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.

Free STD testing in New York City is real, and it is closer than many people expect. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene runs sexual health clinics in four boroughs. Community health centers and a teen clinic add more options.

This guide walks through how to get tested at little or no cost. It covers who qualifies, what to bring, how to check hours, and what your results can and cannot tell you.

Getting tested is routine health care. Nobody at these clinics needs a reason from you beyond wanting to know.

What You Need Before You Go

Most visits need very little. Here is a simple checklist.

A way to get there. Several clinics are walk-in, and some close early once they reach capacity, so plan extra time.
Insurance information, if you have it. The NYC Health page on Sexual Health Clinics says adults 19 and older are asked for insurance or a sliding-scale fee. It does not require proof of income.
A list of your questions. Write down symptoms, recent partners you want to discuss, and any medicines you take.
The date of your last test, if you remember. A clinician can use it to choose which tests make sense.
A phone. You can use it to call the clinic hotline, set up a results plan, and check hours.

You do not need to bring a photo ID, a bank statement, or proof of immigration status to the NYC Health clinics listed here. NYC Health says its Sexual Health Clinics serve people regardless of immigration status. For any other site, ask when you call.

Step 1: Decide Which Kind of Option Fits You

New York City has three main routes to free or sliding-scale testing. Each fits different needs.

NYC Health Sexual Health Clinics. Low-cost or no-cost testing and treatment, run by the city.
Community health centers. Callen-Lorde offers sliding-scale care with an LGBTQ+ focus.
Teen and young adult care. The Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center serves ages 10 to 26.

There is also a free home option for HIV only, covered in Step 6.

If you already know which borough is easiest for you, you can skip ahead to the table in Step 2. You can also see the shorter local testing list on our home page. For a wider look at the testing landscape, read STD testing in New York City: where to get tested.

Step 2: Look at the NYC Health Sexual Health Clinics

These are the main source of free std testing in NYC. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene lists them on its Sexual Health Clinics page. Each one offers STD testing, HIV testing, PrEP, PEP, doxy-PEP, HPV vaccine and treatment, according to that page.

The cost is sliding scale. NYC Health says no payment is collected at the clinic and no one is turned away for inability to pay.

Clinic	Address	Hours listed by NYC Health
Chelsea Sexual Health Clinic (and Chelsea Express Clinic)	303 9th Avenue, First Floor, Manhattan, NY 10001	Mon to Fri 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Express: Mon, Wed to Fri 8:30 to 3:30; Tue 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Central Harlem Sexual Health Clinic	2238 Fifth Avenue, First Floor, Manhattan, NY 10037	Mon to Fri 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Fort Greene Sexual Health Clinic (and Fort Greene Express Clinic)	295 Flatbush Avenue Extension, Brooklyn, NY 11201 (clinic on 2nd floor; Express on 1st floor)	Mon to Fri 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Express: Mon, Wed to Fri 8:30 to 3:30; Tue 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Morrisania Sexual Health Clinic	1309 Fulton Avenue, Second Floor, Bronx, NY 10456	Mon to Fri 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Jamaica Sexual Health Clinic	90-37 Parsons Boulevard, First Floor, Queens, NY 11432	Mon to Fri 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Corona Sexual Health Clinic	34-33 Junction Boulevard, First Floor, Queens, NY 11372	Mon to Wed and Fri 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Thu 8:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.

A few details from the NYC Health page are worth knowing:

The clinics are mostly walk-in. They may close early once capacity is reached, so earlier in the day is safer.
At the main Chelsea clinic, NYC Health says there are no rapid results and results take about seven days.
The Chelsea and Fort Greene Express Clinics have a Quickie Lab with rapid chlamydia and gonorrhea results.
The Crown Heights and Riverside clinics are closed until further notice.
NYC Health does not list an open sexual health clinic on Staten Island. Staten Island residents can use a clinic in another borough or call the hotline for guidance.
The HPV vaccine is offered only to patients who are also receiving other sexual health services, not as a standalone visit.

