Use this article to send the sample from your standard MyHeritage DNA kit back to the lab. It explains how to pack the sample, which address to use for your country, and what to know about customs.
If you have a MyHeritage DNA 360° kit instead, see:
The return envelope in a standard MyHeritage DNA kit is not prepaid. MyHeritage does not provide digital or physical return shipping labels, so you arrange and pay for the return shipping yourself.
How do I pack and send my DNA sample?
To send your MyHeritage DNA sample back to the lab, follow these steps:
Activate your kit online: Activate your MyHeritage DNA kit before you send it. If your kit arrives at the lab without being activated, processing does not begin until you activate it. See: How do I activate my DNA kit?
Pack the sample: Place the vial in the plastic bag with the cotton pad.
Seal the envelope: Put the bag in the return envelope from your kit and seal it. If the return sleeve is missing, use a clean, sealable plastic bag as a substitute. If you have more than one kit, use a separate envelope for each sample.
Check the address: Your return envelope should already show the address for your country. Compare it with the address in the next section. If the address on your envelope is different, which can happen with older kits, change it to the address for your country.
Post the envelope: Pay the postage and post the envelope. Ask your carrier for a tracking number, so you can follow the shipment. Do not choose a delivery service that requires a signature, because this can cause delays or failed deliveries.
💡 Good to know: You do not need to write your name on the vial or the envelope. The activation code on the vial identifies your sample when it reaches the lab. You can keep your activation card, and you do not need to put it in the envelope.
Which address do I write on the return envelope?
Use the address for the country you ship from. If you ship from Argentina, Australia, the European Union, Mexico, Norway, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom, you send your sample to a MyHeritage collection center. If you ship from the United States, Canada, or any other country, you send your sample directly to the lab in Houston, Texas.
⚠️ Do not use a delivery service that requires a signature: These services need someone to hand the parcel over, and nobody is on site at a collection center. Many carriers also do not deliver signature-required parcels to a PO box, and they may charge you an address correction fee.
Click on the name of the relevant location to open the collapsible section.
If you ship from Argentina:
If you ship from Argentina:
Send your sample to our collection center in Argentina. Write this address on the envelope:
MyHeritage
c/o Dr. Ramiro Colabianchi
Bv Oroño 1520
CP 2000
Rosario - Santa Fe
Argentina
A customs form is usually not required.
If you ship from Australia:
If you ship from Australia:
Send your sample to our collection center in Australia. Write this address on the envelope:
c/o MyHeritage
P.O.Box 8888
Smeaton Grange BC
SMEATON GRANGE NSW 2567
Australia
A customs form is not required.
If you ship from a European Union country:
If you ship from a European Union country:
Send your sample to our collection center in Germany. Write this address on the envelope:
Fedex Express Deutschland GmbH
c/o MyHeritage
Postfach (P.O. Box) 1422
DE 65704 Hofheim
Germany
A customs form is not required.
If you ship from Mexico:
If you ship from Mexico:
Send your sample to our collection center in Mexico. Write this address on the envelope:
MyHeritage
c/o Edgar Leon
Lamartine 139-2, Polanco V Sección.
Miguel Hidalgo, 11560, Ciudad de Mexico
Mexico
A customs form is not required.
If you ship from Norway:
If you ship from Norway:
Send your sample to our collection center in Norway. Write this address on the envelope:
Fedex
c/o MyHeritage
Loadmaster AS
Leiraveien 11
2000 Lillestrøm
Norway
A customs form is not required.
If you ship from Switzerland:
If you ship from Switzerland:
Send your sample to our collection center in Switzerland. Write this address on the envelope:
MyHeritage
c/o FedEx Express Swiss Post GmbH
Gärtnereiweg 23
CH 4665 Oftringen
Switzerland
A customs form is not required.
If you ship from the United Kingdom:
If you ship from the United Kingdom:
Send your sample to our collection center in the United Kingdom. Write this address on the envelope:
MyHeritage
PO Box 7874
WS1 9WW
Walsall
United Kingdom
A customs form is not required.
⚠️ Do not use signed-for or registered delivery: These services require a signature, and nobody is on site at our collection center in the United Kingdom to sign for the parcel.
If you ship from the United States, Canada, or any other country not listed above:
If you ship from the United States, Canada, or any other country not listed above:
Send your sample directly to our lab. Write this address on the envelope:
MyHeritage DNA
1445 North Loop West, Suite 820
Houston, Texas 77008
USA
⚠️ If you ship from outside the United States, read the next section about customs.
What do I need to know about customs when I ship to the U.S. lab?
Since August 29, 2025, the United States has suspended its duty-free "de minimis" exemption for all countries. As a result, duties apply to all postal shipments to the U.S., regardless of their value or country of origin. Your post office may ask you to prepay the duties before it accepts your package. This poses a challenge for some customers who ship their samples back to the lab. MyHeritage is working with national postal services on adapting to this policy change.
If you ship your MyHeritage DNA sample to the lab from outside the U.S., you need to pay for international shipping and fill out a customs form. You are responsible for paying any postage and prepaid duties that your local carrier requires at the time of shipment.
On the customs form, declare the contents of your sample as follows:
Content: Plastic vials containing human buccal cells suspended in nonhazardous lysis buffer solution. Not hazardous, not infectious, not flammable and not a medical sample. Intended for personal family history research, not medical use.
Declared value: $1–2 USD.
If you ship from Canada, you must follow Canada Post’s instructions for shipments to the U.S. Include the phone number (713) 868-1438 on the shipping form if required. See: Canada Post’s instructions for prepaying U.S. duty
What if my post office is unsure about my DNA sample?
Returning a DNA sample is a safe and standard process. However, postal workers may not be familiar with a return envelope that contains a biological sample. If your post office is unsure, show them this explanation:
This sample does not contain hazardous materials and it is intended for personal family history research, not medical use. It contains human buccal cells suspended in solution. It is non-hazardous, not infectious, not flammable and not a medical sample.
If your post office is still unsure how to handle the shipment, try a different courier such as FedEx or DHL.
What if my post office does not accept parcels to the U.S.?
U.S. tariff policies have led many postal services to temporarily suspend shipments to the U.S. This may affect returning your DNA sample to our lab in Houston.
We recommend checking with your local post office. If your local post office is not accepting parcels to the U.S. because of customs issues, hold your sample until postal services clarify the rules. For urgent returns, a courier service like FedEx is a great option, as they are not affected.
MyHeritage DNA kits do not expire if you store them in a cool, dry place. See: How long is a DNA kit valid for?
What happens after I send my DNA sample?
After you post your sample, you can check in your MyHeritage account whether the lab received it. When the lab has scanned in your sample, the status of your kit changes to "Received at the lab". If the post office shows your sample as delivered, allow a few extra days for the status to update. See: How can I track my DNA once it is in the lab?
To find out how long it usually takes for a sample to reach the lab, see: Where is my DNA kit?