DNA Testing in Charleston, SC

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Health Street offers DNA testing, legal paternity tests, and sibling DNA tests in Charleston, South Carolina at 6 conveniently located testing centers. Register now, or call us at (843) 285-6677 with any questions. Our paternity testing (including grandparent DNA tests, avuncular (aunt or uncle) testing, and postmortem DNA testing) determines if two or more people are related.

Schedule your Charleston DNA test appointment online. Our legal DNA test results can be used in court for matters such as: child support, birth certificates, and custody cases. Appointments can be scheduled together or separately. Legal DNA tests are done by cheek swab at our testing centers. We also offer home DNA test kits for peace of mind. DNA can be tested from hair, fingernails, and other specimens.

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DNA Test - Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston SC DNA Testing Locations

Paternity Testing in Charleston, South Carolina

There are several types of DNA testing services that are offered at our Charleston testing centers to validate close family relationships. The most commonly ordered DNA test is a legal paternity test to conclusively establish whether or not a man is the biological father of a child. Health Street's 21 marker DNA paternity testing is the state of the art. Our paternity test results are statistically conclusive at the rate of 99.9% or greater.

Other DNA Tests

Relationship Tests to validate grandparent to grandchild, siblings, half-siblings, aunts, and uncles:

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Grandparent DNA Test (if the father is not available for testing)
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Sibling DNA Test (possible brothers, sisters, or half-siblings)
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Avuncular DNA Test (aunt/uncle and niece/nephew)

DNA tests such as sibling or avuncular studies, can sometimes come back with a result of less than 95% certainty. This is normal, especially if only two parties participate in the test. Adding an additional close relative to the test helps us learn more about the family's DNA composition and typically leads to a more conclusive result.

Specimens we can test for DNA

The easiest and most reliable way to perform a genetic sample collection for a paternity test is by a swab of the inner cheeks. These skin cells, known as buccal cells, rub off easily onto cotton swabs and remain in place, to be extracted by our testing laboratories for analysis.

Other specimens, such as hair follicles, fingernails, and garments that might contain someone's DNA, can also undergo lab testing to see if there is a match. These non-standard DNA tests are done by registering online for an Alternative Specimen DNA Test (Nails, Teeth, Fabric). Once registered, you ship the DNA sample to our lab. We'll attempt to extract the DNA and compare it to a cheek swab of the other party.

Legal DNA Tests vs. "Peace of Mind" At-Home Tests

When deciding which type of DNA test is right for you, consider first what you might do with the results. In order for the results to hold up in court, the DNA specimen must be collected at a clinic using strict chain of custody procedures. The DNA testing technicians at our Charleston test centers are trained to follow guidelines that ensure that the results can be used for legal purposes.

The results of our legal DNA tests can be used for any legal purpose:

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to change the name on a birth certificate
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to petition for child support
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to petition for survivor benefits
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for child custody arrangements
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to alter inheritance procedures or wills

Home tests offer more flexibility:

Home DNA tests are specimens containing DNA (or possible DNA) that are shipped to us for analysis. The results of these home tests cannot be used in court (since there is no way to prove whose specimens were actually sent). However, the tests are just as accurate and can provide peace of mind. At-home DNA tests also offer a lot more flexibility.

In addition to commonly mailed in DNA specimens like hair follicles, we can also extract DNA from other bodily fluids. We can even try and lift the DNA left on items like clothing, a toothbrush, or a straw. If we can get the DNA from the alternative item, we can then compare it to another person to see if they are related. Some examples include:

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Q-tips
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Stained garments
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Mucus and other bodily fluids
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Soda cans
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Chewing gum

How to schedule a DNA Test in Charleston SC

Scheduling a DNA test at one of our Charleston clinics is simple and fast, and we often have appointments available in the same week, though it's always helpful to schedule in advance to make sure you get the time you want. We have clinics in Charleston, plus many more throughout South Carolina and across the United States. During registration, we'll show you the nearest locations so you can choose the one that's most convenient. You'll pick the times and days that you prefer.

You can set up separate appointments for each of the people being tested, either at the same location or at different locations. You'll get an email and text message with your appointment information. There is no fee if you need to change the time or location of a DNA test appointment at any time.

How long it takes to get results of a DNA test

Paternity tests conducted at one of our Charleston facilities typically take about a week to come back. Other relationship tests, such as sibling studies, can take a few days longer to come back. When the results are ready, you are notified immediately via email. Then, the hard copies of the paperwork are sent afterward via regular mail.

The DNA test appointment - what to expect and what to bring

The appointment itself only takes about 15 minutes. The specimen collection process is a simple and painless cheek swab. No needles are used. When you're being tested at our Charleston clinic, you'll be asked to provide fingerprints and to show photo identification. We'll also take pictures of the people being tested so that the final report will include legal assurances of who was actually tested.

For infants, hospital discharge papers qualify as identification. Otherwise, a birth certificate or social security card can be used as ID for a child. No other preparations are required for this appointment.

Does the mother need to be present at a paternity test?

