DNA Testing in New Hampshire: Legal Collection & At-Home Kits

You can test at GameDay DNA collection sites or use an at‑home cheek‑swab kit for private peace of mind. Parents who need legal proof of paternity for child support or court orders often work with local child‑support offices or family‑law attorneys, and providers such as Fastest Labs and other AABB‑accredited labs offer court‑admissible paternity testing throughout New Hampshire for cases involving support, custody, or inheritance, as described on services pages like paternity testing in Hooksett, NH. New Hampshire family‑law firms, such as Cohen & Winters’ paternity page, explain that paternity in New Hampshire is established either by an affidavit in which the father acknowledges he is the parent or by a judicial determination, which may include DNA testing when the parties disagree.

New Hampshire law expressly authorizes genetic testing in civil cases where paternity is a contested and relevant issue. New Hampshire Revised Statutes § 522:1 on authority for test provides that in such cases the mother, child, and putative father must submit to blood, tissue‑typing, or genetic‑marker tests (including DNA analysis), that the court may order testing on its own or upon motion of a party, and that the Department of Health and Human Services may also order genetic testing administratively at the request of a party when supported by a sworn statement. A summary of New Hampshire Paternity Law explains that under Chapter 168‑A, if tests taken pursuant to RSA 522:1 show the alleged father is not the parent, the court must resolve paternity accordingly, and if the probability of paternity is 97 percent or higher, the alleged father is presumed to be the father unless that presumption is rebutted by clear and convincing evidence.

Most legal paternity tests in New Hampshire use buccal‑swab (cheek‑swab) samples from the mother, child, and alleged father, though blood or other tissue can be used. RSA 522:1 authorizes “blood, tissue typing, and/or genetic marker tests” including DNA analysis, which covers modern cheek‑swab DNA testing performed by qualified laboratories, with samples safeguarded and used exclusively for paternity testing. New Hampshire providers offering legal paternity tests, such as AffinityDNA’s New Hampshire paternity testing page, emphasize that AABB‑accredited labs collect cheek‑swab samples at approved facilities and produce reports accepted as evidence in court for child support, inheritance, and immigration purposes.

For at‑home kits, use the sterile swabs in your kit, rub firmly along the inside of each cheek for the full time listed in the instructions, allow the swabs to air‑dry, and seal them in the labeled envelopes before mailing them back to the lab. General DNA‑testing guidance used by New Hampshire families recommends avoiding food, drink, and smoking for at least 30 minutes before swabbing so the sample is clean and uncontaminated. Legal‑advice discussions about paternity testing, such as forum explanations of the process of a potential father requesting a paternity test, underscore that while private tests can provide peace of mind, court‑ordered testing follows formal procedures—including verified identification and chain of custody—so the results are admissible in child‑support and custody cases.

GameDay DNA provides results through a secure online portal or encrypted email, with printed lab reports available for legal tests when needed. When genetic testing is ordered under RSA 522:1, the statute authorizes the court or the Department of Health and Human Services to designate qualified experts and laboratories, and administrative procedures require the department to serve the parties with a notice and order that includes the appointment date, time, and place for sample collection, after which the test results are reported back and used in paternity proceedings. New Hampshire Supreme Court cases, such as Watts v. Watts and In re Kevin Gendron, show that courts rely on these test results when paternity remains contested but will not order new testing in custody cases once legal paternity has already been established by acknowledgment, highlighting how results factor into later court orders.

Yes—DNA test results that meet RSA 522:1 and Chapter 168‑A requirements are regularly admitted as evidence in New Hampshire paternity cases. The New Hampshire Paternity Law summary explains that if experts conclude the alleged father is not the parent, the court must resolve paternity accordingly; if the probability of paternity is less than 97 percent, the evidence is admitted and weighed with other proof; and if the tests show a probability of 97 percent or higher, the alleged father is presumed to be the father, with the presumption rebuttable only by clear and convincing evidence. A Social Security legal opinion on New Hampshire notes that RSA 522:1 specifically authorizes genetic testing in contested paternity cases and that DNA results showing the alleged father is not excluded carry significant evidentiary weight in proving biological relationships for benefit claims.

New Hampshire paternity actions can be brought by several parties depending on the situation. The New Hampshire Paternity Law overview notes that actions under Chapter 168‑A may be initiated in the superior court by the mother, the alleged father, the child (through a representative), or the state, and that the statute sets out procedures for bringing suit, serving parties, and ordering tests under RSA 522:1. New Hampshire family‑law firms, such as Cohen & Winters’ paternity page, explain that paternity may also be established by a signed affidavit (acknowledgment of paternity) without litigation, but when disputes arise, either parent can ask the court to order genetic testing and issue orders on custody, visitation, and child support once paternity is determined.

In challenging situations—such as when an alleged father is deceased—New Hampshire courts may consider genetic testing of available relatives and other evidence, but statutes place a premium on finality and the child’s welfare once paternity has been established. New Hampshire Supreme Court decisions like In re Kevin Gendron emphasize that while RSA 522:1 allows courts to order genetic marker testing when paternity is a contested and relevant issue, the best interests of the child and the need for stability can justify denying additional testing where there is already a valid acknowledgment of paternity. Social Security’s opinion on New Hampshire paternity law underscores that genetic testing is authorized in contested cases and that clear and convincing evidence—including DNA results—can be used to prove or rebut paternity, which may include testing relatives when direct testing of the alleged father is impossible.