Free and low-cost testing in Austin:Free testing near you: see where to go
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Free STI Testing in Austin: What's Actually Covered

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Free STI Testing in Austin: What's Actually Covered

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 places that offer sexually transmitted infection testing at no cost, and a few more that charge a small flat fee. The tricky part is knowing which service actually fits your situation, and what it covers, before you show up. Travis County recorded a chlamydia rate of 712.6 cases per 100,000 residents and a gonorrhea rate of 351.4 per 100,000 residents in 2022, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Texas STD Surveillance Report. Testing is a routine part of looking after your health, not a sign that something is wrong, and getting it done in Austin does not have to cost much, or anything at all, if you know where to look.

What "free" actually means at Austin clinics

Not every low-cost clinic in Austin is free, and not every free clinic covers every test. The Austin Public Health (APH) Sexual Health Clinic at the RBJ Health Center charges a flat fee of $30 that covers both testing and treatment, according to APH's own clinic page. That standard panel includes HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia; APH's page notes that it can only test for genital herpes if you currently have active symptoms. Other locations, like ASHwell and Vivent Health, describe their core services as free. Knowing the difference before you book saves you a confusing conversation at the front desk.

For a side-by-side breakdown of exact prices across local clinics, see STD testing in Austin: where to get tested and what it costs.

What you'll need before you go

  • A phone to call the clinic ahead of your visit, since several locations ask you to confirm hours or walk-in availability first.
  • Your insurance card, if you have one. It is not required at the clinics that describe themselves as free.
  • A general sense of whether you have symptoms and roughly when your last sexual contact occurred, since this affects which tests make sense.
  • A mailing address you can safely receive packages at, if you choose an at-home kit instead of a clinic visit.
  • Time. Some services are drop-in, but others, like ASHwell, ask you to schedule rather than walk in.

Step-by-step: getting tested at no cost in Austin

  1. Step 1: Decide whether you have symptoms or want routine testing. This matters because it changes which program fits you. APH's Red Ribbon program offers free HIV counseling and testing specifically for people without symptoms, including a free 20-minute walk-in express testing option; you can schedule by calling 512-972-5430. If you do have symptoms, a clinic visit where a clinician can examine you, rather than a self-test, is generally the more useful next step.

  2. Step 2: Identify a clinic that is actually free, not just low-cost. ASHwell, a nonprofit clinic at 3100 Red River St, Suite 3, Austin, TX 78705 (512-900-3116), states on its services page that its testing, diagnosis, and treatment of STIs are always free, though there can be separate costs tied to medication. ASHwell does not accept walk-ins, so call or email ahead. Vivent Health's Austin location, 104 E. Highland Mall Blvd., Suite 100 (512-458-2437), states on its own page that it offers free HIV testing at all of its locations; call ahead for walk-in testing hours.

  3. Step 3: Consider an at-home kit if privacy or travel is a barrier. Test for Texas, a DSHS program, mails free at-home self-test kits for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia; you order one at testfortexas.org. Vivent Health also runs an online depot that ships free at-home HIV test kits, along with condoms and lubricant, to Austin residents, with a limit of 25 items per order. Together TakeMeHome, a CDC-funded program, mails free HIV self-tests to anyone age 17 or older living in the United States, with a fingerstick option for people 18 and older; each package includes two tests, and you can reorder every 90 days.

  4. Step 4: Call ahead before you go to a clinic. APH's own website carries a notice that content updates may be delayed, so confirm current hours and fees by phone at 512-972-5430 rather than relying only on the webpage. The APH Sexual Health Clinic is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. If you're considering a walk-in option like Kind Clinic's Austin Koenig location, which offers walk-in testing for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV, and Hepatitis C, keep in mind that Kind Clinic is closed on all observed holidays and on the first Friday of every month.

  5. Step 5: Know what Texas law says about consent. Under the Texas Family Code Sec. 32.003(a)(3), a minor of any age may consent to STI and HIV testing and treatment on their own, and parental consent is not required. The same law does permit, but does not require, a physician to tell a parent about that care. If you are a teenager weighing whether to get tested, this is worth knowing going in.

  6. Step 6: Attend your appointment, or collect your at-home sample. At a clinic, you'll typically talk with staff about your history, then provide the samples needed for the tests you're having (this usually means blood, urine, or a swab, depending on the test). If you're using an at-home kit, follow the instructions included in the package exactly, including how and when to mail your sample back, since timing affects how usable the sample is.

  7. Step 7: Follow up on your results with a clinician. Only a clinician or an official test result can tell you about your own status; this guide can't and won't make that determination for you. If a result points to a bacterial infection such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis, those are curable with treatment that a clinician prescribes. HIV, herpes, and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable or manageable with ongoing care. If treatment is recommended, Texas rules also allow a prescribing clinician to write a prescription for your sexual partner without that partner being examined first, under Texas Administrative Code provisions described by the CDC's summary of expedited partner therapy law in Texas.

You can also review the full local testing list for addresses, phone numbers, and services in one place at the Austin clinic directory.

Tips for a smoother experience

  • Call before you drive anywhere. Holiday closures, the first-Friday closure at Kind Clinic, and APH's note about delayed website updates all make a quick phone call worth the time.
  • If cost is your main concern, say so when you call. Kind Clinic's patient assistance program and ASHwell's no-cost model exist specifically to help people who are uninsured or on a tight budget.
  • Ask directly whether herpes testing is included. Several standard panels, including APH's, only test for herpes if you currently have symptoms.
  • If you request an at-home kit, keep it somewhere private until you're ready to use it, and mail your sample back promptly once you do.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Assuming every location of a clinic chain offers the same service. Kind Clinic's South Austin location does not offer walk-in STI testing, even though its Koenig location does.
  • Assuming "sliding scale" means free. CommUnityCare's IDEALhealth program uses a sliding fee scale set after meeting with a financial eligibility specialist, which is different from a flat no-cost visit.
  • Not mentioning insurance status up front. Since January 1, 2024, Kind Clinic requires patients who have health insurance to use it to cover lab work; if you're uninsured, their assistance program may be able to help instead.
  • Treating an at-home kit as a substitute for care when you have symptoms. If you have symptoms, a clinician visit allows for an exam in addition to a test, which a self-test kit can't provide.

What to expect from your results

A test result, whether it comes back negative or positive, reflects a specific window period for that infection, and the CDC's STI Treatment Guidelines note that this window varies by infection and by test type. That means a result taken too soon after a possible exposure may need to be repeated later to be useful. A clinician can walk you through what your particular result means for you and whether a repeat test makes sense in your situation. No single test or visit can rule out every infection with complete certainty, which is part of why follow-up with a clinician, rather than just the result itself, is the step that matters most.

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