How long will it take to receive my kit?
Once you have ordered, we typically mail kits first class the next business day from our office in Houston, Texas. For orders within the United States, DHL transit time is usually between 5–7 business days. However, depending on your location, it may be as many as 10 business days. International orders can take several weeks to arrive.
Important: Due to the high volume of orders during sales and holiday seasons, shipping times may be longer than normal as a result of internal delays and delays with DHL. Please select expedited shipping (contiguous US orders only) or request next-day shipping if you need an order delivered prior to a holiday. Note that additional charges apply for expedited and next-day shipping. You can select Expedited shipping directly on your shopping cart (option is located under the Billing Address section). To request next-day shipping, contact Customer Support at (713) 868-1438 Monday thru Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM CT.
The Postal Service says my kit has been returned and delivered to FamilyTreeDNA. Why haven't you marked my kit as received yet?
Typically, FamilyTreeDNA checks received kits into our system within 1–2 business days after delivery to our office.
If I order multiple kits at the same time, will you combine the shipping costs?
No, our shipping and handling fees cover the materials in the test kit, the time to prepare it, and the actual shipping fee, whether domestic or international. Therefore, each kit has a standard Shipping and Handling fee added.
My kit was lost in the mail. What should I do?
If your kit has been lost in the mail, we can have another kit shipped to you. Please contact us, and select the Shipping category. Please make sure to include your kit number. We will have a replacement kit sent to you the next business day.
Sometimes, replacement kits are sent in a plain manila envelope and not in the regular DNA kit box.
Note: Your kit number is included in the email that we sent to you after you placed your order online.
When I order an upgrade, do you need a new sample? How will I know if you are sending a new kit?
Most of the time, the DNA extracted from your original test kit is enough for any upgrade you order. When you have paid in full for the upgrade and the weekly batch has closed, your order is added to the queue for lab processing. Should the lab discover that a new sample is needed, you will be sent a new kit to the address on the account.
Important: When ordering an upgrade, please make sure that your shipping address is up to date in case we need to send you a new kit.
Is it possible to pay for a kit and send it to another person (third-party billing)?
Yes. We accept third-party billing. When you place an order, you can choose a billing address that is different from the shipping address.