Grandparent DNA testing allows you to test if you are biologically related to your grandchildren

A grandparentage test is a DNA test conducted to determine the biological relationship between a child and two possible grandparents. It is usually performed in lieu of a paternity test if the child's alleged father is unable to participate in a paternity test. In such cases, a paternal grandparentage test is conducted with both parents of the alleged father. Maternal grandparentage testing is less common, but it operates on the same principles described below.

DNA Testing and Inheritance
Biological parents contribute equally to their son's DNA, so that one-half of his DNA comes from each parent. When the child becomes a father, he in turn contributes to half of his child's DNA. Therefore, half of the grandchild's DNA comes from the grandparents, through the son.

If you are unsure that your son's child is biologically his, you can have him participate in a paternity test, which directly tests his and the child's relationship. However, in many situations a paternity test is not possible because the father cannot be tested. A grandparentage DNA test can help you conclusively determine if you are the biological grandparents by determining if half of the possible grandchild's DNA indeed comes from you.

Requirements for Grandparentage Testing
A grandparentage test requires the participation of both possible grandparents and the child. If only one paternal grandparent is available, please see our other testing options.

Participation of the child's mother is encouraged—with her participation, we can easily eliminate her contribution to half of the child's DNA, leaving the other half to test for presence of the grandparents' DNA contribution. We can also perform a motherless test if the mother is not available or is not agreeable to the testing.

Samples Collected
In a DNA grandparentage test, the laboratory only needs cheek swab samples from the test participants. In a private grandparentage test, you can collect the samples yourselves, simply and painlessly, in the privacy of your own home. In a legal grandparentage test, you need to have your samples collected by a trained professional. Please click on the links for these pages to learn more.

How long it takes
A grandparentage test, with the participation of the mother, is completed 9 working days after we receive all samples in the laboratory. A motherless grandparentage test is completed in 14 working days, only because it requires additional analysis.

Grandparentage Testing Cost
Testing cost varies depending on the available participants and the collection procedure (private or chain of custody):

	With the Mother	Without the Mother
Private Collection	$395	$495
Chain of Custody Collection	$595	$795

You can order a private test online or call 1-888-362-9814 to start the testing process. With only a $20 deposit, we will send you a free DNA sample collection kit for private DNA collection. After collecting the cheek samples, simply send them back with your payment.