How to Get a DNA Test: What to Know Before Ordering One

For most people, getting a DNA test means ordering a kit online, spitting into a tube at home, and mailing it back. That's the direct-to-consumer model, and as the FDA describes it, these tests "generally request the consumer collect a specimen, such as saliva or urine, and send it to the company for testing and analysis." The harder decision isn't how to order one. It's which kind of test actually answers your question, and how to tell a company worth trusting from one that isn't.

At-home kits vs. physician-ordered testing

There are two paths to a DNA test, and they're built for different purposes.

At-home, direct-to-consumer kits skip the doctor entirely. You order online, collect your own sample, and get results through a web portal or app. MedlinePlus notes that "DNA samples are collected easily at home and can be mailed or shipped directly to the company," and that this route "can provide personalized information about disease risk, ancestry, and specific health traits." No appointment, no referral, no insurance paperwork.

Clinical genetic testing runs through a doctor or genetic counselor instead. A healthcare provider orders the specific test based on your symptoms or family history, a lab processes it, and a clinician interprets the results with you. MedlinePlus points out that genetic testing as a category is enormous: "Over 2000 tests are available," most of them looking for a specific disease-linked variant rather than scanning your whole genetic makeup.

The tradeoff is straightforward. At-home tests are cheap and fast but limited in medical depth. Clinical tests are slower and require a provider relationship but carry the weight of an actual diagnosis. If you're trying to confirm or rule out a specific inherited condition because it runs in your family, that's a conversation for a doctor or genetic counselor, not a kit you order on a Tuesday night. If you're curious about ancestry, general wellness traits, or broad risk information, a direct-to-consumer kit is built for exactly that.

What "whole genome" actually means, vs. a genotyping array

This is where a lot of marketing gets fuzzy, and it's worth being precise about it.

Most consumer DNA kits, including the low-cost ones, use a genotyping array. This checks a fixed set of known locations in your DNA, the spots researchers have already linked to specific traits, ancestry markers, or disease risk. It's fast and cheap because it's only reading a curated list of positions, not your entire genetic code.

Whole genome sequencing reads far more of your DNA than an array's pre-selected checkpoints. MedlinePlus frames genetic testing broadly as looking for "changes, sometimes called variants or mutations," across your genes, chromosomes, and full genome sequence, and a genome-level test is the version built to catch variants outside the usual array checkpoints. That extra coverage is why whole genome tests cost more and generally take longer to process than an array-based kit. Neither approach makes a test better in every situation. An array is plenty if what you want is ancestry composition or common trait markers. Sequencing matters more if you're trying to catch rarer variants that a fixed array was never designed to look for. Biome sells both a DNA test and a whole genome test, built on that same distinction, an array-based test for the standard 650,000-plus marker panel and full sequencing for broader coverage.

How to evaluate a testing company before you order

Before you hand over a saliva sample, check four things.

What it actually tests. Ask whether the company uses a genotyping array or full sequencing, and how many markers or genes it covers. A company that won't say what's in the test isn't one to trust with your DNA.

Accreditation of the lab. Reputable testing companies typically process samples in a lab accredited under CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments), the standard for medical testing labs in the US. If a company doesn't disclose which lab does the actual processing, or what standard it operates under, ask before you order.

The privacy policy, not the marketing page. This is the one people skip. Read the actual privacy policy, not the FAQ. Look for what happens to your raw genetic data: whether it's used for outside research, whether it's shared with third parties, and how you can request deletion. Practices vary by company, so check the specific service's own policy rather than assuming.

Regulatory status. The FDA oversees direct-to-consumer tests as in vitro diagnostics, and the National Human Genome Research Institute publishes guidance for healthcare professionals specifically because so many patients now show up with DTC results in hand. A test that has never engaged with that oversight landscape at all is a yellow flag.

Turnaround time and what happens after you mail the sample

Once your sample ships, it goes to a lab for processing, then results post to an online account, usually with an email notification. Genotyping array tests tend to turn around faster than whole genome sequencing, since the lab is reading a fixed set of positions rather than sequencing your full genetic code. Exact timelines vary by company and by test type, so check the specific turnaround estimate listed at checkout rather than assuming.

What you get back also depends on what you ordered. Ancestry results typically show population breakdowns and DNA relative matches. Wellness and trait reports cover things like caffeine metabolism or muscle composition. Health risk reports, where offered, describe elevated or reduced likelihood for certain conditions, not a diagnosis. As Cleveland Clinic puts it, at-home kits "can offer insight into your genetics, but they're no substitute for medical screenings." Certified genetic counselor Marissa Coleridge, quoted in that same piece, says these tests "can be useful, but only when you understand their limits."

Where ancestry results fit into this

Ancestry testing deserves its own note because it's the most popular reason people order a kit in the first place. These tests compare your DNA against reference populations to estimate your genetic background, and they can also identify relatives who've tested with the same company. Geneticists Lynn Jorde and Michael Bamshad, writing in JAMA and archived by the NIH, describe how these tests can "help to connect people with their relatives, sometimes as distantly related" as you'd expect from a shared great-great-grandparent. The accuracy of an ancestry estimate depends heavily on how many reference samples a company has from your specific background, which is one more reason the size and diversity of a company's reference database is worth asking about before you order.

FAQ

Do I need a doctor to get a DNA test? No, for most consumer ancestry, wellness, and trait tests you can order online and collect your own sample at home. A doctor's order is generally required only for diagnostic genetic testing tied to a specific medical condition.

What's the difference between a DNA test and a whole genome test? A standard DNA test usually reads a fixed array of known genetic markers, while a whole genome test sequences far more of your DNA rather than checking only pre-selected positions.

Are at-home DNA tests accurate? They can be reliable for what they're designed to measure, but Cleveland Clinic notes they're "no substitute for medical screenings," and results for health-related traits should be discussed with a healthcare provider before acting on them.

What should I check before choosing a DNA testing company? Confirm what the test actually covers, whether the lab is accredited, and read the company's actual privacy policy for how it handles your raw genetic data, since practices differ by company.

How long does it take to get DNA test results? It depends on the company and the type of test. Genotyping array tests generally process faster than whole genome sequencing, so check the specific turnaround time listed by the company you choose.