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.

Getting tested in Austin does not have to cost much, and for some services it costs nothing. This guide walks through every free and sliding-scale option published by Austin Public Health and the local clinics, in the order you will probably need the information.

Free STD testing in Austin comes from a few places: the city health department, community health centers, nonprofit sexual health clinics, a university clinic for students, and mail-order programs. Each one has different rules. Some take walk-ins. Some need an appointment. Some are free only for certain tests.

You do not need to sort that out alone. Follow the steps below, and use the clinic details as a starting point for a quick phone call.

Why Austin residents get tested

Many STIs cause no symptoms, so testing is the only way to find out your status. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) support regular screening based on age, sex partners and risk, and a clinician can tell you what fits your situation.

Austin sits in a county with higher reported rates than the state overall. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) STD Surveillance Report for 2022 lists Travis County at 712.6 chlamydia cases per 100,000 people (9,452 cases) and 351.4 gonorrhea cases per 100,000 (4,661 cases). For the same year, DSHS lists Texas as a whole at 519.9 for chlamydia and 207.0 for gonorrhea.

These numbers reflect reported cases, and places that test more will find and report more. They are a good reason to treat testing as routine health care, not something to put off.

What you need before you go

Think of this as a short checklist. You can gather it in a few minutes.

A phone. Most Austin options ask you to call or book first, and several say to confirm hours by phone.
A list of the tests you want to ask about. Common ones are HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Write down any others you are curious about.
A short note on timing. Jot down roughly when any recent exposure happened and whether you have symptoms. A clinician uses this to decide what to test and when.
Insurance information, if you have it. Some clinics bill insurance, and one says it requires it for lab work. Bring your card in case.
Questions about cost. Ask what the visit, the tests and any treatment will cost before you agree.
Any ID or paperwork the clinic asks for. The clinic pages reviewed for this guide do not list ID requirements, so ask when you call.
If you are a UT Austin student: your student status, since that clinic serves students.

Step 1: Decide which kind of testing fits you

Start by sorting yourself into one of these groups. It narrows the list fast.

You want a flat, low fee for a full clinic visit. Look at the Austin Public Health Sexual Health Clinic.
You want no fee at all. Look at ASHwell, Vivent Health for HIV testing, the Austin Public Health Red Ribbon program for HIV, or free mail-order programs.
You want to pay based on your income. Look at CommUnityCare's IDEALhealth Program.
You want to walk in without booking. Look at Kind Clinic's Koenig Lane location or, for students, UT Austin's clinic.
You would rather test at home. Look at the free mail-order options near the end of this guide.

You can use more than one. Some people start with a free home test and follow up at a clinic, which is also where treatment and counseling happen.

Step 2: Compare the Austin options

Here is every free or sliding-scale option published for Austin, with what each source says. Each clinic's own page is the final word, so confirm details before you go.

Austin Public Health Sexual Health Clinic (low flat fee)

The clinic is at the RBJ Health Center, 15 Waller Street, Austin, TX 78702. The phone number is 512-972-5430. Austin Public Health lists hours as Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and 1 to 5 p.m.

Austin Public Health says the fee for testing and treatment is only $30. It is a low fee, not a free service. The department lists the standard tests as HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. It says it can test for genital herpes only if you have active symptoms.

To book, the clinic page says to schedule online or call. Its page does not say whether walk-ins are accepted, so ask when you call.

One more note: the Austin Public Health website says content updates may be delayed. Confirm hours and the fee by phone before you travel.

Austin Public Health Red Ribbon program (free HIV testing)

The Austin Public Health HIV page describes the Red Ribbon program as free HIV counseling and testing for people without symptoms. It also describes a free 20-minute walk-in express testing service. Scheduling is at 512-972-5430. The page does not state a location, so ask where the service is held when you call.

The same page lists mobile HIV testing as under development, so do not plan around it.

ASHwell Sexual Health + Wellness (free)

ASHwell is a nonprofit at 3100 Red River St, Suite 3, Austin, TX 78705. The phone number is (512) 900-3116. Its services page says it provides counseling, testing, diagnosis and treatment of STIs. It also says the services are always free, with potential costs relating to medication.

ASHwell says it does not currently accept walk-ins. Call or email [email protected] to arrange a visit. Its services page also says STI treatment is only for ASHwell patients, so ask how that works if you want treatment there.

ASHwell also lists PrEP and PEP. Its homepage lists PrEP office visits and labs at $0 out-of-pocket.

Vivent Health, Austin (free HIV testing)

Vivent Health is a nonprofit at 104 E. Highland Mall Blvd, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78752. The phone number is (512) 458-2437. Vivent's own page says it offers free and confidential HIV testing at all of its locations.

