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.

Waiting for std test results can feel long, even when the lab is quick. This page covers how long results usually take, how Austin clinics handle them, and what common result words mean. It also covers what usually comes next.

It explains how results work in general. Only a clinician can explain a specific result.

Turnaround: how long results take

How long do STD test results take?

It depends on the test and the clinic. The CDC says rapid HIV tests can return a result in about 30 minutes, while tests sent to a lab can take longer. Austin clinics do not all publish their turnaround times, so ask when you book.

How long do HIV test results take in Austin?

Austin Public Health's HIV page lists a free 20-minute walk-in express testing service for people without symptoms. You can schedule at 512-972-5430. Lab-based blood tests take longer, and the clinic can tell you how long.

How long do chlamydia and gonorrhea results take?

These tests use a urine sample or a swab. The clinic pages for Austin Public Health, Kind Clinic and UT Austin do not list a turnaround time. Ask the clinic when you are tested.

How long do syphilis results take?

Syphilis testing uses a blood sample. The clinics' pages do not say how many days it takes. The staff can tell you when to expect the result.

Why can results take longer than expected?

Lab volume is one reason. Another is that a first result is sometimes followed by a second test to confirm it. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) describe this confirmation step for infections such as HIV and syphilis.

How results are delivered in Austin

How will I get my results?

Each clinic sets its own method, such as a phone call, a patient portal or a visit. The clinic pages do not publish those details. Ask how and when you will hear back before you leave. Austin Public Health also notes that its website updates can be delayed, so confirm hours and fees by phone.

Which Austin options offer free or low-cost testing?

Austin Public Health's Sexual Health Clinic at 15 Waller Street lists a $30 fee for testing and treatment, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. ASHwell lists its services as free, though it says medication may cost something, and it does not accept walk-ins. Vivent Health offers free HIV testing. CommUnityCare's IDEALhealth program uses a sliding fee scale.

Kind Clinic's Koenig Lane location offers walk-in testing for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV and hepatitis C. Kind Clinic says insured patients must use their insurance for lab work, and its assistance program can help people who are uninsured. Our guide to STD testing in Austin compares these options in more detail.

Can I get tested without an appointment?

Kind Clinic's Koenig location offers walk-in testing. UT Austin University Health Services offers drop-in testing for students without symptoms. Vivent Health asks people to call 512-458-2437 for walk-in hours or an appointment. The South Austin Kind Clinic does not offer walk-in STI testing.

Is there a way to test from home?

Texas DSHS runs Test for Texas, a free mail-order self-testing program for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. You order at testfortexas.org. The CDC's gettested.cdc.gov can also help you find testing sites by ZIP code.

When to test and the window period

How soon can you test for an STD after an exposure?

It depends on the infection and the test. The window period is the time between an exposure and the point a test can reliably detect an infection. A clinician can match the timing to your situation, and the CDC's gettested.cdc.gov can point you to a testing site.

What are the CDC window periods for HIV?

The CDC says a nucleic acid test can usually detect HIV 10 to 33 days after an exposure. An antigen/antibody lab test on a blood draw usually detects it 18 to 45 days after. A rapid antigen/antibody fingerstick test usually detects it 18 to 90 days after, and antibody tests including self-tests 23 to 90 days after.

Can a negative result be wrong inside the window period?

Yes. A test taken inside the window period may not pick up an infection that is there, which is called a false negative. The CDC says that if a test was taken inside the window, a repeat test after the window closes can give a more reliable answer.

Should I test again later?

A clinician can tell you whether and when to repeat a test based on the tests used and when the exposure happened. Ask at the visit so you leave with a plan. You can also call the clinic afterward.

Reading positive, negative and reactive results

What does a negative result mean?

It means the test did not detect that infection in that sample at that time. It says nothing about infections the test did not look for, or about exposures after the sample was taken. A clinician can explain what your panel covered.

What does a positive result mean?

It means the test found a sign of that infection. A clinician confirms the result and talks through next steps. The CDC says chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis are curable with treatment from a clinician. HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable and manageable.

What does a reactive result mean?

A reactive result means a screening test reacted. It is not a final answer. The CDC describes follow-up confirmatory testing, and a clinician will explain what that involves. An unclear or inconclusive result usually means a repeat or different test.

Which infections were included in my test?

Austin Public Health lists HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia as its standard tests. It says it can test for genital herpes only when someone has active symptoms. UT Austin lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV and syphilis. Ask which tests were run so you know what a result covers.

What happens next

What happens after a positive result?

A clinician talks with you about treatment, which is whatever they prescribe for that infection. Texas DSHS lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV as notifiable conditions, so labs and clinicians report them to public health. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are reported within one week. Primary and secondary syphilis and acute HIV are reported within one work day.

What about my partners?

Partners may need testing or treatment too. The CDC's Texas summary says a Texas physician can prescribe STD medication for the partner of an established patient without a separate patient relationship. Ask the clinician how this works for your situation.

Can a teen get tested in Texas?

Texas Family Code Section 32.003 lets a minor of any age consent to diagnosis and treatment of a reportable infectious disease, which covers reportable STIs and HIV. Parent consent is not needed. The statute does allow a physician to tell a parent or guardian, so ask the clinic about its practice first.

How common are these infections in Travis County?

Testing is a routine part of health care. Texas DSHS's 2022 STD Surveillance Report lists 712.6 chlamydia cases per 100,000 people in Travis County, compared with 519.9 statewide that year. Gonorrhea was 351.4 in Travis County and 207.0 statewide.

Ready to get tested?

Free and low-cost options exist across Austin. Call the clinic first to confirm hours, fees and how results are shared. The CDC's gettested.cdc.gov is another way to find a site.

STD Test Results: How Long They Take and What They Mean