Case Reference Card

2. Get Testing Authorization

Your doctor or attorney (licensed in New York State) can provide authorization for paternity testing. Your doctor or attorney can write out the authorization for you and sign it.

We must have a digital copy of this authorization attached to your case before we can set up a collection appointment for you. 

Call us for help with finding a doctor or collection site near you: 800.344.9583.

3. Call us to set up your DNA Collection Appointment

When you’re ready to set up your appointment to have DNA collected at an approved facility, give us a call at 800.344.9583 (M-F, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Eastern Time).  

 4. Collect DNA Samples

A Collector must witness the DNA sample collection (using the enclosed buccal (cheek) swabs) and is responsible for mailing samples in.  The Collector can be your doctor or lawyer or an individual at an approved HomeDNA collection site (call us for help with finding a collection site near you).

Bring a copy of your photo ID (or a recent photo) to the collection appointment.  The Collector is responsible for opening the sealed collection kit. Do not unseal and open the kit ahead of time. With the Collector, fill out one Chain-of-Custody form and one Sample Envelope for each person being tested.  Use the included cheek swabs to collect a DNA sample, with the Collector serving as a witness.

5. Send DNA Samples to the Lab

The Collector will seal up the DNA samples, the Chain-of-Custody forms,  and the Order and Authorization Form in the Postage-paid Return Mailer and send them directly to our lab.

6. Get Paternity Test Results

In just two (2) business days after samples arrive at the laboratory, results are mailed to the doctor or lawyer who signed the paternity test authorization. Express results are also available for an additional fee.  If you would like to access your results online, make sure  you provide a username and password on the Order Form.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! If you have questions about paternity tests or other DNA testing services, please contact our Client Support Center at 888-404-4363, Mon-Fri  from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM Eastern Time. Our friendly, expert representatives are ready and happy to help. Get answers anytime by visiting our Help Center. 

Comments

    • Thank you for contacting Identigene. You can obtain your results by logging onto our website or by contacting us by phone.

      Due to our privacy policy we do not email or mail results. You can view and print your results from our website at http://www.DNAtesting.com your username will be the entire email address on your case and the password is the results password you created. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us 1-888-404-4363 Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. E.T. and we will be happy to assist you.

      Reply

    • Good afternoon Lissy,
      We would be more than happy to assist you with locating collectors in New York. This would be easiest to address by calling us at 888-404-4363 and talking to a DNA consultant over the phone. We look forward to hearing from you.

      Reply

  3. Do I need to get a Doctor’s authorization and find a collector if I am only using the results for personal use?

    Reply

    • Good afternoon Mike,
      If you are a New York Resident: New York State has different testing requirements than other states. Due to the restrictions set by the New York State, you need to go through an Authorizing Agent (doctor or an attorney) to complete a DNA test. You also will need to have your samples collected by a disinterested third party which most of the time can be the same Authorizing Agent.

      If you have any additional questions or concerns, or are interested in starting a test, please feel free to contact us 888-404-4363 and we will be happy to assist you.

      Reply

  4. Hi I need a dna test..me and my girlfriend want to know if I’m the Father of our baby girl. ..we had a falling out around time of pregnancy and want to be certain…we live in nyc…can we have this done here?

    Reply

    • Hi, Osvel! Because you live in New York, you must first have approval by a doctor or attorney before your test can be performed. Please contact our Client Services team at 888-404-4363 (M-F from 9 am – 6 pm Eastern Time) and they can assist you.

      Reply

      • why would I want anyone to know my families personal embarrassing business?? what if I don’t want anyone else in the whole world to know about infideilty in my love relationship?? its none of anyones business! i certainly don’t want it on record with my doctor or ANYONE. what if i don’t want anyone else to know my wife cheated on me? why would i willingly suffer such embarrassment and public shame??? i would commit suicide if anyone knew my personal business!!

        Reply

  5. Could you please tell me if two half sister’s with different mothers test to make sure we are related our father passed away a year and a half ago no other living sibling on his side I am his daughter and would like to know if she is also I live in Texas she lives in new Zealand thanks Linda Brown

    Reply

    • Hi, Linda. Yes, we can definitely help. What you need to do is contact our Client Support Team at 888-404-4363 (M-F, 8 AM to 5 PM for most of Texas, where you’re from). One of our experts can send collection materials to wherever they need to go, including New Zealand.

      Here’s what will most likely happen: You and your potential sister would need to submit samples, as would each of your mothers. Because you and your sister each get 50% of your DNA from mom and 50% from dad, our scientists will be able to determine if you share a sibling relationship via process of elimination. Give us a call and we’ll be happy to give you more details.

      Reply

    • Yes, no problem. You don’t need to have the collections supervised like they do in NY, unless you want to.

