What is AABB Accreditation and Why Does It Matter?

Not all DNA tests are the same. If you search online, you will find many companies offering paternity tests, ancestry kits, and health screenings. Some cost only $79.Otherscost$79.Otherscost400 or more. But for legal matters — child support, custody, or immigration — price is not the most important factor.

What truly matters is AABB accreditation.

Courts, child support agencies, and the U.S. government will only accept DNA test results from laboratories accredited by the AABB. Without this accreditation, your test results may be rejected — no matter how accurate they seem.

This article explains what AABB accreditation is, how laboratories earn it, and why it is essential for legal and immigration DNA testing.

What is AABB?

AABB stands for the Association for the Advancement of Blood & Biotherapies. It was formerly known as the American Association of Blood Banks. The name changed, but its mission remains the same: to set the highest quality standards for laboratories that perform blood banking, transfusion services, and — most relevant to you — relationship (parentage) DNA testing.

AABB is an independent, non-profit organization. It does not perform tests itself. Instead, it inspects and accredits laboratories that meet its rigorous standards. Because AABB has no financial interest in the laboratories it evaluates, its accreditation is considered objective and trustworthy.

AABB accreditation is recognized as the international gold standard for relationship DNA testing laboratories. The U.S. government has determined that AABB’s requirements are equal to or even more stringent than federal CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments) requirements. In fact, in April 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) re-approved AABB as an accreditation organization under CLIA for a six-year period.

What Does AABB Accreditation Require?

Earning AABB accreditation is not easy. Laboratories must undergo a highly intensive and rigorous inspection of their testing facilities, techniques, staff qualifications, and record-keeping procedures.

Here are the key requirements:

Qualified Laboratory Director

Every AABB-accredited laboratory must have a director with a doctoral degree in medical, biological, or clinical laboratory science (or genetics), plus at least two years of training or experience specifically in relationship testing. If the laboratory uses forensic DNA testing methods, the director may also qualify under FBI quality assurance standards.

Chain-of-Custody Documentation

For legal and immigration cases, AABB requires a strict chain-of-custody process. This means every step — from sample collection to testing to reporting — is documented and witnessed.

• Samples are collected by a neutral third party
• Photo ID is verified for all participants
• Collection is witnessed and recorded
• Samples are sealed in tamper-evident packaging
• Every transfer of samples is logged and signed

This chain-of-custody is what makes a DNA test legally admissible in court. Without it, a test may be scientifically accurate but legally useless.

Proficiency Testing

AABB-accredited laboratories must participate in regular proficiency testing programs approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These programs send unknown samples to the laboratory to verify that its testing methods produce correct results. If a laboratory fails proficiency testing, it can lose its accreditation.

Bi-Annual Re-Inspections

Accreditation is not a one-time event. AABB laboratories are re-inspected every two years. Inspectors review records, observe testing procedures, and verify that all staff remain qualified.

Activity Scope

AABB accreditation can cover one or more of the following activities:

• Collection – obtaining samples with proper identification and chain-of-custody
• Testing – DNA analysis and interpretation
• Verification and Reporting – reviewing cases and issuing results

Some laboratories are accredited for all three activities. Others may only be accredited for collection and reporting, sending actual testing to another AABB-accredited facility.

Important Note: Accreditation is Voluntary

Accreditation for relationship testing is NOT legally required for all DNA testing. In the United States, AABB accreditation is voluntary. A laboratory can legally perform DNA testing without it.

However, many state laws require AABB accreditation for any test report to be used in legal proceedings. And the U.S. government requires it for all visa, passport, and citizenship DNA testing cases.

Why Does AABB Accreditation Matter?

AABB accreditation matters because it is the only accreditation that courts and the U.S. government trust for legal and immigration DNA testing.

1. Required for Court Cases

If you need a DNA test for:

• Child support
• Child custody
• Visitation rights
• Inheritance claims
• Any other legal matter

…the court will only accept results from an AABB-accredited laboratory.

