Paternity does not need to be formally established when the child’s parents are married or the father’s name is listed by his consent on the child’s birth certificate. A paternity action may be brought by either the mother or the father any time before a child’s 18th birthday. A child between the ages of 18 and 21 may bring an action seeking to have paternity established. Paternity can be established through paternity testing (also known as DNA testing or genetic testing). The test includes a cheek swab of the child, mother, and the prospective father. The results are then sent to a laboratory for testing. Most laboratories process the results within two to three business days, and have a 98% probability that the prospective father is the father.