To get a paternity test in PA, you take one of two routes. If both parents agree on who the father is, you sign a voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity form and no test is legally required. If there is any dispute, you file a complaint in court asking a judge to order genetic testing of the mother, child, and alleged father.1Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Establishing Paternity for Your Child Which path applies depends entirely on whether the adults involved agree.
One boundary before going further: if the child was born during a marriage, Pennsylvania law already presumes the husband is the legal father, and no separate step is needed unless someone wants to challenge that presumption with genetic testing.2Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 23 – Section 5103 Everything below assumes the parents are unmarried or that the marital presumption is being contested.
The Agreement Path: Acknowledgment of Paternity
When both parents agree, no DNA test is needed. You sign Form PA-CS 611, available at the hospital right after birth, through the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, or at a county Domestic Relations Section office.3Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Acknowledgment of Paternity Form PA-CS 611 Both parents provide their full names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers, plus the same details for the child. Each signature must be witnessed by a separate third party.
A completed acknowledgment counts as conclusive evidence of paternity under Pennsylvania law and does not require court approval. Once it takes effect, the father has the same legal rights and duties he would have had if he had been married to the mother at the time of birth.2Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 23 – Section 5103 The hospital must explain the legal consequences before either parent signs.
You have 60 days to change your mind. Either parent can rescind the acknowledgment within 60 days of signing, or before any court or administrative proceeding involving the child, whichever comes first. No reason is required during that window. After 60 days, the only way out is to go to court and prove fraud, duress, or a material mistake of fact by clear and convincing evidence. That is a difficult standard. If you have doubts about biological paternity, get a test before signing rather than after.
The Dispute Path: Court-Ordered Genetic Testing
If the parents disagree, someone has to file. A putative father can file a Complaint to Establish Paternity and for Genetic Testing with the court, provided no paternity, custody, or support order involving the child already exists and no such case is currently pending.4Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. 231 Pa Code Rule 1930.6 – Paternity Actions Scope Venue Commencement of Action Mothers and government agencies can also initiate paternity proceedings, most often through the county Domestic Relations Section as part of a child support case.1Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Establishing Paternity for Your Child
The complaint asks for the names and addresses of both parents, the child’s name and date of birth, and information about where the child lives and with whom.4Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. 231 Pa Code Rule 1930.6 – Paternity Actions Scope Venue Commencement of Action You do not need to attach a birth certificate. Filing fees vary by county; call your local court clerk for the exact amount.
Once a party to a paternity action requests genetic testing by sworn statement, the court or Domestic Relations Section must order it.5Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 23 – Section 4343 At the hearing on your complaint, the judge decides whether you are legally entitled to testing and, if so, orders the alleged father and the child to submit.4Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. 231 Pa Code Rule 1930.6 – Paternity Actions Scope Venue Commencement of Action
What the Test Involves
A technician rubs a cotton swab on the inside of each person’s cheek to collect DNA from the mother, child, and alleged father. There are no needles. To be admissible in court, the sample must be processed at a laboratory certified by AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) or the American Association for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics.5Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 23 – Section 4343
Who Pays
Cost depends on how the case got started. When a putative father files under Rule 1930.6, the complaint itself includes an agreement to pay all testing costs directly to the laboratory.4Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. 231 Pa Code Rule 1930.6 – Paternity Actions Scope Venue Commencement of Action When the court or Domestic Relations Section orders testing on its own, the Domestic Relations Section pays upfront and can recover the cost from the father if paternity is established.5Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 23 – Section 4343 Plan on several hundred dollars.
Reading the Results
The laboratory sends its report to the court or Domestic Relations Section, and both parties are notified. Results are stated as a probability of paternity. A result of 99% or greater creates a legal presumption that the man is the father.5Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 23 – Section 4343 That presumption can be rebutted only with clear and convincing evidence that the specific test results are unreliable.
Any party who disputes the initial results can request a second genetic test by paying for it in advance.5Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 23 – Section 4343 Once results are conclusive, the court issues a final paternity order.
If the Alleged Father Refuses to Test
Ignoring the order does not stop the case. Pennsylvania’s rules allow the court to enter a default paternity order against a person who is properly served but fails to appear for scheduled genetic testing.5Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 23 – Section 4343 The court can declare a man the legal father with no DNA evidence at all.
On top of that, the court or Domestic Relations Section can direct licensing authorities to suspend or deny a person’s professional, occupational, or driver’s license for failing to comply with subpoenas or warrants in paternity proceedings. The person receives 30 days’ notice; if noncompliance continues, the licensing authority must carry out the suspension immediately.
How Long You Have to File
A paternity action for a child born outside of marriage must be filed within 18 years of the child’s birth.5Pennsylvania General Assembly. Pennsylvania Code Title 23 – Section 4343 After that, the court no longer has authority to hear the case. Waiting also creates practical problems: witnesses move, memories fade, and alleged fathers become harder to locate.
What a Paternity Order Lets You Do
Once paternity is legally established, either parent can request an amended birth certificate that adds the father’s name by applying to the Pennsylvania Department of Health with a certified copy of the court order. After the amendment, only the new version is released in response to records requests; the original is sealed.6Pennsylvania Code and Bulletin. 28 Pa Code 1.3 – Amendments to Birth Certificates
Either parent can also file for child support or seek a formal custody and visitation arrangement. The child gains inheritance rights, potential eligibility for the father’s employer-sponsored health insurance, and, at the federal level, eligibility for Social Security survivor or disability benefits based on the father’s earnings record.1Pennsylvania Department of Human Services. Establishing Paternity for Your Child Each of those is a separate proceeding you file after the paternity order is in hand.