Legal Paternity Testing: What You Need to Know
02.06.2025
A legal paternity test is a DNA test that can be used in court or for government applications to prove a parent-child relationship. It is different from standard paternity tests because a special sample collection process is required to ensure the accuracy of the results.
Here are some things to know about legal paternity tests:
Sample collection
A medical professional or qualified nurse must collect the samples and act as a witness to the process. This is known as the “chain of custody.”
Court admissibility
Legal paternity tests may be required for any legal purposes, such as decision-making responsibility, child support, inheritance, or changing a birth certificate.
The Children’s Law Reform Act outlines this under section 17.2 (1).
Who orders the test
In Canada, a court or government agency must order a legal paternity test
Where to get the test
Accredited laboratories, such as The DNA Lab, DNA Force and EasyDNA, can perform legal paternity tests. Ask an Information and Referral Coordinator and the Family Law Information Centre for more information about where you can get tested.
Private DNA tests
These tests provide the same information as legal paternity tests but are not admissible in court.
