When to request a free replacement AncestryDNA® kit
Free replacement DNA kits are provided under these circumstances:
- When your kit doesn’t arrive within 14 business days of the order date (or within 5 business days for expedited shipping). If you reside outside of the United States, the timeframe is 20 business days.
- When a kit arrives damaged
- When we don’t receive your sample within 20 business days, or 30 business days if you reside outside of the United States (you’ll get an email when we receive your sample)
- When a sample is determined to be unusable during processing (you’ll get an email from us)
- When the registration code is lost before a kit is registered
If your kit needs to be replaced, please contact us and let us know that you need a replacement kit. Replacement kits should arrive within 10 business days of the order date (3 days for expedited shipping). When a replacement kit is sent, the original DNA kit it replaces can no longer be used.
Replacing a kit you registered
If the laboratory is unable to process your sample, we'll send you a free replacement kit. When this happens, you will need to register your new kit.
If you’ve been notified that your sample couldn’t be processed, follow the directions in the email to request a free replacement kit. From your email asking you to resubmit your DNA sample, click Confirm your free kit.
While signed in to your Ancestry account, from your DNA homepage, click Request a Free Replacement Kit. (If you see an ad on your DNA homepage instead of an option to request a replacement kit, sign in to your Ancestry account and go back to your DNA homepage.)
Double-check that your shipping address is correct, then click Send DNA Kit to This Address. You will receive an email confirming that you’ve ordered a replacement DNA kit. Your replacement kit should arrive within 10 business days.
After returning your sample, in most cases, you’ll receive your results within 6 weeks from the date we receive it.
Replacing a kit that hasn't been registered
If you didn’t receive your kit in the mail, your kit arrived damaged, or you lost your registration code, please contact us to request a free replacement kit. After talking with us, you'll receive your replacement kit within 10 business days (or 3 days for kits originally ordered with expedited shipping).
After returning your sample, in most cases, you’ll receive your results within 6 weeks from the date we receive it.
Tips for collecting a successful saliva sample
- Don’t eat, drink, smoke, or chew gum for 30 minutes before providing your sample.
- To produce more saliva, rub the outsides of your cheeks, pressing them against your teeth.
- If you still find it difficult to produce saliva after doing the above, place ¼ teaspoon of white table sugar on your tongue.
- If you can’t produce enough saliva in one try, refrigerate your tube in an upright position between attempts. You can refrigerate your sample for up to one week before needing to add the blue solution to the saliva tube.
- If you wear dentures, leave them in while producing and submitting your saliva.
- Do not overfill the sample.
- Make sure the liquid (not bubbles) fills the tube to the line. If bubbles are present, they should begin at the line and extend above it.
Troubleshooting
The blue solution doesn’t drain into the bottom of the tube
If you close the tube and the blue solution doesn't release into the bottom, carefully loosen the cap and then screw it on again tightly. Do this until the blue solution drains into the bottom of the tube.
DNA homepage doesn’t offer a free replacement kit
If you received an email saying that we were unable to process your sample and you don’t see a replacement option on your DNA homepage, you are likely not signed in, or you’re signed in to the wrong account. Look for your name in the top-right corner of Ancestry® to verify that you’re in the right account. If it’s not there, click Sign In in the top-right corner to sign in (or, if you’re in someone else’s account, click their name and select Sign Out before signing back in to your account). If you need a replacement kit due to loss or damage, contact us and let us know (1) that you need a free replacement DNA kit and (2) whether or not your kit was already registered.
The button doesn’t work
If you see a button on your DNA homepage to request a replacement DNA kit, but the button doesn’t work, try clearing your cache and cookies.
Sent in sample but forgot to register kit
If you sent in your DNA sample without registering the kit, you can still register it (no matter how long ago you sent in the kit) if you have the registration code, which is printed on the tube and on the back of the instruction card included in your kit. If you no longer have the registration code, you'll need a free replacement kit.
Kit time frames and weather issues
The weather during shipping shouldn’t affect your DNA sample, but if we’re unable to process your sample, we’ll replace the kit.
DNA kits can be used for at least a year after the date of purchase and often for longer. If you’ve had a DNA kit for more than a year, you can still register the kit and send in your sample.