      Reply

  7. I live in Long Island, NY and want to get a paternity test with my father. But I dont want him to know that I have doubts that he is my father. What can I do?? Do we both have to go to doctor for authorization?

    Reply

    • Hi, Lisa. With a NY test, there are a few things that have to happen. You’re right…you need a doctor’s prescription, but you can get that without involving your father. HOWEVER, the test has to be a legal one, with all participants’ DNA collections being supervised by an impartial collector. So your father’s going to know one way or the other. We always recommend talking this through, rather than trying to go about it secretly. I wish you all the best.

      Reply

  8. I bought the test kit in New York on my way back home to New Jersey where we live. I opened the box and realize it says New York test and order form is their anyway I can still use it without test authorization

    Reply

  9. How do you go about the test if one parent in the child are in New York and the other person is in a different state?

    Reply

    • Hi, Ashley. We can definitely do this for you! Because New York State has specific requirements for witnessing collections, please give us a call at 888-404-4363 (M-F, 9 AM to 5:30 PM) and our service experts can give you all the details.

      Reply

  10. Hi I have never done this before and the 2 males I need to test are both deceased. And the mother is not willing to test. If i have my brother from deceased A and another women from the deceased B can I still do the test? With those two

    Reply

  12. I live in Ohio and my boyfriend wants to have a paternity test done on his child with an ex. We do not have a family doctor. Does the test have to be administered and authorized by a doctor? If not, how do we go about doing it ourselves. We are doing it discretely.

    Reply

    • Hi, Hannah. Because you asked the question on a New York Paternity Tests blog, can I assume that one or more of the parties lives in New York even though you’re in Ohio? If anyone being tested lives in New York, then the test needs to be authorized by a lawyer or doctor, yes. Once the authorization has been completed, you should contact us and we can arrange to do the testing for you.
      If no one lives in New York, then no doctor or lawyer authorization is required. But, if the results are going to be used in court, DNA collection and submission must be supervised by a third-party witness. Again, we can arrange that for you easily. If you’re just going to do it for your own peace of mind, doing it discreetly is not an option unless your boyfriend is on the birth certificate and has legal authority to act in behalf of the child. If he doesn’t, and the child is underage, you’d need the mom’s consent. This is a lot of info, but hope it helps! You’re welcome to contact us directly at 888-404-4363 if you have more questions.

      Reply

  13. I live in Texas, will I need an authorization from a family Doctor or lawyer? Is a witness also required? Thank you.

    Jay

    Reply

    • Hi, Jay. You only need a witness if you plan to use your results for court purposes (child support, custody, etc.). If you do need a witnessed test, we can arrange that for you easily. Just give us a call at 888-404-4363.

      Reply

      • So a Family Doctor or Lawyer authorization is not needed in Texas if the results are only for us to fi d out only?

        Thank you

        Reply

        • That is correct, Jay. Only in New York State is doctor or lawyer authorization required for any type of paternity test . If you want to use the results in court in Texas, you don’t need a doctor or lawyer authorization, but you do need to have the test witnessed, as I mentioned.

          Reply

  14. My boyfriend wants to test his 3 children from a previous relationship they all have the same mother but she refuses to do a test they also all live in the state of ny. How many of these kits do we need to buy and price? Can he use the results in court? And how do we go about getting authorization and a 3rd party to collect samples? And about how long does it take for the results to come back?

    Reply

    • Hi, Christina. These are all great questions. First things first. Unless your boyfriend has legal authority to sign permission for the minor children to be tested, they cannot be tested without the mother’s consent. Since she’s refusing, you may need to appeal to the courts to compel her to do so. I recommend calling us directly to get all the details about pricing and logistics. All DNA-testing participants in New York are required per NY health-department regulations to get a witnessed test and so all results would be court-admissible. Our number is 888-404-4363.

      Reply

    • Hi, Shirley. The New York State Department of Health requires that all paternity tests done in the state be “legal chain-of-custody” tests, meaning that DNA collection and mailing to the lab must be supervised by an approved witness. For this reason, yes, it does cost more to test in New York due to the collection fees, which vary.

      Reply

  16. Hello,
    Who is considered an approved witness? Anyone not related to parents? Also, I would like to know if the alleged father signs for the birth certificate and ends up not being the father, would it be difficult to remove his name from the birth certificate? Would there be any costs?

    Reply

    • Hi, Ivette. These are both great questions. An approved witness is a health-care provider, a lawyer, or, most often, a specially-trained DNA collector from Identigene’s list of approved collectors in your area. As for your second question, paternity law varies from state to state. I suggest you contact the department of vital statistics or a family-law attorney area where you live to see what the options are as well as any associated costs.

      Reply

  17. My bf wants to test a child whom the mom claims is his. However she refuses to do a test on the baby and he’s supporting the baby but the child looks nothing like him. We live in NY. She allows him to see the baby so we have him most times. Can we still test him without having to deal with her? Or does she need to be there or sign anything?

