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 sexually transmitted infections is a routine part of health care, not a sign that something is wrong. In Travis County, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) recorded a chlamydia rate of 712.6 cases per 100,000 people and a gonorrhea rate of 351.4 per 100,000 in its 2022 STD Surveillance Report. Testing regularly, and knowing what to expect before you go, makes the process faster and less stressful. This guide walks through the testing process step by step, from deciding what to bring to understanding your results.

What You'll Need Before You Go

Most Austin clinics ask for a few basic things. Having them ready saves time at the front desk.

A photo ID, if you have one. Some clinics, including campus and public health sites, will still test you without one, but it's worth calling ahead to confirm.
Insurance information, if you're covered. Several Austin clinics, including Kind Clinic, now bill insurance for lab work under a 2024 policy change, though assistance programs exist for people who are uninsured.
A short note on exposure or symptoms. Knowing roughly when you were last sexually active, and what kind of contact occurred (oral, vaginal, anal), helps the clinician decide which samples to collect.
A way to pay the visit fee, if one applies. Costs vary widely by clinic in Austin, from free to a modest flat fee.
A partner's contact information, if you'd like help notifying them later. This is optional and private.

Step-by-Step: Getting Tested in Austin

1. Decide what kind of test you need

The CDC's STI Treatment Guidelines recommend different tests depending on your symptoms, recent exposures and the parts of the body involved. A clinician can tell you which tests make sense for your situation. If you don't have symptoms, routine screening for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV is commonly offered as a starting point; a clinician can tell you whether additional tests, such as hepatitis C, fit your circumstances.

2. Think about timing and window periods

Every test has a window period, the time between a possible exposure and when a test can reliably detect an infection. The CDC's guidelines note that window periods differ by infection and by test type, so testing the day after a possible exposure may be too early for some results to be meaningful. A clinician or the testing site can tell you when a retest, if needed, would make sense for your situation.

3. Choose where to go

Austin has several options, each with different hours, costs and walk-in policies. The list of local testing locations covers the current options in more detail. A few examples:

Clinic	Notes
Austin Public Health Sexual Health Clinic (RBJ Health Center, 15 Waller Street)	Austin Public Health states the fee for testing and treatment is $30. Open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Appointments can be scheduled online or by calling 512-972-5430.
Kind Clinic – Austin Koenig (101 W Koenig Lane)	Kind Clinic offers walk-in testing for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV and hepatitis C at this location, according to its own site.
CommUnityCare IDEALhealth Program (1000 E. 41st St.)	CommUnityCare offers STI and HIV testing on a sliding fee scale, determined through a meeting with a financial eligibility specialist, per the clinic's website.
ASHwell Sexual Health + Wellness (3100 Red River St.)	ASHwell states its testing, diagnosis and treatment services are always free, though appointments are required rather than walk-in.

For a fuller breakdown of costs and what's included at each Austin location, see this guide to STD testing costs in Austin.

4. Schedule an appointment or confirm walk-in hours

Call ahead whenever possible, even at locations that advertise walk-in testing. Kind Clinic notes it closes on all observed holidays and on the first Friday of every month, and Austin Public Health's clinic page cautions that hours and fees are sometimes slower to update online than by phone. A quick call before you leave the house avoids a wasted trip.

5. Attend your visit

At most Austin clinics, a visit for STI testing includes a brief conversation about your symptoms and recent activity, followed by sample collection. Depending on what's being tested, this can mean a blood draw, a urine sample, or a swab from the area of possible exposure. The CDC's guidelines note that swabbing the site of contact, such as the throat or rectum when relevant, improves the accuracy of results for gonorrhea and chlamydia compared to urine testing alone. It's worth telling the clinician directly about all types of contact so they can collect the right samples.

6. Ask about herpes and HPV testing specifically

Not every STI is included in a standard panel. Austin Public Health's clinic notes that it can test for genital herpes only if a person has active symptoms, which matches CDC guidance that routine herpes screening isn't recommended for people without symptoms. There is currently no CDC-recommended routine screening test for HPV in men, and HPV testing in women is typically done as part of cervical cancer screening. A clinician can tell you what applies to your situation.

7. Pay what's owed, or ask about assistance

If cost is a concern, say so before your visit. CommUnityCare's sliding scale, ASHwell's no-cost model and Kind Clinic's patient assistance program are all built for people without insurance or with limited income. Austin Public Health's $30 fee is listed on its own site as covering both testing and treatment at that clinic.

8. Get your results and follow up

Results timing varies by clinic and by test. Some rapid HIV tests can give a result in minutes, while other tests are sent to a lab and take longer. Ask the clinic directly how and when they'll share your results, and whether that's by phone, patient portal, or a follow-up visit. A test can tell a clinician whether an infection is currently detectable; it cannot tell you anything on its own without that interpretation. If a result points to a bacterial infection such as chlamydia, gonorrhea or syphilis, these are curable with treatment prescribed by a clinician. HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but all are manageable with ongoing care.

Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't test too early. Testing right after a possible exposure, before the window period has passed, can produce a result that doesn't reflect your current status. Ask the clinic when retesting makes sense.
Don't skip mentioning all sites of contact. Oral or rectal exposure needs a swab from that site; a urine test alone won't cover it.
Don't assume walk-in hours are guaranteed. Call first, especially around holidays or the first Friday of the month at Kind Clinic.
Don't forget that Texas law lets minors consent to their own STI and HIV testing and treatment, regardless of age, under Texas Family Code Sec. 32.003. Parental consent isn't required, though the statute does allow (not require) a physician to inform a parent.
Don't wait to tell partners. If you're diagnosed with a bacterial STI, Texas rules allow a physician to prescribe treatment for your partner without that partner being examined first, which can shorten the time everyone involved is contagious. Ask the clinic how this works.
Don't skip retesting if recommended. A clinician may suggest a follow-up test at a later date depending on your situation, particularly after treatment for some infections.

What Results Can and Can't Tell You

A test result reflects what was detectable in the sample at the time it was collected. It may not reflect a very recent exposure, and no test eliminates the value of talking with a clinician about your particular symptoms and history. If you test negative, that reflects the sample given at that time, within the limits of the window period. If a result comes back positive, a clinician can walk you through what treatment or ongoing care looks like. Either way, the next step is a conversation with the person who tested you, not a search for answers on your own.

STI Testing in Austin: Where to Go and What to Expect