Frequently Asked Questions

ISO 17025 accreditation is a certification of the technical competence of a laboratory. It involves the application of specific procedures and criteria by trained specialist assessors to evaluate the performance and ability of the laboratory to provide accurate data from precise testing procedures using properly calibrated instrumentation.

The price of a specific test is dependent on the test being taken. It will also depend on the number of persons participating and the nature of the sample sent for testing. Details of prices are provided on our website

You should expect to receive your DNA test results within 3-5 working days after we receive the samples. Paternity test results can be expedited if you select the express DNA testing option. With this service, you will get your results in 3-4 working days as opposed to getting them in the standard 3-5.

As we offer a wide range of DNA tests, the turnaround times for different tests will vary. We recommend checking individual test pages for more information or contacting our customer service team if the information is not readily available.

A paternity test compares the DNA profile of the two individuals. A child's DNA is inherited from the mother and the father, and a comparison of the DNA of the child with that of the alleged father can determine whether that person is the biological father or not. We supply a DNA testing kit along with instructions on how to use it (our DNA Sample Collection Guide). The guide is included with the kit, and is also published on our website. Once the samples have been returned to our laboratory, the tests are carried out and results sent back to you.

The easyDNA test offers results that are 99.99% accurate. This is based on 16 different DNA markers and is 100 times more accurate than a court would require as proof of whether or not a particular person was or was not the father of a child.

Although the mother's DNA will help to strengthen the results, the type of test carried out by easyDNA is sufficiently accurate not to require the mother's sample to be included. Without the mother's sample, the probability inclusion of paternity is at least 99.9% (in cases where the tested alleged father is the biological father). With the mother's sample, this percentage goes up to 99.99% or higher).

Yes: the envelope will not have our company name or logo on it. Inside your kit you will also have a plain envelope in which to return the test samples back to us.

DNA testing kits can be sent to different addresses if required by our client. In fact we are frequently asked to send samples to different addresses in different countries. We have a number of offices around the world, and normally dispatch the kits to the nearest office to the recipient and then deliver them on locally from there. There is an extra charge for the extra kits that varies according to where it has to be delivered.

Each kit is assigned its own case number. Unless required that individual samples be tested separately, no tests will be carried until all of the samples associated with a particular case have been logged and received at the laboratory. We advise you to email us at [email protected] to make sure that your needs can be met and that we fully understand your requirements before placing your order.

Not unless you have ordered a court admissible or legal DNA test. A legal test is different to home test in that it involves a third part person appointed to collect the samples and verify the identity of the test participants. People being sampled for the test must provide proof of identity. The samples then have to be transported securely to an accredited laboratory for testing. A standard home test is only for 'curiosity' or 'peace of mind', the results have no legal standing.

"Chain of Custody" refers to the sequence of chronological procedures carried out to ensure the identity of the DNA samples being tested. These samples have to be strictly guarded throughout the entire process to ensure they are not tampered with or mixed up with other samples.

Yes, hair DNA testing is possible but only if the follicle, or root, is still attached and if the hair is not too old. The best results are from hairs freshly pulled from the head with the follicle still attached. We prefer at least five hairs in order to maximise our chances of getting a complete DNA profile. Old hair does not give good results unless you request the advanced DNA forensics option. Cut hair cannot be used for testing unless you are ordering an MtDNA test. MtDNA testing or mitochondrial DNA testing does however, have very limited uses. In fact, its sole use is to determine a shared maternal line. The quality of the results increases with increasing freshness.

Maternity testing and paternity testing are the same, both in regards to how the test is carried out and in the price charged by easyDNA. The only difference is in the labeling: 'Alleged Mother' rather than 'Alleged Father' as well as the aims: one test is essentially proof of maternity whilst the other is proof of paternity.

The length of time for which we retain the samples depends on the type of test. Samples involved in a court admissible DNA test have to be kept for six months at no further charge. Otherwise we destroy the samples immediately after you have been sent the results, unless you ask us to keep them when will store them for a further 6 months for a storage charge. Please contact us if you wish to take advantage of this facility.

Our standard sample is a buccal swab. Once rubbed inside the mouth, the swab will contain saliva and skin cells. easyDNA can also test non-standard samples such as semen, blood, hair and nails. We test DNA taken from items that a subject has been in contact with such as a handkerchief or tissue, condom, bedding, cigarette butts and chewing gum. Our DNA forensic testing web page offers a price list and list of non-standard samples we can test.

It is possible to store DNA from biological sources such as saliva or blood for a number of years if the sample is properly collected and stored in suitable conditions. A saliva sample taken using a swab, for example, should be allowed to thoroughly dry out before placing the swab in an envelope. This ensure optimal preservation of the DNA in the sample. The older the sample however, the lower are the chances of success. This is something worth keeping in mind.