How Long Does a Paternity Test Take? (Real Timelines)
Published January 17, 2026 · Medically reviewed by the partner laboratory's medical director, AABB-accredited relationship-testing laboratory
Most at-home paternity tests take 5–7 total days: 1–3 days for kit delivery, however long you take to swab, 1–2 days for return shipping, and 1–2 business days for lab analysis. With expedited overnight shipping and 1-day lab processing (+$85), you can have results in as few as 3 days.
Standard timeline
Order today → kit arrives in 1–3 business days → you swab (5 minutes) → drop prepaid mailer → lab receives in 1–2 days → results emailed 1–2 business days later. Total: about a week.
Ready to move forward? Order our $99 at-home test — AABB-accredited, results in 1–2 business days.
Expedited timeline
For time-sensitive situations, our +$85 expedited option ships the kit overnight, returns via overnight mail, and moves your samples to the front of the lab queue. Results in as few as 3 total days.
Legal test timeline
Legal tests take 5–10 business days total: 2–3 days to schedule a chain-of-custody appointment, then 3–5 business days from collection to results.