Rewritten: April 14, 2025
We explain the time and days required for DNA testing, separating "testing days" from "shipping days." This covers everything from speed testing and express delivery options to scheduling coordination for legal testing and the appropriate timing for testing during pregnancy or after birth.
Have you ever felt anxious wondering how long it takes to get results after deciding you want to have a DNA test done?
Most DNA testing is prompted by serious concerns, such as questions about blood relationships or interpersonal disputes. For anyone hoping to be freed from that anxiety as soon as possible, the number of days and hours a test takes is something you absolutely need to check.
In this article, we'll clearly explain not only the time required for DNA testing, but also the timing during pregnancy when testing can be performed, cases involving legal testing, and various other time- and schedule-related aspects of DNA testing, drawing mainly on our own company's case examples. Reading this article will let you plan your schedule and place your order with confidence, so please read all the way through.
- ・DNA testing time consists of two parts: "testing days" and "shipping days"
- └ What are testing days
- └ What are shipping days
- └ Use options to shorten testing days and shipping days
- ・Legal testing requires coordinating an attendance schedule
- └ What is legal testing
- └ We can introduce you to more than 180 legal offices nationwide
- ・When DNA testing becomes possible
- └ DNA testing during pregnancy
- └ DNA testing after birth
- ・At seeDNA, testing days are given as a fixed date, not a range, so the schedule is easy to understand
- ・Knowing the exact timeframe for DNA testing lets you take the test with peace of mind
DNA testing time consists of two parts: "testing days" and "shipping days"
To accurately grasp how long DNA testing takes, it's important to first separate and understand two elements: "testing days" and "shipping days." Many people tend to think of DNA testing as a single lump of time from "placing the order" to "receiving the results," but in reality these two stages each vary due to different factors. Thinking about them separately allows for more accurate schedule management. [ref:1]
What are testing days
These are the days required for the actual testing work, such as DNA extraction from the sample and analysis of the DNA data. This refers to the time from when the sample you send back (oral epithelial cells, blood, etc.) arrives at the testing company to when the test is completed and the results are reported.
The DNA testing process broadly consists of the following steps.
- Receiving and checking the sample: We check the condition of the sample that has arrived and determine whether its quality is suitable for testing.
- DNA extraction: DNA is chemically separated and purified from the sample, such as oral epithelial cells or blood.
- PCR amplification: Specific regions of the extracted DNA are amplified by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) to ensure a sufficient quantity for analysis. [ref:2]
- STR analysis and data analysis: The STR (short tandem repeat) patterns of the amplified DNA fragments are read using an electrophoresis device to identify each individual's genotype. STR analysis is a method widely adopted internationally for paternity testing, and it can determine blood relationships with high accuracy. [ref:5]
- Comparison and determination: The DNA types of the subjects are compared to calculate the presence or absence of a parent-child relationship or the probability of a blood relationship.
- Preparing the results report: The test results are compiled into a document and reported to you.
The number of days these steps take varies by testing institution, but generally speaking, it's around 5 to 10 business days from when the sample arrives. Please refer to the following page for the testing days of each of our tests. [ref:1]
Cost and Duration of Genetic Testing and DNA Testing
What are shipping days
For private testing, the process moves forward through the exchange of the test kit by mail. This refers to the time from when you place your order until the test kit sent from the testing company reaches you, plus the time from when you mail back your collected sample until it reaches the testing company. This can be affected by postal conditions, traffic conditions, and so on.
The main factors that affect shipping days include the following.
- The distance between your area of residence and the location of the testing institution
- Postal delivery schedules on weekends, public holidays, and around the New Year period
- Postal delays due to bad weather or disasters
- Additional days required for delivery to remote islands or outlying areas
- The difference between choosing regular mail versus express mail
With regular mail, it typically takes about 1 to 3 days from shipping to arrival, but depending on the region and postal conditions, it can take even longer in some cases. When planning your DNA testing schedule, it's important to build in some margin that accounts for this shipping period as well.
Use options to shorten testing days and shipping days
If, due to various circumstances such as a delivery (or termination) schedule, a mediation hearing date, or a visa expiration deadline, you want to know the results even one day sooner, we recommend using our "options."
・Speed testing: 11,000–20,000 yen (tax included)
By giving top priority to the testing schedule, we can shorten the number of days required for testing to roughly half the usual amount. Testing steps that would normally be processed in parallel with other samples are instead scheduled with priority, achieving a significant reduction in time. This is especially popular among those who need results in time for a court hearing or mediation, or those facing an approaching deadline before delivery.
