Paternity Test Without Father

By Casey Randall, Head of Genetics at AlphaBiolabs
Last reviewed: 11/09/2023

Thanks to accredited testing laboratories like AlphaBiolabs, it’s now easier and more affordable than ever to find out who a child’s biological father is, with a peace of mind paternity DNA test.

But can you do a paternity test without the father’s DNA? And what options are available if your baby’s (potential) father is refusing a paternity test?

In this article, we explore whether you can perform a paternity test without the father, and what other options are available if the potential father is unavailable for testing.

Can I do a paternity test without the father?

In most instances, the potential father of the child will be available to provide a cheek (buccal) swab for paternity testing.

However, there are some circumstances where they might not be available to take a paternity test.

He might be refusing to take a paternity test for legal reasons, such as avoiding paying child maintenance. He might not want to face the results. Or it may be that the potential father has sadly passed away or is unavailable for another reason (e.g. imprisonment).

Whatever the situation, if you are looking to perform a paternity test without the father, it is important to remember that written authority is needed from all adults whose DNA samples are provided for testing.

If the child’s father has passed away recently, you can still choose to perform a paternity test, but consent would be required from the next of kin. In this case, a viability study can be performed to analyze the deceased’s nail clippings or a used toothbrush to see if a DNA profile can be obtained.

If the potential father has been deceased for some time, an alternative relationship DNA test using DNA from other family members can be used to determine a biological relationship. We’ll explore the options for DNA relationship tests to establish paternity in this article.

As the name implies, a peace of mind paternity DNA test is for your information only and cannot be used for legal proceedings. However, the correct consent is still required for a peace of mind paternity test.

Can a father refuse a paternity test?

The simple answer is yes, the potential father can refuse a paternity test for all sorts of reasons.

However, if the potential father is refusing to take a paternity test, alternative DNA relationship tests using other family members can be performed to determine a direct biological relationship between the potential father and the child.

Consent would still need to be provided by any person over the age of 16 submitting their DNA samples for testing.

For anyone under the age of 16, only parental consent is needed, but this consent must be provided by a person with parental responsibility for the child.

Can I do a paternity test without the father’s consent or knowledge?

If you want to do a paternity test using the potential father’s DNA sample, you must have consent (a signature) from the potential father for the test to be performed.

However, if the potential father has refused a paternity DNA test or is unavailable to take the test, you can still choose to perform a relationship DNA test using members of his family.

Options for testing paternal family members, including grandparent DNA testing and aunt/uncle DNA testing, are detailed in this article.

It is important to remember that any person over the age of 16 must provide their own written consent (a signature) for their DNA samples to be tested.

Without this consent, AlphaBiolabs cannot perform a DNA test.

The father is not available for a paternity test. What other options do I have?

As mentioned, there are many reasons why the potential father might not be available to take a paternity test.

In these circumstances, you may decide to order an alternative relationship DNA test to find out who your child’s biological father is.

Every person inherits half of their genetic profile from their mother, and half from their father. When a child’s father is unavailable for a paternity test, for example if they’ve passed away or are not around for another reason, there are several tests that can help you learn the truth about your child’s parentage.

Due to the scientific limitations of relationship DNA testing (grandparent, aunt/uncle, and sibling) when compared to a standard paternity test, each of these tests comes with a money back guarantee.

If we cannot provide you with a conclusive result, we’ll refund the price of your test.

Grandparent DNA Test

Other than a paternity test, a grandparent DNA test is one of the most accurate and reliable tests for confirming a biological relationship between a child and their father.

As a child inherits half of their genetic profile from each of their parents, a grandchild will share DNA markers with their paternal and maternal grandparents.

A link can therefore be proved (or disproved) between a child and one or more of their father’s biological parents by comparing their DNA with the child’s DNA.

An AlphaBiolabs grandparent DNA test analyzes up to 45 DNA markers for an extremely accurate and reliable result.

However, a grandparent DNA test is not as conclusive as a standard paternity test. For this reason, we would always recommend testing the potential father directly using a paternity DNA test if possible.

You can purchase a Grandparent DNA Test now for $179 for results in 3 business days from receipt of the DNA samples at our laboratory.

For a grandparent DNA test, we also ask that the biological mother’s sample is provided, as this gives us more information to determine which half of the child’s DNA is inherited from the mother, and which DNA has been inherited from the paternal grandparent(s).

However, we can still perform a grandparent DNA test without the mother’s sample.

