HSA eligibility ruling · Lab Tests & Diagnostics
Is Paternity Test HSA-Eligible? (2026)
No, it's not HSA-eligible.
Paternity tests are NOT HSA-eligible - they're not considered medical treatment.
- Typical cost
- $100–$500 (home kit); $300–$500 (legal/court-admissible)
- Basis
- Federal framework applied
The exception
Not eligible. Paternity testing is not considered medical treatment by the IRS.
Paying with HSA money anyway can mean income tax plus a 20% penalty if you're under 65.
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DNA paternity testing is not a qualified medical expense. While it involves laboratory analysis, the IRS doesn't consider it a medical procedure because it doesn't diagnose, treat, or prevent a disease or medical condition. This applies to both home DNA kits and lab-based legal paternity tests. The test determines a biological relationship, not a medical condition.
Decision record and source basis
This ruling applies the federal medical-expense definition and HSA distribution framework. The cited publications do not name every product or service, so the expense purpose and facts still control. A product or retailer label does not override the expense purpose, eligibility conditions, or documentation requirement shown above.
- IRS Publication 502: federal medical-expense framework
Medical expenses are costs for diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease, or for affecting a body function; personal and general-health costs are excluded unless a specific rule applies.
Source reviewed
- IRS Publication 969: HSA qualified medical expenses
HSA distributions are tax-free only for uncompensated qualified medical expenses incurred after the HSA was established, with supporting records retained.
Source reviewed
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a paternity test HSA-eligible?
No. Paternity DNA tests don't diagnose or treat a medical condition, so they don't qualify.
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