Can a Paternity Test Be Wrong?
Published January 18, 2026 · Medically reviewed by the partner laboratory's medical director, AABB-accredited relationship-testing laboratory
A properly conducted DNA paternity test at an AABB-accredited lab is 99.99%+ accurate when it includes and 100% definitive when it excludes. Errors are almost always from sample mix-ups, contamination, or unaccredited labs — not the science itself. Our lab runs every sample twice and requires two technicians to sign off before release.
The science is nearly perfect
Modern paternity testing reads 34 STR markers. The odds of two unrelated men matching a child at all 34 by chance are lower than 1 in 100 trillion. Exclusions (0% results) are mathematically definitive — a single mismatched marker at multiple loci rules a man out completely.
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Where errors actually happen
The rare errors that make headlines almost always trace to (1) samples being mixed up during collection or shipping, (2) contamination from a second person's DNA, (3) labs cutting corners on accreditation, or (4) home kits from drugstores that use fewer markers.
How we prevent errors
Every sample is barcoded on arrival. Two independent technicians run the analysis and must agree before results are released. If any marker is ambiguous, we re-test at no cost.