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 STDs in Austin is a straightforward process, and the city has several clinics that offer low-cost or free options. This guide walks through the steps, from deciding what to ask for to understanding how results are shared, so you know what to expect before you walk in the door.

What you'll need

A form of ID. Most clinics ask for identification, though some community clinics will still see you without one. If you're not sure, call ahead and ask.
Insurance information, if you have it. Some clinics bill insurance; others, like the Austin Public Health Sexual Health Clinic, charge a flat fee regardless of insurance.
A way to pay the visit fee, if there is one. Costs vary by clinic and are listed below.
A short list of symptoms or exposures, if any. You don't need details written down, but knowing roughly when an exposure happened or when symptoms started helps the clinician decide which tests make sense.
Time. Some clinics take walk-ins; others require an appointment. Build in time for both the visit and, in some cases, a wait.

Step-by-step: getting tested in Austin

1. Decide what kind of test fits your situation

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends HIV screening at least once for everyone ages 15 to 65, and more often for people at ongoing risk. It also recommends chlamydia and gonorrhea screening for sexually active women 24 and younger, and syphilis screening for sexually active adults at increased risk. If you have symptoms, a recent exposure, or just want a routine check, a clinician at any of the clinics below can help you figure out which tests apply to you. A clinic visit, not a search engine, is the place to get that answer.

2. Choose a clinic based on cost, services and location

Austin has several options, and they differ in cost, walk-in availability and what they test for:

Austin Public Health Sexual Health Clinic (RBJ Health Center, 15 Waller Street, Austin, TX 78702; 512-972-5430). Austin Public Health's own clinic page lists a fee of $30 for testing and treatment, and standard testing covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Herpes testing is only available if you have active symptoms. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 5 p.m. You can schedule online or call ahead.
CommUnityCare IDEALhealth Program (Hancock Health Center, 1000 E. 41st St., Suite 700, Austin, TX 78751; 512-978-9015). CommUnityCare offers STI and HIV testing on a sliding fee scale set through a meeting with a financial eligibility specialist. This location also offers doxy-PEP, which the CDC added to its guidance in 2024 as a prevention option a clinician may prescribe after certain exposures, and sexual health vaccines including HPV.
Kind Clinic – Austin Koenig (101 W Koenig Lane, Ste 100, Austin, TX 78751; 833-937-5463). Kind Clinic offers walk-in testing for gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, HIV and hepatitis C, with hours Monday, Tuesday and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and some Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Since January 1, 2024, patients with insurance use it to cover lab costs; Kind Clinic's assistance program can help if you're uninsured or can't afford the lab fee.
ASHwell Sexual Health + Wellness (3100 Red River St, Suite 3, Austin, TX 78705; 512-900-3116). ASHwell states its testing, diagnosis and treatment services are always free, though there can be costs tied to medication. It does not accept walk-ins, so call or email ahead.
Vivent Health – Austin (104 E. Highland Mall Blvd, Suite 100, Austin, TX 78752; 512-458-2437). Vivent Health offers free HIV testing at this location; call for current walk-in testing hours or to make an appointment.
University Health Services STI Testing Clinic (UT Austin, Student Services Building, 100 West Dean Keeton Street, Room 1.400; 512-471-4955). This clinic serves UT Austin students and offers drop-in testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV and syphilis for people without symptoms. If you have symptoms, you'll need a provider appointment instead.

For a fuller comparison of costs and what each location covers, see our guide to STD testing in Austin and what it costs. You can also browse the full local list of clinics at this page's clinic directory.

3. Call ahead to confirm hours, cost and whether you need an appointment

Austin Public Health notes that content on its own site may lag behind current hours and fees, so it's worth confirming by phone before you go, especially for walk-in availability, which can change by location and by day.

4. Know your rights if you're a minor

Under Texas Family Code Sec. 32.003, a minor of any age can consent to testing and treatment for a reportable infectious disease, which includes STIs and HIV, without a parent's permission. The same law does let a physician choose to tell a parent about the visit, so if privacy from a parent matters to you, it's worth asking the clinic directly how they typically handle that.

5. Go in for your visit

Depending on what's being tested, you may be asked for a blood sample, a urine sample, or a swab. Your clinician will explain which samples apply to the tests you're there for. This part of the visit is usually quick, and staff can answer questions about what each sample is used for.

6. Ask how and when you'll get results

Turnaround time depends on the clinic and the test. Some results, particularly rapid HIV tests, may be available the same day; others are sent to a lab and take longer. Ask the clinic directly what to expect and how they'll reach you, whether that's a phone call, a patient portal, or a follow-up visit.

7. Follow up with a clinician on next steps

A clinician is the one who can interpret your results and explain what, if anything, comes next. Bacterial infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, along with trichomoniasis, are curable with treatment a clinician prescribes. HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable or manageable with ongoing care. Only a clinician can tell you which category applies to your situation.

Tips and common mistakes to avoid

Don't skip the phone call. Walk-in availability, hours and fees can change, and calling ahead saves a wasted trip.
Don't assume one visit covers every infection. Ask specifically which tests are included, since herpes and HPV testing in particular are not always part of a standard panel.
Don't wait for symptoms before testing. Many STIs don't cause noticeable symptoms, which is part of why USPSTF recommends routine screening rather than symptom-based testing alone.
Don't assume cost is a barrier. Austin has free options, including ASHwell and Vivent Health's HIV testing, and sliding-scale options at CommUnityCare.
Don't forget about at-home options if a clinic visit isn't realistic right now. Texas DSHS runs Test for Texas, a free mail-order self-testing program for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia, available through testfortexas.org. Vivent Health's online depot also ships free HIV test kits to Texas residents, and the CDC-funded Together TakeMeHome program mails free HIV self-tests to anyone 17 or older in the U.S.

What you can expect from testing

Testing may give you information that helps guide a conversation with a clinician, but no test result should be read on your own as a final answer. A result can suggest further steps, such as a repeat test, additional screening, or a conversation about treatment, and your clinician is best positioned to explain what a given result does and doesn't mean for you. Timing matters too: a test taken very soon after a possible exposure may not yet detect an infection, so if your exposure was recent, ask your clinician whether a follow-up test later on makes sense for the specific infection you're concerned about.

Where to Get an STD Test in Austin