NYC Health lists one shared number for these clinics: the Sexual Health Clinic Hotline at 347-396-7959, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. It does not list a separate number for each clinic.

Step 3: Consider Callen-Lorde for Sliding-Scale Care

Callen-Lorde Community Health Center is an LGBTQ+ community health center. Its Chelsea site is at 356 W 18th St, New York, NY 10011, phone 212-271-7200.

According to Callen-Lorde's website, it provides services regardless of ability to pay. It uses a sliding fee for people who are uninsured or underinsured, with visit co-pays from $0 to $100. Its sexual health services include STD testing, HIV testing, PrEP, PEP, doxy-PEP, HPV vaccine, hepatitis C testing and treatment.

Sexual health visits at the Chelsea site are mainly by appointment Monday to Friday, with limited walk-in. On Saturdays, Callen-Lorde lists walk-in hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., first come, first served. A Quick Care walk-in option is also first come, first served.

Callen-Lorde also lists sites in the Bronx (555 Bergen Ave, 4th floor, 718-215-1800) and Brooklyn (40 Flatbush Ave Ext, 3rd floor, 718-215-1818). Its sexual health page names only the Chelsea site, so ask those locations which sexual health services they offer before you travel.

Step 4: Know About Free Care for Teens and Young Adults

The Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center serves young people ages 10 to 26 at 312-320 East 94th Street, New York, NY 10128. The phone number is 212-423-3000.

Mount Sinai's website says its services are completely free. It lists walk-in hours Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., plus scheduled appointments. Services include STI screening and treatment, HIV testing with same-day rapid results, PrEP, PEP, doxy-PEP and HPV vaccine.

Privacy matters for many young people, so here is what the sources say:

NYC Health says its Sexual Health Clinics serve anyone 12 or older without parental consent.
New York Public Health Law section 2305 lets a licensed physician diagnose and treat a person under 21 for an STD without parental consent or knowledge. The Guttmacher Institute's summary also says New York minors can consent to STI testing and treatment.
NYC Health says adolescents can get PrEP without a parent's permission.

Step 5: Pick a Visit Day and Check Current Hours

Hours change. Clinics adjust for holidays, staffing and capacity. Use these habits to avoid a wasted trip.

Open the NYC Health Sexual Health Clinics page on the day you plan to go.
Call the hotline at 347-396-7959 on a weekday between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. if something is unclear.
For Callen-Lorde or Mount Sinai, call the numbers listed above or check their own pages.
Arrive early. NYC Health notes clinics may close early once capacity is reached.

Free testing events and special walk-in days do come up. The sources used for this guide do not list any, so check the NYC Health sexual health page for current announcements.

You can also use the CDC's locator at gettested.cdc.gov. It lets you enter a ZIP code to find testing sites. Confirm hours and costs with the site, because the locator may not show current sliding-scale details.

Step 6: Use Free HIV Self-Tests If You Want Testing at Home

NYC Health says free HIV self-test kits are available to New York City residents through Community Home Test Giveaway partner agencies. The agencies are listed on the NYC Health Map. You can also reach the program through 311 or by texting TESTNYC to 55676.

NYC Health's pages do not list a free at-home kit program for other STIs. For chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and other infections, visiting a clinic is the route the sources support.

A self-test is one way to check HIV status. If a result is reactive, a clinician can arrange follow-up testing. If you test negative but had a recent exposure, a clinician can explain whether repeat testing is advised.

Step 7: Go to the Visit and Ask Good Questions

At the clinic, you will usually register, talk with a clinician, and give samples. A clinician decides which tests fit your situation. These can include urine, swab or blood tests.

Useful questions to ask:

Which infections will you test me for today, and which will you not test for?
How will I get my results, and how long does it usually take?
Does the time since my last possible exposure affect these results?
Should I come back for repeat testing, and when?
If a test is positive, what treatment can you prescribe, and is it available here?

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) describe the window period, which is the time after exposure before a test can reliably detect an infection. It differs by infection and by test type. Ask the clinician about it rather than relying on a general number.

