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.

Not having insurance does not have to stand between you and a test. New York City has public clinics, community health centers and assistance programs built for people who are uninsured or underinsured.

This guide is set up like a buyer's guide, but testing is a health service, not a product. So instead of ranking brands, it shows you what to compare, which questions to ask about cost, and which warning signs to watch for. It also covers where to go.

Anyone can use these options, whatever your gender, orientation or relationship status. Wanting a test is a routine health choice.

How much is an STD test in New York City?

The honest answer is that it depends on where you go. Public clinics, community health centers, urgent care and lab-order services each work differently. Not every setting publishes a price.

Here is what the published sources say, setting by setting.

Setting	What the source says about cost
NYC Health Department Sexual Health Clinics	Low- to no-cost. Adults 19 and older are asked for insurance or a sliding-scale fee. No proof of income is required, no payment is collected at the clinic, and no one is turned away for inability to pay.
Callen-Lorde Community Health Center	Services are offered regardless of ability to pay. It lists a sliding fee for people who are uninsured or underinsured, with visit co-pays from $0 to $100.
Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center (ages 10 to 26)	Describes its services as completely free.
Urgent care	The health department's pages do not list urgent care prices. Ask the center directly before you are seen.
Lab-order and online testing services	The health department's pages do not list prices for these services. Ask the service for a full written price.

If you are asking how much an STD test costs, the lowest published answers come from the public clinics and community health centers above. For urgent care and lab-order services, the sources reviewed here do not give a price. Check with each one.

A fair way to compare any option is the total you would owe for the visit, the tests and any treatment, not only the price of one test.

What to look for in a testing provider

Think of these as quality indicators. They help you judge a provider whether it is a public clinic, a health center or a private office.

A clinician is involved

A good provider has a licensed clinician who can talk through your questions and read your results. That matters because a test result is only useful when someone can explain what it means and what comes next.

Treatment is available, or a clear referral

Some infections are curable with treatment from a clinician. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) say bacterial STIs and trichomoniasis can be cured. Other infections, such as HIV, herpes and HPV, are not curable but are treatable or manageable.

Ask whether the same place can prescribe treatment if you need it, or where it sends you. A result with no path to care is a weak value, even if the test was cheap.

Testing follows CDC guidance

The CDC publishes which tests are used for which infections and which body sites may need testing. A good provider can explain why it is recommending a test and why it is skipping others.

Privacy is explained plainly

You should be told how your results are handled. The NYC Health Code requires certain infections, including chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, to be reported to the Health Department within 24 hours, according to NYC Health. Reporting is a routine public health step. A good provider tells you about it up front.

Key features to compare

When you are comparing cheap STD testing in NYC, line up the same features across each option.

Total cost and who bills you. Ask for the visit fee, the lab fee and any treatment fee. Ask if a separate lab might bill you later.
Walk-in or appointment. Most NYC Health clinic services are walk-in only. Callen-Lorde offers sexual health by appointment with limited walk-in, plus Saturday walk-in hours.
How fast you get results. At the main Chelsea clinic, there are no rapid results and NYC Health says to expect results in seven days. The Chelsea and Fort Greene Express Clinics have a Quickie Lab with rapid chlamydia and gonorrhea results.
Which tests are included. Ask exactly which infections are covered. This is the biggest difference between one price and another.
Hours that fit your schedule. Most NYC Health clinics are open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Services beyond testing. Some sites also offer PrEP, PEP, doxy-PEP and HPV vaccination.

Ask about bundled panels

Many places sell tests as a bundle or panel. Bundles can save money. They can also include tests you do not need, or leave out tests you do.

Before you agree to one, ask these questions:

Which infections are in the panel, and which are not?
Does it include HIV and syphilis, or are those priced separately?
Does it test the throat, rectum or genitals, depending on your exposure?
Is the clinician visit included in the panel price?
What happens if a result is positive? Is treatment included, billed separately, or referred out?

A clinician can help you choose. The CDC and USPSTF publish who is recommended for routine screening, and a provider can match those recommendations to your situation. If you are not sure what to ask for, saying "I'd like to talk through what testing makes sense for me" is a complete answer.

Testing without insurance: low-cost options in New York City

These are not paid recommendations. They are the public and nonprofit sites that NYC sources identify as low-cost or free. For a fuller list by borough, see the guide to where to get tested in New York City.

NYC Health Department Sexual Health Clinics

The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene runs Sexual Health Clinics across the city. They offer STI testing, HIV testing, PrEP, PEP, doxy-PEP, HPV vaccine and treatment. The HPV vaccine is available only to patients who are also receiving other sexual health services, not as a standalone service.

Chelsea: 303 9th Avenue, First Floor, Manhattan. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Express Clinic stays open until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays.
Central Harlem: 2238 Fifth Avenue, First Floor, Manhattan. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Fort Greene: 295 Flatbush Avenue Extension, Brooklyn. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with Express hours until 7 p.m. on Tuesdays.
Morrisania: 1309 Fulton Avenue, Second Floor, Bronx. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Jamaica: 90-37 Parsons Boulevard, First Floor, Queens. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Corona: 34-33 Junction Boulevard, First Floor, Queens. Monday to Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.