・Express delivery option: 3,300 yen (tax included)
By sending the kit and returning the sample via registered express mail, shipping days can be shortened. Delivery that would normally take 2 to 3 days by regular mail is more likely to arrive the next day or the day after with registered express mail. By combining speed testing with the express delivery option, you can shorten the total time from order to results report as much as possible.
Legal testing requires coordinating an attendance schedule
What is legal testing
Our DNA testing broadly falls into two categories: "private testing" and "legal testing." Private testing is completed entirely by mail, but for legal testing, the subject must visit a legal office in person and have their sample collected in the presence of a witness.
The biggest difference between legal testing and private testing is that a third party (the witness) certifies the identity of the sample. This is what guarantees the reliability and legal validity of the results as evidence submitted to a court or administrative body. Legal testing is often required in cases such as paternity suits, lawsuits to confirm the nonexistence of a parent-child relationship, inheritance disputes, and applications for nationality or residency status. [ref:6]
For this reason, if you wish to undergo legal testing, time will be needed to coordinate the sample collection date between the subject and the desired legal office. It typically takes about one week from the time of your order until the actual witnessed sample collection takes place.
The overall schedule for legal testing can be summarized as follows.
| Step | Details | Approximate duration |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Application and coordination | After ordering, the attendance location and date are coordinated | About 1 week |
| 2. Witnessed sample collection | Sample collected at the legal office in the presence of a witness | Same day |
| 3. Testing and results report | DNA analysis performed after the sample arrives, and results reported | Follows the usual testing days |
We can introduce you to more than 180 legal offices nationwide
For legal testing, the subject needs to visit a legal office, but since we have partnerships with more than 180 offices across the country, we can introduce you to an office that matches your wishes as closely as possible. If you're in the Tokyo area, we can also arrange witnessing at our own office (Adachi Ward, Tokyo) or discuss on-site visits.
By choosing an office near where you live, you can keep travel time and transportation costs down while arranging your schedule smoothly. In most cases, we can introduce you to a nearby partner office even if you live in a rural area, so please feel free to consult with us.
When DNA testing becomes possible
For anyone considering DNA testing, the question of "from when can I have the test done" is extremely important. Prenatal DNA testing performed during pregnancy and DNA testing performed after birth differ greatly in terms of when testing becomes possible and how it's carried out.
DNA testing during pregnancy
If you wish to have a paternity test using fetal DNA during pregnancy, at our company testing is possible "from a blood draw at 7 weeks of pregnancy." This is because fetal DNA (cell-free fetal DNA: cffDNA) begins flowing into the mother's blood from around week 6 of pregnancy, and from week 7 onward, our own unique support of free re-testing and a money-back guarantee becomes applicable. Note that this timing applies only to the blood draw itself — placing your order before 7 weeks is not a problem.
Prenatal DNA testing using maternal blood has the major advantage of an extremely low risk to the mother and fetus compared to invasive methods such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling. Since the blood draw is performed from a vein in the arm just like a regular blood test, the sample can be safely collected without touching the fetus directly. Non-invasive testing technology using cffDNA has advanced rapidly in recent years, contributing greatly to improved accuracy and the ability to test at earlier stages. [ref:4]
Please also refer to the following page regarding DNA testing and weeks of pregnancy.
Is It OK to Draw Blood for Prenatal DNA Testing Before 6 Weeks of Pregnancy?
DNA testing after birth
For a baby who has already been born, DNA testing is possible "immediately after birth." Because our test only requires swabbing the inside of the mouth with a dedicated cotton swab, sample collection is possible without any problem even for a newborn baby. Oral cells (oral epithelial cells) contain an abundance of DNA, so a sufficient amount of DNA can be collected even from a newborn. [ref:5]
Since this is a non-invasive method that involves no pain or bleeding — just lightly swabbing the inside of the cheek with a cotton swab — there is almost no burden on the baby. Sample collection itself takes only a few dozen seconds to complete. Please also refer to the reference page below on this topic.
Can DNA Testing Be Done on Babies? An Explanation of the Safety of DNA Testing
At seeDNA, testing days are given as a fixed date, not a range, so the schedule is easy to understand
At most testing institutions in Japan, the number of testing days is presented as a range, such as "X to Y days," and because the specific results reporting date is unknown, this becomes a source of anxiety for customers who are hoping to receive results even a single day sooner.