Tips and Common Mistakes to Avoid

Tips

Go earlier in the day. Walk-in clinics can reach capacity.
Ask about all-in-one visits. NYC Health clinics list testing, treatment, PrEP and PEP at the same sites.
Ask about the sites you use. If one clinic is far away, call the hotline to ask which clinic suits you.
Tell the clinician where you have had contact. Throat, genital and rectal sites can need different samples. The CDC guidelines recommend site-based testing for some infections.
Know about PEP. NYC Health lists a 24/7 PEP Hotline at 844-373-7692 for people who may need post-exposure care urgently. Timing matters, so call as soon as you can.
Look into PrEP costs. The NYS Department of Health runs the PrEP Assistance Program (PrEP-AP) for people who are uninsured or whose insurance does not cover some PrEP services. It covers PrEP-related health care and lab costs, not the medication itself. The number is 1-800-542-2437, and you must use a participating provider.

Common mistakes

Assuming every clinic has the same hours. The Express Clinics, Corona and the main clinics differ.
Expecting rapid results everywhere. Rapid chlamydia and gonorrhea results are tied to the Express Quickie Lab. The sources used here do not confirm rapid HIV or hepatitis C testing at the NYC Health clinics, so ask the clinic.
Skipping follow-up. A single visit may not answer every question if the exposure was recent.
Waiting to ask about partner care. NYC Health says the infections for which CDC recommends expedited partner therapy are chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis. New York Public Health Law section 2312 covers expedited partner therapy. Ask the clinician how it works in your case.
Staying away because of cost worries. NYC Health says no one is turned away for inability to pay.

What to Expect From Your Results

A test result is information, and a clinician is the right person to interpret it.

A negative result may mean the infection was not detected in that sample at that time. It may not rule out a very recent exposure. A clinician can tell you whether repeat testing makes sense.
A positive result means a clinician will talk with you about next steps. Bacterial STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, and trichomoniasis, are curable with treatment from a clinician.
HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable or manageable with care from a clinician.
Timing varies. NYC Health says results at the main Chelsea clinic take about seven days. Other sites may differ, so ask when you register.

If a result needs follow-up, the clinic will explain your options. Treatment is whatever a clinician prescribes for your situation.

Some results are reported to the health department. NYC Health says the NYC Health Code requires seven STIs, including chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, to be reported to the Health Department within 24 hours. New York Public Health Law section 2130 requires HIV infection to be reported to the state. These are routine public health steps. Ask the clinic how they apply to you.

Special Situations

Pregnancy

The NYS Department of Health says providers must screen pregnant people for syphilis at least three times: at the first prenatal visit, in the third trimester (at 28 weeks, and no later than 32 weeks), and at delivery. NYC Health Code section 11.33 also sets the 28 to 32 week timing in the city. If you are pregnant, ask your prenatal provider to confirm these tests are scheduled.

Local numbers in context

The NYC DOHMH STI Surveillance Annual Report for 2024 counted 62,774 reported chlamydia cases (760.16 per 100,000) and 32,889 gonorrhea cases (398.27 per 100,000) in New York City. It also counted 1,467 primary and secondary syphilis cases. NYC DOHMH reported 1,791 new HIV diagnoses in 2024. These infections are common, and testing is how people find out and get treated.

Staying negative or staying protected

Many of the same clinics offer PrEP, PEP and doxy-PEP, a prevention option the CDC addressed in 2024 guidance. Doxy-PEP is a prescription, and only a clinician can say whether it fits your situation.

Your Next Step

Choose the option that fits your schedule, borough and comfort. Check current hours with the clinic or NYC Health, then go. You can use the CDC's gettested.cdc.gov locator or the hotline at 347-396-7959 if you want help choosing.

Free and low-cost testing is part of the city's public health system. Using it is a normal, responsible choice for anyone, of any gender or orientation.

Free STD Testing in New York City: Every Free and Sliding-Scale Option