Many states have laws that explicitly require genetic testing to be performed in a testing laboratory accredited by AABB (or a successor). Without this accreditation, your test results will not be admitted as evidence.

2. Required for U.S. Immigration (USCIS)

The U.S. Department of State requires that any DNA testing for visa and citizenship purposes must be performed by a laboratory accredited by AABB.

This applies to:

• Parent-child relationships for visa applications
• Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBA)
• Immigration cases where documentary evidence is insufficient

The testing is normally offered to applicants who have tried but been unable to meet the legal requirement of establishing a biological relationship through documents alone.

USCIS and the Department of State will only accept results from an AABB-accredited lab that follows strict chain-of-custody procedures. Choosing a non-AABB-accredited laboratory will result in immediate rejection.

3. Requires 99.5%+ Probability of Parentage

For immigration cases involving parent-child relationships, the AABB-accredited lab’s report must state a minimum of 99.5 percent probability of parentage or greater. This is a non-negotiable legal threshold.

4. Protects Against Errors

AABB accreditation minimizes the risk of:

• Sample mix-ups (through strict chain-of-custody)
• Contamination (through validated testing methods)
• Interpretation errors (through proficiency testing)
• Fraud (through photo ID verification)

Laboratories that offer cheap prices ($79\text{–}$79–99) often skip these safeguards. Without accrediting bodies performing regular audits, consumers have no way of knowing if the DNA-testing company is following industry standards.

5. Recognized Worldwide

AABB-accredited laboratories are recognized not only in the United States but also by U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide. If you are outside the U.S. and need DNA testing for a U.S. visa or passport, you must still use an AABB-accredited laboratory.

Part 4: AABB vs. Other Accreditations

You may see other accreditations mentioned on DNA testing websites. Here is how AABB compares:

Accreditation	Focus	Acceptable for Court?	Acceptable for USCIS?
AABB	Relationship (paternity) testing	Yes (required by most states)	Yes (required)
CLIA	General clinical laboratory testing	No	No
CAP	Pathology and laboratory medicine	No	No
ISO/IEC 17025	Technical competence of testing labs	Not by itself	No
ANAB	International lab accreditation	Not by itself	No

AABB accreditation is specific to relationship DNA testing. CLIA, CAP, and ISO accreditations are valuable for other purposes, but they are not sufficient for legal paternity or immigration cases.

Many quality laboratories hold multiple accreditations. For example, a lab may be accredited by AABB for relationship testing, CLIA for clinical testing, and CAP for pathology services. But for legal and immigration DNA tests, AABB is the non-negotiable requirement (see helpful guide).

How to Find an AABB-Accredited Laboratory

The U.S. government recommends using an AABB-accredited lab for legal or immigration DNA testing. Here is how to find one:

1. Do not use a third party – You should contact the laboratory directly, not through an intermediary.
2. Check the official AABB list – The complete list of AABB-accredited relationship testing facilities is available on the AABB website.
3. Ask for proof – Legitimate laboratories display their AABB accreditation prominently on their website.
4. Follow the lab’s instructions – For immigration cases, the lab will guide you through the chain-of-custody process. For overseas collection, the lab sends kits directly to the U.S. embassy.

👉 Use our directory at dnacentersusa.com to find AABB-accredited DNA testing centers near you.

• AABB accreditation is the gold standard for relationship DNA testing.
• It requires qualified staff, strict chain-of-custody, proficiency testing, and bi-annual re-inspections.
• For legal cases (child support, custody), most state courts require AABB accreditation.
• For immigration cases (USCIS, visas, passports), AABB accreditation is mandatory.
• Other accreditations (CLIA, CAP, ISO) are not sufficient for legal or immigration DNA testing.

If your DNA test results need to hold up in court or satisfy U.S. immigration authorities, always choose an AABB-accredited laboratory.