If a man is considered the legal father of a child, then the mother does not have to be present or give consent for paternity testing. However, if he is not currently considered the legal father, then he cannot sign for the child. Therefore, the mother does need to be there. If neither parent is available, other legal guardians can bring the child so long as they have the right to make medical decisions on the child's behalf.

DNA testing if one party is not in Charleston

The two parties testing (for example: father and child) do not have to be tested at the same time or even at the same location. We have many clinics across South Carolina as well as nationwide, so we can test one party in Charleston and the other party anywhere else in the USA. The specimens are then matched up in the lab for analysis.

Laboratory certifications

Health Street works strictly with AABB Certified labs for DNA testing. All specimens that are collected in Charleston or elsewhere are shipped securely from our testing locations to a nationally certified laboratory.

Why Health Street

A Decade Plus of Experience

Health Street has provided DNA tests since 2010. The first DNA test we performed in Charleston, SC was in 2018.

Charleston, South Carolina - DNA Testing

DNA Test Reunites Charleston-Area Man with Birth Mother

After receiving a DNA test kit as a holiday gift, Matt Flynn, who was adopted, matched with his first and second cousins. He reached out to them, and after telling them more about his history, they gave him the name of the woman who turned out to be his birth mother. He then also learned that he had two half-siblings.

After communicating by phone and text, Flynn and his mother arranged to meet at Charleston International Airport. They were happy to be reunited and look forward to getting to know one another.

How to Establish Paternity in Charleston

In South Carolina, when a child is born to married parents, the mother's spouse is legally presumed to be the child's father. If a man who is not the woman's husband has fathered the child, the biological father must take steps to establish paternity.

When a child is born to unmarried parents, paternity can be established by signing a Paternity Acknowledgement Affidavitat the hospital when the child is born. In this case, the father's name will be added to the birth certificate and is deemed to be the child's legal father. A man can rescind this affidavit within 60 days after signing.

If the form is not filed at the hospital, paternity can be established in one of the following ways:

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Both parents can sign a Paternity Acknowledgement Affidavit at either the county health department in the county where the child was born or the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). The Charleston County Health Department is located at 2070 Northbrook Blvd Ste A 20 Charleston, South Carolina 29406.
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The father can independently establish paternity by completing a Non-Custodial Parent Application for Servicesthrough the Child Support Enforcement Division (CSE) or the Department of Social Services (DSS). If the DNA test shows biological paternity, the DSS will certify legal paternity.
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If the mother seeks child support, the CSE and DSS will ask the man to certify that he is the child's biological father. If he does so without a DNA test, legal paternity is established. Otherwise, he can request a DNA test to verify whether he is the child's father. If the test comes back with a 95% or higher probability of paternity, the DSS will certify paternity.
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A father can also hire an attorney and privately file a suit to establish paternity.

Evidence Needed to Prove Paternity

When petitioning the courts to establish paternity, it's necessary to provide evidence to prove the identity of the child's biological father. According to the Charleston-based Dell Family Law Firm, effective pieces of evidence may include:

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A genetic DNA test that shows a 95% or higher probability of paternity
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A Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity signed by both parents, notarized, and properly witnessed
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A foreign paternity determination
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Testimony from the child's parents
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A birth certificate signed by the mother and the man who believed he was the child's biological father
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An expert's opinion about the time of the child's conception

Last updated 10/3/2022

Neighborhoods Served in Charleston

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Avondale
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Broad St / Chisolm St
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Citadel Military College Of South Carolina / Rutledge Ave
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City Center
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College Of Charleston / King St
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Daniel Island Dr / Seven Farms Dr
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E Bay St / N Market St
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East Central
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King St / Spring St
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Morris St / Coming St
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Nomo
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North-Central
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Old Town
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South Windermire
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Westside

Additional Services

Health Street offers a variety of other services, including:

Citations

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Miller, Stetson. "Summerville man and birth mother reunited through DNA test kit." WCBD News 2, 1 March 2019, https://www.counton2.com/news/local-news/summerville-man-and-birth-mother-reunited-through-dna-test-kit/
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"Establishing Paternity." South Carolina Department of Social Services, https://dss.sc.gov/child-support/parents-families/establishing-paternity/
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"Paternity and Legitimation." South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, https://scdhec.gov/vital-records/vital-records-paternity-and-legitimation
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"South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control - Charleston County Health Department - Northwoods Location." National Prevention Information Network, https://npin.cdc.gov/organization/south-carolina-department-health-and-environmental-control-2
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Matt, Mikaila. "6 Effective Pieces of Evidence to Establish Paternity Quickly." Dell Family Law, 24 August 2022, https://www.charlestonfamilylawattorney.com/establish-paternity-legitimation/
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"Legal Paternity Actions." South Carolina Center for Fathers and Families, https://www.scfathersandfamilies.com/fatherhood-issues/establishing-paternity/legal-paternity-actions/#:~:text=When%20both%20parents%20want%20to,questions%20and%20notarize%20parents'%20signatures.
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"Charleston, SC Real Estate & Demographic Data." Neighborhood Scout, https://www.neighborhoodscout.com/sc/charleston