The Sexual Health Clinic Hotline is 347-396-7959, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. NYC Health does not list a separate number for each clinic.

Two practical notes from NYC Health. Clinics may close early once they reach capacity, so arriving early helps. Also, the Crown Heights and Riverside clinics are closed until further notice, and there is no NYC Health sexual health clinic on Staten Island in its open list. Staten Island residents can check with the health department for the closest option.

Callen-Lorde Community Health Center

Callen-Lorde is an LGBTQ+ community health center. Its Chelsea site is at 356 W 18th St, and the phone is 212-271-7200. It lists STI testing, HIV testing, hepatitis C testing, PrEP, PEP, doxy-PEP, HPV vaccine and treatment.

It also has sites in the Bronx (718-215-1800) and Brooklyn (718-215-1818). Its sexual health page names only the Chelsea site, so confirm that the other sites offer what you need before you go.

Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center

This center at 312-320 East 94th Street serves young people ages 10 to 26. Mount Sinai says its services are completely free. It lists walk-in hours Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and same-day rapid HIV testing. The phone is 212-423-3000.

Free HIV self-test kits

NYC Health says NYC residents can get free HIV self-test kits through Community Home Test Giveaway partner agencies listed on the NYC Health Map. You can also ask through 311 or text TESTNYC to 55676. NYC Health pages do not list a free at-home kit program for other STIs.

Medicaid and New York programs that help with cost

If you have Medicaid or another plan, ask the provider whether the visit and tests are covered. The sources reviewed here do not give coverage details for individual plans, so check with your plan or the clinic.

Some programs may matter for prevention and follow-up care:

NYS PrEP Assistance Program (PrEP-AP). According to the New York State Department of Health, it is 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, which can come through manufacturer assistance. Call 1-800-542-2437 and use a participating provider.
NYC Sexual Health Clinics for PrEP. NYC Health says the clinics offer PrEP initiation and counseling. Adolescents can get PrEP without a parent's permission.
24/7 PEP Hotline. NYC Health lists 844-373-7692 for PEP questions at any hour.

A clinician decides whether PrEP, PEP or doxy-PEP fits a person's situation. The CDC published doxy-PEP guidance in 2024 and a clinician can explain who it is meant for.

Testing as a minor or young adult

New York Public Health Law section 2305 allows a licensed physician to diagnose and treat a person under 21 who is infected with or exposed to an STD without parental consent or knowledge. The statute itself names physicians. NYC Health says its Sexual Health Clinics serve anyone 12 or older without parental consent, regardless of immigration status.

Red flags to avoid

Most providers are honest. These signs are worth a pause, though.

No clear price in writing. If a service cannot tell you the full cost before the test, ask again or choose another option.
Results with no clinician. A result sent with no way to speak to a clinician, and no plan for treatment, leaves you on your own at the moment you need support.
Vague test lists. "Full panel" or "complete check" means little unless the infections are named.
Promises of certainty. No test is perfect. The CDC notes that results depend on timing and the type of test, so be wary of anyone who says a result is absolute.
Pressure or fear tactics. Good providers do not shame, scare or rush you.
Treatment without a visit. Treatment should be prescribed by a clinician who has reviewed your results and history.
Unclear privacy practices. You should be told who sees your results.

Why testing is a common part of NYC health care

STIs are common in the city. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's 2024 STI Surveillance Annual Report counted 62,774 reported chlamydia cases, a rate of 760.16 per 100,000 people. It counted 32,889 gonorrhea cases, a rate of 398.27 per 100,000. In 2024, NYC Health also reported 1,791 new HIV diagnoses.

These numbers describe the city as a whole. They do not say anything about any one person. Many infections cause no symptoms, which is why a test is the only way a clinician can find out what is going on.

Timing and window periods

A test can miss a recent exposure. Each infection has a window period, which is the time between exposure and when a test can detect it. The CDC publishes these periods for each infection and test type, and they differ. A clinician can tell you whether to test now, test again later, or both.

If you think you were exposed in the last few days, call the PEP hotline above right away, since PEP is time sensitive. A clinician decides whether it is right for you.

Where to start

Pick two or three options from the list above based on your borough and schedule.
Call the Sexual Health Clinic Hotline at 347-396-7959 or the site you choose, and ask about hours, wait times and cost.
Ask which infections are included, and how and when you will get results.
Ask what happens if you need treatment.

The CDC also runs a testing locator at gettested.cdc.gov, where you can enter a ZIP code to see testing sites. Confirm costs with any site before you go.

The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene keeps its list of clinics current on its Sexual Health Clinics page. Hours and open sites can change, so check that page or call the hotline first.

Getting tested is a normal, responsible part of taking care of yourself. Whatever your insurance situation, there is a place in New York City that can see you.

Low-Cost STD Testing in New York City Without Insurance