What chain of custody actually means
Chain of custody is a documented history of a sample. It records who provided it, who collected it, how it was sealed, and every person or carrier who handled it until it reached the laboratory. Any gap in that history can raise doubt about whether the sample is what it claims to be.
This documentation is what separates a legal test from a private one. The laboratory science can be identical; the difference is the evidence that the right people were tested.
The steps in a documented collection
Each element exists to answer a question a judge or agency might ask. Who are these people? Who collected the samples? Could anyone have swapped them? A careful collection answers each of those before they are asked.
- Photo identification checked and recorded for each adult
- Photographs of participants taken at collection
- A neutral collector with no interest in the outcome
- Signed consent and participant forms
- Tamper evident sealing in front of participants
- A logged record of every transfer to the laboratory
Where chain of custody is required
Courts, child support agencies, immigration authorities and attorneys commonly expect documented collection. Even when a family is not sure yet whether a result will be used officially, choosing chain of custody at the start avoids having to repeat the test later.
How Chain of Custody DNA Collection works, step by step
- 01
Identify
Each participant is identified and photographed.
- 02
Collect
A neutral collector takes the swabs and labels them.
- 03
Seal
Samples are sealed in tamper evident packaging with signatures.
- 04
Track
Every handoff to the laboratory is logged.
Questions about Chain of Custody DNA Collection
Can I collect my own samples and still have chain of custody?
No. Chain of custody depends on a neutral collector, so self collected samples do not qualify.
Does chain of custody change the accuracy?
It does not change the laboratory science. It documents that the samples truly came from the named people.