The CDC's National Prevention Information Network listing for this site also lists rapid HIV testing and free STI and hepatitis C tests. Because Vivent's own page names only HIV testing as free, ask which tests cost nothing on the day you plan to go.

Vivent says to call for walk-in testing hours or to make a testing appointment.

CommUnityCare IDEALhealth Program (sliding scale)

The IDEALhealth Program is at the Hancock Health Center, 1000 E. 41st St., Suite 700, Austin, TX 78751. The phone number is 512-978-9015. CommUnityCare is a federally qualified health center, and its page lists STI and HIV testing and prevention, DoxyPEP, and sexual health vaccines including HPV, hepatitis A and B, and mpox.

For cost, CommUnityCare says the sliding fee scale is determined through a meeting with a Financial Eligibility Specialist. The page does not list dollar amounts. Walk-in availability is not stated, so call first.

CommUnityCare also offers PrEP, PEP and HIV care across the organization. Its HIV appointment line is 512-978-9100. The page does not say these are specific to IDEALhealth.

Kind Clinic, Austin (walk-in testing, help with lab costs)

Kind Clinic is run by Texas Health Action. Its Koenig location is at 101 W Koenig Lane, Ste 100, Austin, TX 78751, phone 833-937-5463. Kind Clinic says it offers walk-in testing for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV and hepatitis C at its Austin Koenig location.

Kind Clinic lists regular hours of Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., and certain Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. It notes that walk-in testing hours differ, so confirm them. Kind Clinic is closed on all observed holidays and the first Friday of every month.

On cost, Kind Clinic says that starting January 1, 2024, patients with health insurance must use their insurance to cover lab work. If you are uninsured or cannot afford lab costs, its Kind Patient Assistance Program (KPAP) can provide support to cover the cost of lab work.

Kind Clinic also has a South Austin location at 2800 S IH 35 Frontage Rd #103. Kind Clinic says walk-in STI testing is not offered there, so do not go to that site expecting a walk-in test.

University Health Services at UT Austin (students)

University Health Services runs an STI testing clinic in the Student Services Building, 100 West Dean Keeton Street, Room 1.400. The phone number is 512-471-4955. It lists test options of chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV and syphilis, and it serves UT Austin students.

Drop-in visits need no appointment, but the clinic's page notes that drop-in is for people without symptoms. People with symptoms need a provider appointment. The page reviewed for this guide does not state a price, so ask about cost when you call.

Free mail-order testing

Three programs offer free testing by mail:

Test for Texas is run by the Texas DSHS. It offers free at-home self-testing for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. You order at testfortexas.org.
Vivent Health Depot offers free at-home HIV test kits, condoms and lubricant for Austin residents, with a maximum of 25 items per order.
Together TakeMeHome is CDC-funded. It mails free HIV self-tests to anyone 17 and older living in the U.S. The fingerstick option is for ages 18 and older. Each package holds two self-tests, and you can reorder every 90 days.

A self-test is a screening step. If a result is positive or unclear, or if you have symptoms, a clinic can confirm results and talk through next steps.

Free events and walk-in days

No published schedule of free testing events or special health department walk-in days was available for this guide, so none are listed. Austin Public Health's HIV page mentions its walk-in express service, which is covered above. For anything else, check with Austin Public Health at 512-972-5430.

Step 3: Confirm hours, cost and walk-in rules by phone

This step takes five minutes and saves a wasted trip. Clinics change hours, and Austin Public Health notes that its website content may lag behind.

Call the clinic you picked, using the numbers above.
Ask whether they take walk-ins or need an appointment.
Ask which tests are included and which tests cost extra.
Ask what the visit costs, and whether treatment is included if you need it.
Ask what to bring.
Ask how long results take and how you will receive them.

For a list of testing sites beyond Austin's clinics, gettested.cdc.gov is the CDC's locator. You can enter your ZIP code and see nearby free and low-cost options.

You can also read the local testing list on our clinics section, and the fuller guide to where to get tested in Austin and what it costs.

Step 4: Go to your visit

Plan to arrive a little early. Bring the items from your checklist.

A clinician or staff member will ask about your health history and sex partners. These questions are routine, and the answers help them choose the right tests. You can answer in your own words. Clinicians see all kinds of situations, and they ask so they can offer the right tests, not to judge.

Depending on the clinic and the tests, sample collection may involve a urine sample, a swab, or a blood draw or fingerstick. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines describe which sample types are used for which infections, and the clinician will explain what applies to you.

If you are under 18

Texas Family Code Section 32.003 lets a minor of any age consent to diagnosis and treatment of a reportable infectious, contagious or communicable disease. The Texas DSHS publication "HIV and Texas Law" says this includes HIV. Parent or guardian consent is not necessary for that care.

