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STD Testing in Austin: Costs, Walk-Ins and What to Bring

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STD Testing in Austin: Costs, Walk-Ins and What to Bring

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 for an STI in Austin is usually faster and less expensive than people expect. Travis County reported a chlamydia rate of 712.6 cases per 100,000 residents in 2022, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services' Texas STD Surveillance Report. Rates like that are part of why Austin has several clinics built around quick, affordable, judgment-free testing. This guide walks through what to bring, what each step of a visit looks like, and what it tends to cost around the city.

For a fuller breakdown of specific clinics and pricing, see our guide to STD testing in Austin: where to get tested and what it costs.

What You'll Need Before You Go

  • A photo ID. Most clinics ask for one, though it is not always required.
  • Your insurance card, if you have coverage. Several Austin clinics bill insurance; others use a sliding fee scale or offer free testing regardless of insurance status.
  • A rough timeline of any symptoms, and roughly when your last sexual contact occurred. This helps a clinician decide which tests make sense and when.
  • A way to pay a fee if one applies. Austin Public Health's Sexual Health Clinic lists a $30 fee for testing and treatment, according to Austin Public Health.
  • If you're a minor, know that Texas law does not set a minimum age for consenting to STI and HIV testing and treatment on your own, under Texas Family Code Sec. 32.003. A parent's consent is not required, though the law does allow a physician to choose to tell a parent about the visit.

Step-by-Step: Getting Tested in Austin

  1. Decide whether you need an appointment or can walk in. Kind Clinic's Koenig Lane location offers walk-in testing for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV and hepatitis C, according to Kind Clinic, though walk-in hours differ from the clinic's general hours and the clinic is closed on observed holidays and the first Friday of every month. Austin Public Health's Sexual Health Clinic at the RBJ Health Center asks that you schedule online or call 512-972-5430. UT Austin students can use drop-in testing at University Health Services, intended for people without symptoms.

  2. Pick a clinic that fits your budget. Austin Public Health charges $30 for testing and treatment. CommUnityCare's IDEALhealth program uses a sliding fee scale set after meeting with a financial eligibility specialist. ASHwell Sexual Health + Wellness states its STI testing and treatment services are always free, though related medication could carry a cost. Vivent Health offers free HIV testing at its Austin location. Check our list of local testing options to compare.

  3. Call ahead to confirm current hours and fees. Austin Public Health's own site notes that updates to its pages can be delayed, so a quick call to 512-972-5430 is worth it before you go.

  4. Arrive during open hours with your documents. Austin Public Health's Sexual Health Clinic is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Kind Clinic's Koenig location keeps longer hours midweek. Bring your ID and insurance card if applicable.

  5. Describe your symptoms and recent sexual history honestly. A questionnaire alone cannot tell you or a clinician whether you have an infection. What it does is help the clinician choose which tests to run and how to time them.

  6. Provide samples as directed. Depending on the visit, this might mean a blood draw, a urine sample or a swab. Austin Public Health's standard panel covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, and notes that genital herpes testing is only done when active symptoms are present, according to the clinic.

  7. Ask about prevention options while you're there. Several Austin clinics, including CommUnityCare and Kind Clinic, offer PrEP, PEP and doxy-PEP, a CDC-recommended antibiotic approach for some people at risk of bacterial STIs following the CDC's 2024 doxy-PEP guidance. CommUnityCare also offers HPV, hepatitis A and B, and mpox vaccination.

  8. Pay the fee or complete sliding-scale paperwork. If cost is a barrier, ask directly. ASHwell and Vivent Health both describe free services, and Kind Clinic's patient assistance program can help cover lab costs for people who are uninsured.

  9. Find out how and when you'll get results. Some results come back the same day; others take longer depending on the test. Ask before you leave how the clinic will reach you.

  10. Follow your clinician's plan if treatment is recommended. Bacterial infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis are generally curable with treatment a clinician prescribes, per CDC STI Treatment Guidelines. Under Texas Medical Board rules, a physician can prescribe medication for your partner without examining them first, a practice known as expedited partner therapy, per the CDC's summary of Texas's legal status for this approach.

Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Don't wait for symptoms before getting tested. Many STIs don't cause noticeable symptoms, which is one reason routine testing matters even when you feel fine.
  • Don't assume one visit covers everything. Austin Public Health's standard panel does not include herpes testing unless you have active symptoms, so ask specifically if you want a particular test.
  • Don't confuse walk-in hours with general clinic hours. Kind Clinic's walk-in testing window is narrower than its full appointment schedule, and the clinic closes on the first Friday of each month and on observed holidays.
  • Don't skip the follow-up if results aren't same-day. Make sure you know how the clinic will contact you and what to do next.
  • Don't assume cost is a barrier. Several Austin clinics offer free or sliding-scale testing, and asking about cost upfront can save a trip.

What You Can Expect

Most people can expect to get an appointment or walk-in slot within a short window, and many Austin clinics return results within a few days, though timing varies by clinic and by test type. A test result can tell you whether a particular infection was detected in your sample at the time it was taken. It cannot tell you about exposures that happened very recently or after the sample was collected, which is why a clinician may suggest retesting at a later date depending on your situation.

If a result comes back positive for a bacterial infection like chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis or trichomoniasis, these are generally curable with treatment a clinician prescribes, according to CDC STI Treatment Guidelines. HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable or manageable with ongoing care from a provider. Whatever the result, a clinician is the right person to walk you through what it means and what, if anything, comes next.

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