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.

If you're looking for same-day STD testing in Austin, you have more options than you might expect. Some clinics around the city take walk-ins with no appointment at all. Others can often fit you in the same day if you call first thing in the morning. This guide walks through how to find and book a same-day test, what to bring, and what tends to happen after.

What You'll Need Before You Go

Gather a few things before you leave the house. Having them ready can save you a trip back home or a longer wait once you're at the clinic.

A valid photo ID
Your insurance card, if you have one (several Austin clinics offer free or sliding-scale testing even if you don't)
A way to pay, since some clinics charge a flat fee and others use a sliding scale
A rough sense of when your most recent sexual contact was, in case a clinician asks
A note of any symptoms you've noticed, if any
Time. Walk-in visits can still involve a wait, especially later in the day

Step-by-Step: How to Book Same-Day STD Testing in Austin

Step 1: Decide between a walk-in clinic and a phone-ahead appointment

Same-day testing in Austin generally comes in two forms: clinics that accept walk-ins with no appointment, and clinics that can slot you in the same day if you call early. A walk-in saves you a phone call but can mean a longer wait. Calling ahead takes a few minutes and lets you confirm a time before you leave home.

Step 2: Try a true walk-in clinic first

Kind Clinic's Austin Koenig location, at 101 W Koenig Lane, Suite 100, offers walk-in testing for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV, and Hepatitis C, according to Kind Clinic. Walk-in hours differ from the clinic's general hours (Monday, Tuesday, and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; select Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.), so call 833-937-5463 before you go to confirm that day's walk-in window. Kind Clinic notes it is closed on observed holidays and the first Friday of every month.

If you're a University of Texas at Austin student, University Health Services runs a drop-in STI testing clinic at the Student Services Building, 100 West Dean Keeton Street, Room 1.400, with no appointment needed for chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, and syphilis testing, per UT Austin's University Health Services. Drop-in testing there is meant for people without symptoms. If you have symptoms, UHS asks you to book a provider appointment instead, since a clinician will want to examine you directly.

Step 3: Call ahead if a clinic doesn't advertise walk-ins

Several other Austin clinics may be able to see you the same day, but you need to call first. The Austin Public Health Sexual Health Clinic at the RBJ Health Center, 15 Waller Street, takes appointments online or by phone at 512-972-5430, and charges a $30 fee for testing and treatment, according to Austin Public Health. Its standard panel covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia; genital herpes testing is only available if you currently have symptoms. The clinic is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m.

Austin Public Health also runs a Red Ribbon program with a free, 20-minute walk-in express HIV testing service for people without symptoms, booked by calling 512-972-5430, per Austin Public Health's HIV page. Ask when you call whether a same-day express slot is open and where to go, since the department's page doesn't list a specific address for this service.

Vivent Health, at 104 E. Highland Mall Boulevard, Suite 100, offers free HIV testing and asks that you call 512-458-2437 to ask about walk-in testing hours or to book a same-day appointment, according to Vivent Health. CommUnityCare's IDEALhealth Program, at 1000 E. 41st Street, Suite 700, offers STI and HIV testing on a sliding fee scale; call 512-978-9015 to ask about same-day openings. ASHwell, at 3100 Red River Street, Suite 3, offers free testing but does not accept walk-ins, so call 512-900-3116 or email before heading over.

Step 4: Confirm what the visit will involve

When you call, ask which specimens the visit requires. CDC's STI Treatment Guidelines describe chlamydia and gonorrhea testing as typically using a urine sample or a swab, syphilis and HIV testing as typically using a blood draw, and herpes testing as typically requiring a swab of an active sore. Knowing this ahead of time means you won't be caught off guard, and you can ask the clinic which specific tests they plan to run for you that day.

Step 5: Arrive with time to spare

Even at walk-in clinics, same-day visits can involve waiting, particularly in the afternoon. Arriving earlier in the day, close to opening, tends to improve your odds of being seen quickly.

Step 6: Ask about results and next steps before you leave

Ask the clinic how and when you'll get your results, since timing varies by test and by clinic. If a result needs follow-up, ask what that follow-up looks like. A clinician is the one who can tell you what your results mean and whether any treatment is needed. Bacterial infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis, along with trichomoniasis, are curable with treatment a clinician prescribes. HIV, herpes, and HPV aren't cured, but they're treatable or manageable with ongoing care.

Tips for a Smoother Same-Day Visit

Call first even at walk-in locations. Hours and availability can change, and a quick call can save you a wasted trip.
Ask about cost before you arrive. Fees and sliding scales vary by clinic, and some require a conversation with a financial eligibility specialist.
If you have symptoms, say so when you call. Some drop-in slots are set aside for people without symptoms, and a clinician may want to see you differently if you have symptoms.
Bring a short list of questions. A visit tends to move faster when you already know what you want to ask.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Showing up to a walk-in clinic right before closing. Some locations stop taking walk-ins before the posted closing time.
Assuming every clinic tests for every infection. Austin Public Health's standard panel, for example, only includes herpes testing if you have active symptoms.
Skipping the call-ahead step at appointment-based clinics. Showing up without calling first at a clinic that doesn't offer walk-ins usually means you won't be seen that day.
Forgetting to ask about payment. Some Austin clinics are free, some use a sliding scale, and Austin Public Health's clinic charges a flat fee, so knowing which applies to you avoids a surprise at checkout.

What You Might Expect Afterward

Same-day testing may give you a same-day or next-day answer for some tests, though turnaround time can vary by clinic and by the specific test ordered. Some tests also have a window period, the span of time after a possible exposure during which a test may not yet reliably detect an infection. A clinician at the clinic can tell you whether the timing of your test fits the kind of exposure you're asking about, and whether a repeat test later might be worth scheduling.

For a broader look at where testing is available around the city and what it tends to cost, see our guide to STD testing in Austin and what it costs. You can also browse the full list of local testing locations to compare hours, services, and walk-in policies before you call.

Same-Day STD Testing in Austin: How to Book One Today