    Reply

    • Hi, Maxiel. Physical traits are never an absolute determinant of paternity. Only a DNA test can tell for sure! That being said, does your boyfriend have any kind of legal authority to act on behalf of the minor child or is he on the birth certificate? When doing a legal test (which is a requirement in New York State), if your boyfriend doesn’t have any legal authority, then the mother will have to give her consent. If she refuses, your boyfriend may want to contact a family-law attorney and see if the court can compel her to agree to testing. He should take care of this immediately.

      Reply

  18. Hi, I’m looking to purchase a Paternity test for my son and fiance. My fiance is the one that wants the test for his own peace of mind. It’s quite ridiculous that you have to go through all this extra crap just to get a personal result that’s not for court use etc. Can it be authorized by ANY doctor that my family is seeing?

    Reply

    • Hi, Alli. Yes, New York State definitely makes doing a simple paternity test a little harder. It can be authorized by any doctor your family is seeing.

      Reply

  20. Hi, I need to know if you send results to Peruavian Enterprises???…Because I live here…May be you are working with some sites o enterprises with recolect DNA here?…Please, let me know, help me!!!

    Thanks!

    Adrian

    Reply

    • Hi, Adrian. Please call us directly at 800-681-7162 and one of our specialists will be happy to help you.

      Reply

    • Hi, Theresa. If there is a problem with the samples, the lab would suspend testing and ask for new ones. If you were issued a report, then there wasn’t any problem extracting DNA from the swab. So no worries!

      Reply

  22. Indiana resident, just being clear. Personal use. If I order a test, i/My bestfriend swab the children, father, and mother, seal it up, send it in, and get results in 1/3 business day..nothing extra (doctors, lawyers, authorizations, fees)?

    Reply

    • Hi, Kimberly. All testing for New York residents must follow the guidelines as set forth by the New York State Department of Health.

      Reply

    • Hi, Rashard. The lab fee to test one child + one possible father + the mother is $119. The DNA collection kit costs about $24.99, depending on which store you buy it in the price can vary a little.

      Reply

  25. Wanted to know if we can still do DNA to a 34 y/o son which alleged father is expired since 2000 {?} wanting to confirm if He’s really my brother’s son.

    Reply

    • Yes, you can do an avuncular (aunt/uncle) test to determine your relationship to him. If possible, it’s best if his mother can also participate.

      Reply

  26. Hi, I’m interested in getting a paternity test with my son, beside the $139 lab fee is there any other fees added ?

    Reply

    • Hi, Brian. No, not if you are planning to test one child + one alleged father + the mother (her participation is optional, but recommended).

      Reply

  27. If I am listed as the father on the Birth certificate, do I need permission from the mother to do a paternity test? Also, the baby is a newborn so what would I need for his identification? Can I find out the results online? If we live outside of NY, (thinking of moving), do you have to know our names for piece of mind test? ty

    Reply

    • Hi, Sam. Let me address your questions in order:
      (1) No, you would not need permission
      (2) No identification of the baby is needed for a peace of mind test
      (3) Results are always posted online to a secure account
      (4) We need to know names, although they are not listed on a peace of mind test

      All that being said, if you live in New York still, you must get a legal test per the NYS department of health. Please contact our parent company DDC with questions at 800-681-7162.

      Reply

    • No. If the envelope shows as having been mailed from New York, we won’t be able to process the test. I suggest you wait to mail them till you get home to Virginia. Be sure to store swabs containing DNA in a cool, dry place!

      Reply

  29. My partner of 25 years want to have a paternity test done on our 24 year old son. His name is on the birth certificate and they have the same last name. Do we still need to go through the courts to deal with this issue. Also we wanted to do this secretly without my son knowing how can we go about this. Sherry

    Reply

    • Hi, Sherry. If you live in New York, which I assume you do, you don’t have to go through the courts, but all paternity tests must be ordered by a doctor or attorney and DNA-collection must be witnessed by an approved and impartial party. It is the rule in New York only, thanks to regulations from the NYSDOH. So doing a test without your son knowing is not an option.

      Reply

  30. I might be a grandma. We live in NY, but my son goes to college in Washington DC where he met a young lady who attends the same school, but she lives in Mississippi. She will bring the child to NYC to see me. I wanted to order the kit for DNA. My question is do the fact that I live in NYC have an effect on the requirements for ordering a regular kit or a NYC kit? neither of them is in NY nor were they in NY when the baby was born. When I have them both here at my house I wanted to do the test and be able to get the results.

    Reply

    • Hi, Sheila. As you probably know, New York State requirements for paternity testing do not allow for home testing. If they want to purchase a kit either in Mississippi or Washington DC, there’s nothing preventing them from doing that. But in order for testing to take place, the samples will need to be mailed from a different state also.

      Reply
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