How much does a paternity test cost in San Diego?

TrueStone prices, September 2026

Prices are per case and include everything needed to get a report. There is no separate collection fee, no per-swab fee and no charge for the notarized hard copy on legal cases.

What "all in" means

• Included: the appointment and collection, laboratory analysis by an independent AABB-accredited laboratory, overnight shipping to the laboratory, the report (notarized hard copy by mail plus PDF on legal cases, PDF on private cases), and the mother's participation.
• Not included: extra participants beyond the alleged father and child ($129 each), and the travel fee if we come to you instead of the office.
• Not offered: rush processing, home kits, prenatal, immigration or ancestry testing.

How San Diego prices compare

Mail-in home kits, roughly $130 to $200. The cheapest way to get a paternity answer for your own knowledge, if you're willing to wait for the box, register the kit, swab correctly, match every swab to the right person and mail it back. There is no witnessed collection and no chain of custody, so the result cannot be used for court, child support, custody or agency purposes. Turnaround is usually a week or more once you count both mail trips. Some kits advertise a low price and charge a separate "lab fee" when you return it, so read the fine print.

National chains, about $450 to $525 for a legal test. Two national providers' published legal paternity prices in September 2026 were $450 and $525. You book a slot at a collection site during business hours, do the paperwork yourself and pay the chain's price, which typically does not include the mother.

Local collection offices, widely variable. Some quote a low base price and then add per-person fees, a collection fee, shipping, notarization, or a rush fee. Our legal test at $399 sits below both national brands with the mother included and every fee already in the price.

Fees to ask about anywhere you compare

• Is the mother's sample extra? Many providers charge $100 or more for a third participant. Here she is free at the same appointment.
• Is there a separate collection or "specimen" fee? Some laboratories quote a laboratory price and let the collection site charge its own fee on top. Ask for the total you will actually pay.
• Is shipping included? Overnight shipping to the laboratory is part of every case here.
• Is the notarized hard copy included on a legal test? Some providers charge for it or for a second copy.
• Is there a deposit? Not for office visits. You pay in full at your appointment, card or cash. Full terms.
• Are you paying for speed you don't need? Rush processing typically adds $100 to $200 at providers that offer it. Standard turnaround here is three to four business days after your appointment.

Insurance, child support cases and free testing

Insurance does not cover paternity testing. It is not a medical service, so every provider is self-pay. No referral or medical records are involved.

If you have an open child support case with the county's Department of Child Support Services, genetic testing may be arranged through that case, often at no upfront cost to you. Ask your caseworker before paying anyone privately. If a court has already ordered testing, follow the court's process; a privately purchased test may not be what the court wants. See how legal paternity tests work in California.

Paying for a private test first and a legal one later costs more than doing the legal test once. A private result cannot be converted; the samples must be recollected under chain of custody. If there is any chance a court, agency or attorney will ask for the result, the $399 legal test is the cheaper path.