The same statute allows a physician to tell a parent or guardian about the treatment. It permits this but does not require it. So a provider cannot promise a teen that a parent will never be told. If privacy matters to you, ask the clinic about its practice before the visit.

If you are pregnant

Texas Health and Safety Code Section 81.090 sets prenatal testing steps. It calls for a syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B test at the first prenatal visit, and a syphilis and HIV test in the third trimester, not earlier than the 28th week. Testing also happens at delivery. The law allows a woman to object to the HIV tests but not the syphilis tests. Your prenatal provider will go over what applies to you.

Step 5: Ask about results and next steps

Before you leave, ask how and when you will hear back. Ask who to call if you have questions.

Reporting is a normal part of public health in Texas. The Texas DSHS lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis (all stages), HIV and AIDS as notifiable conditions. For example, DSHS lists chlamydia and gonorrhea as reportable within 1 week. That reporting goes to public health, which uses it to track and respond to infections. Ask the clinic how your information is handled if you have concerns.

Texas has no HIV-specific or STD-specific criminal exposure law, according to the CDC's 2023 analysis. That analysis notes general criminal laws can still apply. If you have questions about this, a clinic counselor or a legal aid organization can help.

What results can look like

Results vary by test, and no test is perfect. A negative result usually means the test did not detect that infection at that time. A positive result means the test detected something, and a clinician may recommend a confirmation test or follow-up.

The CDC says how soon a test can detect an infection depends on the infection and the type of test. If you had a recent exposure, ask the clinician when to test and whether to repeat the test later.

What happens next depends on the infection:

Bacterial STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, and trichomoniasis, are curable with treatment from a clinician.
HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable and manageable. A clinician can explain care options.

If treatment is needed, a clinician prescribes it. Ask the clinic about cost before you start, because some places cover treatment in the visit fee and others do not.

Partners and treatment

If you test positive for a bacterial infection, your clinician may talk with you about telling recent partners so they can get tested too. Texas has no expedited partner therapy statute, but the CDC's legal status entry for Texas notes administrative rules that allow physicians and APRNs to prescribe for partners of an established patient. Ask your clinician whether this applies to your situation.

Telling partners is not easy for everyone. Many clinics can help you plan the conversation.

Prevention services you may hear about

When you visit, a clinician may bring up prevention. Several Austin options offer it:

PrEP and PEP: Kind Clinic, ASHwell, CommUnityCare and Vivent Health list PrEP. Kind Clinic, ASHwell and CommUnityCare list PEP, either by clinic or across the organization. Texas DSHS does not run its own PrEP medication assistance program, and it points people to manufacturer programs, navigators and its PrEP directory.
Doxy-PEP: The CDC issued doxy-PEP recommendations in 2024. CommUnityCare lists DoxyPEP at its IDEALhealth Program. Kind Clinic says it is not offered as a standalone service or appointment, and you must be receiving ongoing care there. Only a clinician can decide whether it fits you.
Vaccines: CommUnityCare lists HPV, hepatitis A and B, and mpox vaccines.

Tips for a smoother visit

Call early in the day. Clinics that take walk-ins can fill up.
Write your questions down. It is easy to forget them in the room.
Ask for every test you are interested in by name. The standard panel at some clinics does not include every infection. For example, Austin Public Health tests for genital herpes only if you have active symptoms.
Tell the clinician about symptoms, even mild ones. Walk-in options at some clinics are meant for people without symptoms.
Ask where and how you will get results before you leave.
Plan a follow-up if the clinician suggests one.

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming "free" covers everything. ASHwell says its services are free but notes potential medication costs. Vivent's own page names HIV testing as free. Ask what is covered.
Showing up without calling. ASHwell does not accept walk-ins, and Kind Clinic's South Austin location does not offer walk-in STI testing.
Going on the wrong day. Kind Clinic is closed on observed holidays and the first Friday of every month.
Relying on an old fee. A UT Austin off-campus testing page has listed an older price. Austin Public Health's own pages list $30. Always check the clinic's current page or phone line.
Treating a home test as the last word. Mail-order tests are useful, but a clinic can confirm results and provide treatment.
Waiting for symptoms. Many infections cause none, so symptoms alone are not a reliable guide.

A short recap

Pick the type of option that fits you: flat fee, free, sliding scale, walk-in or home.
Compare the Austin clinics above.
Call to confirm hours, cost, walk-in rules and what to bring.
Go to your visit with your checklist.
Ask about results, follow-up and prevention before you leave.

Austin has more free and low-cost testing than most people expect. A five-minute call is often the only barrier between you and an answer.

Free STD Testing in Austin: Every Free and Sliding-Scale Option