Your DNA could be on file in several places, and most people don’t realize how many. Between law enforcement databases, consumer testing companies, newborn screening programs, and research biobanks, there are multiple systems that may hold your genetic information. The way to find out depends on which type of database you’re concerned about.
Law Enforcement: CODIS and State Databases
The largest government DNA repository in the United States is CODIS, the Combined DNA Index System run by the FBI. As of November 2025, the National DNA Index contains over 19.2 million offender profiles, 6.1 million arrestee profiles, and nearly 1.5 million forensic profiles from crime scenes. If you’ve been convicted of a felony, your DNA is almost certainly in this system. Every state requires DNA collection from convicted felons.
The trickier question is whether an arrest alone put you in the database. Many states collect DNA at the time of arrest for certain offenses, even if you’re never convicted. The rules vary widely by state. Some collect only for violent felony arrests, others cast a broader net. If charges against you were dropped or you were acquitted, your profile may still be sitting in the system unless you actively request its removal.
There’s no online portal where you can look up whether your DNA is in CODIS. To find out, you’d need to contact your state’s DNA database administrator, typically housed within the state police or department of public safety. They can confirm whether a profile exists under your name. If you were arrested at the federal level, the FBI’s expungement policy page outlines the process for requesting information and removal.
How to Get Your DNA Removed From CODIS
If your case was dismissed, you were acquitted, or the conviction was overturned, you may be eligible to have your DNA profile expunged. The process varies by state. In California, for example, you file a specific court petition (form CR-185) asking a judge to order the destruction of both your physical DNA sample and your digital profile in the state database. Other states have their own forms and procedures, and some require that the expungement of the underlying charge happen first.
This process is not automatic in most states. Even when you’re legally entitled to removal, you typically have to initiate the request yourself. Start by checking your state court’s self-help resources or contacting the public defender’s office for guidance on the required paperwork.
Consumer DNA Testing Companies
If you’ve ever used a service like 23andMe, AncestryDNA, or a similar kit, your genetic data is stored by that company. You agreed to this when you accepted their terms of service, though you may not remember the specifics. Both your digital DNA data and, in some cases, your physical saliva sample may still be retained.
To check, log into your account on the company’s website. Your account settings or privacy dashboard will show what data they hold and whether your physical sample has been stored or destroyed. Most major companies let you download a copy of your data, request sample destruction, and delete your account entirely. Virginia’s Consumer Data Protection Act, which took effect in January 2023, is one of several state laws that give consumers the explicit right to obtain copies of their data and request deletion. California and several other states offer similar protections.
If you’re concerned about 23andMe specifically, given recent headlines about the company’s financial instability and potential sale, you can request full deletion of your data and sample through your account settings. Once deleted, the company states it removes your genetic information from its systems, though the timeline for complete purging can take several weeks.
Genealogy Sites and Law Enforcement Access
If you uploaded your raw DNA file to GEDmatch or FamilyTreeDNA, your genetic data may be searchable by law enforcement investigators working violent crime or unidentified remains cases. GEDmatch switched to an opt-in model in May 2019, meaning your profile is only visible to law enforcement if you specifically chose that setting.
To check your status on GEDmatch, log in and review your privacy settings. You’ll see four options: “Public Opt-in” makes your kit fully visible to law enforcement, “Public Opt-out” still allows some comparison, “Personal Research” hides your kit from law enforcement match results entirely, and “Private” removes your kit from all matching. You can change these settings at any time. If you never adjusted your preferences after the 2019 policy change, your kit defaults to the setting you originally selected or was set to during the transition period.
Newborn Screening Blood Spots
Nearly every baby born in the United States has a small blood sample taken shortly after birth for routine screening of genetic and metabolic conditions. What many parents don’t realize is that the leftover blood spots are often retained by the state, sometimes for years and sometimes indefinitely. In five states, those dried blood spots legally become state property.
Retention policies differ dramatically. Some states destroy samples within months, while others have kept them for decades. Texas, for instance, stored roughly 5 million newborn blood spots without parental consent before a 2009 lawsuit forced the state to destroy them. Only a handful of states (Minnesota, Missouri, South Carolina, Texas, and Washington) explicitly allow parents to request destruction of their child’s residual sample. And only three of those states (Minnesota, South Carolina, and Texas) require that parents be informed they have that right.
If you want to know whether your state kept your blood spot or your child’s, contact your state’s newborn screening program, usually run through the department of health. They can tell you the retention period and whether your sample still exists.
Research Biobanks and Hospital Studies
If you’ve participated in a genetic research study, enrolled in a program like the NIH’s All of Us, or had genetic testing done through a hospital system, your DNA may be stored in a biobank. These repositories collect biological samples for ongoing and future research.
The clearest way to check is to review any consent forms you signed during medical visits or research enrollment. If you’re unsure whether you consented, contact the institution’s research team directly. Most biobanks allow you to withdraw at any time. At your request, your samples and associated data can typically be removed from the biobank, though data that has already been used in completed research may not be retrievable.
What Legal Protections Cover Your Stored DNA
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), passed in 2008, provides the main federal safeguard. It prohibits health insurers from using your genetic information to make decisions about eligibility, coverage, or premiums. It also bars employers with 15 or more employees from using genetic data in hiring, firing, promotions, or job assignments. Employers cannot require or request genetic testing as a condition of employment.
GINA has notable gaps, though. It does not cover life insurance, long-term care insurance, or disability insurance. The U.S. military is also exempt and can use genetic information in employment decisions. Some states have passed their own laws to fill these gaps, but coverage is uneven across the country.
These protections apply to how your genetic information is used, not necessarily to whether it’s stored. The question of whether your DNA is on file and the question of who can act on that information are two separate issues, and both are worth understanding.