This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Austin has several clinics that test for sexually transmitted infections, and they differ in cost, hours, and who they serve. Travis County recorded a chlamydia rate of 712.6 cases per 100,000 people and a gonorrhea rate of 351.4 cases per 100,000 people in 2022, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services Texas STD Surveillance Report. Choosing the right clinic for your situation, rather than the first one you find, can save you time, money, and a second trip. This guide walks through how to compare STI clinics in Austin step by step, from figuring out what you need to following up on results.

What You'll Need Before You Choose

A rough sense of why you're seeking testing: a specific exposure, symptoms, a new partner, or a routine check. You don't need a diagnosis of your own, just a reason.
Your insurance card, if you have one, though several Austin clinics do not require it.
A way to pay a small fee, in case the clinic you pick charges one.
A photo ID, which most clinics ask for but which isn't always required.
A phone number or patient portal where you can receive results.
A short list of questions, such as which infections are tested, whether treatment is available on site, and how results are delivered.

Step-by-Step: Comparing STI Clinics in Austin

1. Identify your reason for testing

Start by naming, even just to yourself, why you want to be tested. A recent exposure without a condom, a new partner, symptoms, or a routine screening each point toward a different timeline. A clinician, not a symptom checklist, is the one who can tell you which tests fit your situation and when to take them.

2. Compare what each clinic charges

Cost varies more than people expect. The Austin Public Health Sexual Health Clinic at the RBJ Health Center, 15 Waller Street, charges a fee of $30 for testing and treatment combined, according to Austin Public Health. CommUnityCare's IDEALhealth program at the Hancock Health Center, 1000 E. 41st Street, uses a sliding fee scale set after a meeting with a financial eligibility specialist. ASHwell, at 3100 Red River Street, lists its testing and treatment as free for its patients, though related medication can carry a separate cost. Vivent Health, at 104 E. Highland Mall Boulevard, offers HIV testing at no charge at all of its locations. Kind Clinic, at 101 W. Koenig Lane, has required insurance to cover lab work since January 1, 2024, but runs its own assistance program for people who are uninsured or can't afford the lab cost. For a fuller breakdown of what testing costs across the city, see our guide to STD testing in Austin and what it costs.

3. Decide whether you want a walk-in visit or a scheduled appointment

If you'd rather not wait for an appointment slot, Kind Clinic's Koenig Lane location offers walk-in testing for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV, and hepatitis C, according to Kind Clinic. Its South Austin location does not offer walk-in STI testing and focuses on PrEP and PEP instead. ASHwell does not accept walk-ins; you call or email ahead there. Austin Public Health asks you to schedule online or by phone, though its Red Ribbon program also offers a free 20-minute walk-in express HIV test for people without symptoms. If you're a University of Texas at Austin student without symptoms, University Health Services offers drop-in testing with no appointment needed; students with symptoms need a provider appointment instead.

4. Match the clinic's hours to your schedule

Hours differ enough that this step can decide things on its own. Austin Public Health's clinic is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Kind Clinic's Koenig location is open Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and certain Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., though it closes on observed holidays and the first Friday of every month, per Kind Clinic. If evening or weekend access matters to you, confirm the current schedule by phone before you go, since hours can change.

5. Confirm the clinic tests for what you actually need

Not every clinic tests for every infection. Austin Public Health's standard panel covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, and it can test for genital herpes only if you have active symptoms, according to Austin Public Health. CommUnityCare's IDEALhealth program also offers doxyPEP and sexual health vaccines, including HPV and hepatitis A and B. If you're looking for PrEP or PEP rather than testing alone, ASHwell, Kind Clinic, CommUnityCare, and Vivent Health each describe some form of HIV prevention service on their own pages. Call ahead if you need something specific, like hepatitis C testing, since not every location lists it.

6. Ask how results, treatment, and partners are handled

Ask how you'll receive your results and what happens next. Bacterial infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, along with trichomoniasis, are curable with treatment that a clinician prescribes, while HIV, herpes, and HPV are treatable or manageable rather than curable, per the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines. If you have a partner who also needs care, Texas rules let a physician prescribe STD medication for a patient's partner without examining that partner first, and let a pharmacist dispense it without the partner's name on the label, according to the CDC's summary of expedited partner therapy law in Texas. Ask your clinic whether it offers this option if a partner can't easily get to a clinic themselves.

7. Check age and consent rules if they apply to you

In Texas, a minor of any age can consent to their own STI and HIV testing and treatment without a parent's permission, under Texas Family Code Section 32.003. That same law allows, but does not require, a physician to tell a parent about that care, with or without the minor's consent, so it's worth asking the clinic directly how it typically handles notification before your visit.

8. Go to your visit and follow up afterward

Bring your ID and insurance card if you have them, though most Austin clinics will still see you without insurance. After your visit, keep track of how and when you'll get results, and ask what a repeat test or follow-up visit would look like if one is recommended. The broader list of testing locations across the city, including hours and services for each, is kept at our Austin clinic directory.

Tips for Choosing Well

Call before you go, even for a clinic with posted hours. Austin Public Health notes that its own website updates can lag behind real schedule changes.
If cost is the deciding factor, ask about sliding-scale fees and assistance programs directly. CommUnityCare and Kind Clinic both describe programs built for people who are uninsured.
If you aren't having symptoms, say so when you call. Programs like Austin Public Health's Red Ribbon express test are built specifically for testing without symptoms.
Keep a note of which tests you had and when. That record is useful at any future visit, wherever you go.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Assuming every clinic tests for every infection. Herpes testing, for example, is limited at some locations to people with active symptoms.
Showing up without calling first at a clinic that doesn't accept walk-ins, such as ASHwell.
Delaying care over cost, when free and sliding-scale options exist across Austin.
Trusting a clinic's listed hours without checking, since holiday closures and schedule changes happen.

What You Might Expect

Matching a clinic to your situation may make it easier to get tested promptly and to understand your results, though no single visit or test can rule out every infection with certainty. A clinician can explain which window period applies to each test you receive and whether a repeat test later might be worth considering. If a result points to an infection that is curable, such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomoniasis, treatment that a clinician prescribes is generally expected to clear it. If a result points to an infection that is not curable, such as HIV, herpes, or HPV, ongoing care can still keep it treatable or manageable over time.

Choosing an STI Clinic in Austin