Aunt or Uncle DNA Tests

DNA aunt or uncle testing, also known as avuncular tests, can be performed on the potential father’s sister or brother to establish a biological relationship between the child’s aunt or uncle and their niece or nephew.

An AlphaBiolabs aunt or uncle DNA test can be purchased for $179 for results in 3 business days from the DNA samples arriving at our laboratory.

For these types of tests, the possible uncle or aunt must be a full biological sibling of the potential father (not a half-sibling), as this helps increase the likelihood of a conclusive result.

Our aunt and uncle DNA tests look at up to 45 DNA markers for an accurate result.

For these tests, it is recommended that the biological mother’s sample is provided, as this gives us more information to determine which half of the child’s DNA is inherited from the mother, and which DNA has been inherited from their paternal aunt or uncle.

However, as with a grandparent DNA test, the mother’s sample is not essential. We can still perform the test without a parent’s sample.

Sibling DNA Test

A sibling DNA test analyzes up to 45 DNA markers and can help determine a child’s paternity by establishing whether two or more children have the same father.

Unlike a paternity test which will always provide a conclusive result, a sibling DNA test is different.

When a sibling test is conducted, the laboratory will determine the genetic profiles of the possible siblings.

We do ask that the biological mother’s DNA sample is provided for a sibling test, if possible, as this gives us more information to determine which half of each child’s DNA is inherited from the mother and which half has been inherited from the paternal line.

However, a sibling DNA test can be performed without any samples from the mother or potential father, and you will still receive an extremely accurate result.

Based on the genetic material shared by each sibling, a sibling DNA index or likelihood ratio is calculated to determine the most likely relationship.

A likelihood of greater than 10 supports that the tested individuals are either full or half-siblings. A likelihood ratio of less than 0.1 would not support this, meaning the individuals are unlikely to be related.

A likelihood which falls between 0.1 and 10 is considered inconclusive, which means a relationship cannot be determined based on the statistical probability obtained from the analysis.

If we cannot provide you with a conclusive result, we’ll refund the cost of your test, guaranteed.

You can buy an AlphaBiolabs Sibling DNA Test for $179 for results in 3 business days from the DNA samples arriving at our laboratory.

Y Chromosome Testing

For male children requiring a paternity test (where the father is unavailable), Y-DNA chromosome testing can provide a conclusive answer as to whether male relatives share paternal DNA.

This test works because all male children inherit their Y chromosome from their father. Male children will pass the Y chromosome from their father onto their own male children when they become fathers.

The low mutation rate of the Y chromosome means that males coming from the same paternal line will always share the same Y chromosome. This makes this test perfect for male relatives who want to confirm that they share a paternal line.

A full match between Y chromosomes confirms that two (or more) males are related. If the males have different Y chromosome profiles, then they are not related.

An AlphaBiolabs Y Chromosome DNA Test can be purchased for $179 for results in 3 business days from the DNA samples arriving at our laboratory.

The father has passed away – can I still do a paternity test?

If the potential father has recently passed away, you can still choose to do a paternity test by instructing our testing laboratory to perform a viability study on the deceased’s toothbrush or using their fingernail or toenail clippings to see if a DNA profile can be obtained.

If a DNA profile can be achieved in the laboratory, AlphaBiolabs can then perform a paternity test in the usual way, for an additional cost.

However, it is important to note that you must gain consent from the next of kin to use the deceased’s DNA for a paternity test.

In situations where the potential father has been deceased for some time, a direct biological relationship will need to be proved using DNA from another family member.

The alternative relationship DNA tests outlined in this article can help you find the answers you need.

Where can I get a paternity test without the father?

AlphaBiolabs offers a range of peace of mind DNA testing services to help you establish paternity without the child’s father.

It is important to remember that you must always gain consent (a signature) from anyone over the age of 16 submitting their DNA samples for testing.

For a child under the age of 16, only parental consent is required, but this must be given by a person with parental responsibility for the child.

For confidential advice about which test is best for you, call our Customer Services team on 727-325-2902, use our Live Chat facility, or email info@alphabiolabsusa.com.

Casey Randall

Head of Genetics at AlphaBiolabs

Casey joined AlphaBiolabs in 2012 and heads up both the Genetics and Health testing teams. An expert in DNA analysis and a member of the International Society for Forensic Genetics (ISFG), Casey holds an MS degree in DNA Profiling and a BS degree in Forensic Science.

Casey is responsible for maintaining the highest quality testing standards, as well as looking for ways to further enhance the service that AlphaBiolabs provides and exploring new and innovative techniques in DNA analysis.