This is a Chain-of-Custody (CoC) Fee and covers the collection, identification, and paperwork process required for any legal test. The process is mandatory for results to be legally admissible, as it ensures that the samples have followed a strict chain-of-custody, and that the people giving DNA samples are identified through photographs, fingerprints, and identity documents.
If you think there is a chance that you will want to use your results for any legal or official purpose at any time in the future – such as passport or ID applications, birth certificate changes, custody or inheritance purposes, etc. – you will need to follow these legal requirements at the time of your sample collection.
Please note that the actual testing / analysis of DNA for a Peace-of-Mind (At-Home) Test and a Legal (Chain-of-Custody) Test is identical. Both undergo the same rigorous testing, both are guaranteed at a minimum of 99.99%, and both are issued with notarized result reports.
The difference is that for a Legal Test, you cannot collect your own samples, and you must have your identity verified by an independent, third-party sample collector. The samples must also follow a strict chain-of-custody. Learn more about the difference between legal testing and peace-of-mind testing in our FAQ.
Following this process means your notarized result report will also be recognized as an official, legal document (note that foreign-issued legal documents used in Thailand also need to be authenticated after they are issued. Learn more about the difference between notarized, legal, and authenticated results in our FAQ.)
If your samples are being collected by any of our collection centers, or by another doctor, you will pay the sample collection fee (also called a Chain-of-Custody (CoC) Fee) directly to your sample collector. If a staff member of PTC Laboratories will collect your sample, you can select this option here and pay online.
WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE PRICE?
The price includes:
- 24/7 personal customer support in English and Thai.
- Your DNA samples collected by a certified, independent third party. The fee covers everyone at one (1) appointment. If samples are collected in two or more places, or at two or more times, this can sometimes incur multiple CoC Fees.
- Your DNA samples follow a strict chain-of-custody procedure, from the point of sample collection, all the way to testing at our laboratory. It is also important that the people being tested are never left alone with their samples. The sample collector must also be able to testify in court that they collected samples correctly.
- The people being tested have had their identities verified. To prevent someone providing samples on behalf of someone else, we must verify the people being tested are who they say they are, and this requires additional paperwork, photographic ID, photographs of people being tested, thumbprints, contact details, and more.