At our company, however, for postnatal paternity or maternity testing, we provide a specific results reporting date with no range. This makes it easy to plan your schedule based on when you'll receive results, allowing you to act strategically around court or mediation hearing dates.
For example, if you know clearly that "results will arrive on such-and-such date," you can settle in advance the schedule for meeting with your lawyer or submitting documents to the court. Especially when a mediation or court hearing date is approaching, a vague range of days can make it difficult to respond in time in many cases. Our "range-free schedule presentation" not only eases our customers' anxiety, but also greatly contributes to smoother legal proceedings.
Knowing the exact timeframe for DNA testing lets you take the test with peace of mind
For most people, DNA testing is an unfamiliar world. By understanding the exact time required from ordering to receiving results, you may be able to undergo DNA testing with a little more peace of mind.
If you're considering DNA testing, it helps to check the following points in advance.
- Understand testing days and shipping days separately, and calculate the total time required
- If you're in a hurry, consider using the speed testing or express delivery options
- For legal testing, allow for the attendance schedule coordination period (about 1 week)
- Confirm that DNA testing during pregnancy requires a blood draw at 7 weeks of pregnancy or later
- Choose a testing institution that gives a clear results reporting date to make schedule management easier
If you have any concerns about the time or number of days involved in DNA testing, please feel free to contact us at any time. To be there for our customers, we respond to inquiries every day, including weekends.
Inquiries About DNA Testing
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. About how many days does it take from ordering to receiving DNA test results?
A. The total time for DNA testing is determined by the sum of "testing days" and "shipping days." For private testing, round-trip mailing of the test kit takes about 1 to 3 days each way, and the number of testing days varies depending on the type of test. Since we provide a specific results reporting date, you can confirm it at the time of ordering. Using the speed testing or express delivery options can shorten this further.
Q2. Can the speed testing and express delivery options be used together?
A. Yes, they can be combined. Speed testing (11,000–20,000 yen, tax included) shortens testing days to roughly half the usual amount, and the express delivery option (3,300 yen, tax included) shortens shipping days as well, allowing you to minimize the total time from order to results report. We strongly recommend combining both options for those in a hurry.
Q3. For legal testing, about how many days does it take until sample collection?
A. Since legal testing requires sample collection in the presence of a witness, we ask for about one week to coordinate the schedule between the subject and the legal office. Since we have partnerships with more than 180 legal offices nationwide, we can introduce you to an office near where you live. If you're in the Tokyo area, you can also consult us about witnessing at our own office or on-site visits.
Q4. From what point during pregnancy can DNA testing be performed?
A. Our prenatal DNA testing is available from a blood draw at 7 weeks of pregnancy. Fetal DNA (cffDNA) begins flowing into the mother's blood from around week 6 of pregnancy, but from week 7 onward, it becomes eligible for our own free re-testing and money-back guarantee. Placing the order itself is fine even before 7 weeks, so applying in advance allows things to proceed smoothly.
Q5. Why do many testing institutions give a results reporting date as a range, such as "X to Y days"?
A. At many testing institutions, processing time varies depending on sample quality and how busy testing is at the time, so the results reporting date is given as a range. However, at seeDNA, for postnatal paternity and maternity testing, we provide a specific results reporting date with no range. This makes it possible to act strategically in line with court hearing dates or mediation schedules.
Q6. Is there any burden on a baby if DNA testing is done right after birth?
A. DNA testing after birth is performed using a non-invasive method that involves only lightly swabbing the inside of the baby's cheek with a dedicated cotton swab. There is no pain or bleeding, and collection takes only a few dozen seconds. DNA testing is possible immediately after birth, and there is almost no burden on the newborn, so please rest assured.
Reassuring Support from the seeDNA Institute of Genetic Medicine
The seeDNA Institute of Genetic Medicine is a trusted specialist institution for DNA testing and genetic testing, holding both the international quality standard ISO9001 certification and the Privacy Mark for personal information protection.
If you're troubled by questions about blood relationships within your family or between parent and child, or concerns about a partner's infidelity, our DNA testing specialists are here to support you so you can feel at ease — please feel free to contact us.
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Author
Kihan Tomikane, Ph.D.
Completed the master's/doctoral program in Biosystem Studies and Molecular Informatics Medicine at the University of Tsukuba Graduate School
In 2017, developed prenatal DNA testing(Patent 7331325) using Japan's first trace-DNA analysis technology(Patent 7121440)