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.

Waiting for answers is stressful. The good news is that some tests in New York City can give results the same day, and many clinics take walk-ins.

This guide explains how to plan a visit, which tests are quick, which ones take longer, and how to make the most of your time at the clinic. It covers how long STD test results take, so you know what to expect before you go.

The short answer: what is quick and what is not

Not every STD test works at the same speed. The speed depends on the lab method, not on how busy the clinic is.

Rapid HIV tests can give a result during the visit. The Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center lists same-day rapid HIV testing.
Rapid syphilis tests are offered only at some sites. Ask the clinic whether they have one before you go.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea tests usually use a lab method called a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). The lab usually takes one to three days. Some clinics have faster options, described below.
Other tests for infections such as syphilis (blood draw), hepatitis C or trichomoniasis often go to a lab. Ask the clinician when to expect those results.

So "same-day" often means same-day for some tests and a few days for others. A single visit can cover both.

What you need before you go

You do not need much. A little preparation helps the visit go smoothly.

A way to be reached. A working phone number lets the clinic share results that are not ready on the spot.
Insurance information, if you have it. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC Health) says adults 19 and older at its Sexual Health Clinics are asked for insurance or a sliding-scale fee. No proof of income is required, and no one is turned away for inability to pay.
A rough timeline of recent exposures. Knowing roughly when something happened helps a clinician decide which tests make sense and when.
A list of any medicines you take. This includes PrEP or doxy-PEP, if a clinician has prescribed them.
Time. Walk-in clinics can fill up. Plan for a wait.

Step-by-step: getting tested in New York City on the same day

Step 1: Pick the kind of visit that fits your day

Start by deciding between a walk-in and an appointment.

NYC Health says most services at its Sexual Health Clinics are walk-in only. Clinics may close early once they reach capacity, so arriving earlier in the day is a sensible choice.

Callen-Lorde Chelsea says sexual health care is by appointment Monday to Friday with limited walk-in. It lists Saturday walk-in from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., first come, first served.

The Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center lists walk-in hours Monday to Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., plus scheduled appointments.

Step 2: Choose a location and check the hours

Hours change, so confirm before you travel. These details come from NYC Health, Callen-Lorde and Mount Sinai.

Chelsea Sexual Health Clinic and Chelsea Express Clinic (Manhattan). 303 9th Avenue, First Floor, 10001. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Express Clinic is open Monday and Wednesday to Friday, 8:30 to 3:30, and Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Its Quickie Lab offers rapid chlamydia and gonorrhea results. NYC Health says the main clinic has no rapid results and to expect results in seven days.
Fort Greene Sexual Health Clinic and Express Clinic (Brooklyn). 295 Flatbush Avenue Extension, 11201. The clinic is on the 2nd floor and the Express Clinic is on the 1st floor. Hours match Chelsea, including the Quickie Lab for rapid chlamydia and gonorrhea results.
Central Harlem Sexual Health Clinic (Manhattan). 2238 Fifth Avenue, First Floor, 10037. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Morrisania Sexual Health Clinic (The Bronx). 1309 Fulton Avenue, Second Floor, 10456. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Jamaica Sexual Health Clinic (Queens). 90-37 Parsons Boulevard, First Floor, 11432. Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Corona Sexual Health Clinic (Queens). 34-33 Junction Boulevard, First Floor, 11372. Monday to Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:15 p.m.
Callen-Lorde Chelsea (Manhattan). 356 W 18th St, 10011. Phone 212-271-7200. It is an LGBTQ+ community health center that offers care regardless of ability to pay, with a sliding fee for people who are uninsured or underinsured.
Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center (Manhattan). 312-320 East 94th Street, 10128. Phone 212-423-3000. It serves people ages 10 to 26, and Mount Sinai says its services are completely free.

For the NYC Health clinics, the Sexual Health Clinic Hotline is 347-396-7959, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. NYC Health lists no separate phone number for each clinic. For a fuller list, see our local testing list, or read our guide to where to get tested in New York City.

NYC Health says the Crown Heights and Riverside clinics are closed until further notice. It also lists no NYC Health sexual health clinic on Staten Island among its open clinics. If you live there, check the NYC Health clinic page for the nearest open location.

Step 3: Tell the clinician what you want and why

You can say you want same-day results. You can also ask which tests are quick and which go to a lab. A clinician can help you choose tests based on your history, symptoms and the kinds of sex you have.

You do not have to explain or justify your choices. A good clinic visit is nonjudgmental, and it is open to every gender and orientation.

Step 4: Give the samples

Depending on what you and the clinician decide, a sample may be:

a urine sample,
a swab from the throat, rectum or genitals, which you can sometimes collect yourself,
a finger-stick or a blood draw.

Many people find the visit shorter and easier than expected. If something worries you, say so, and the clinician can explain each step.

Step 5: Ask when and how you will hear back

Before you leave, ask:

Which results will I get today?
Which results are going to a lab, and how long will they take?
How will you reach me, and what number will show up?
What should I do if I do not hear back?

Write the answers down. This one step prevents a lot of worry later.

Step 6: Follow up on any results that are not ready yet

If a lab result is still pending, keep your phone on and check any voicemail. If you have not heard back by the date you were given, call the clinic. For an NYC Health clinic, use the hotline above.

How long do STD test results take?

The wait depends on the infection and the test method. Here is a general picture of how long STD test results take. Your clinic may differ, so always confirm with them.

Test	How results are usually delivered
Rapid HIV test	Often during the visit. Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center lists same-day rapid HIV testing.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea (NAAT) at a standard lab	Usually one to three days. NYC Health says expect about seven days at the main Chelsea clinic.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea at an Express Clinic Quickie Lab	Rapid results, per NYC Health, at Chelsea and Fort Greene.
Rapid syphilis test	Only where offered. Ask the site.
Blood tests sent to a lab	Varies. Ask the clinician for the timeframe.

NYC Health did not list rapid HIV or hepatitis C testing at its Sexual Health Clinics in the information used for this page. Check with the clinic or the health department before you go if rapid HIV is a priority. Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center does list it.

Timing matters: window periods

A test can only find an infection once enough time has passed after an exposure. This is called the window period. The CDC gives window periods by test type for HIV, for example:

The CDC says a nucleic acid test (NAT) can usually detect HIV 10 to 33 days after an exposure.
The CDC says an antigen/antibody test done on a lab blood draw can usually detect HIV 18 to 45 days after an exposure.
The CDC says antigen/antibody tests done with a finger-stick can take longer, from 18 to 90 days.
The CDC says antibody tests can take 23 to 90 days.

A rapid test is not always the best fit for every point in time. A clinician can tell you which test fits your timeline and whether a repeat test later makes sense. Window periods for other infections differ, so ask about them as well.

If you had a recent exposure to HIV and it was within the last few days, tell the clinician right away. The CDC notes that post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a medicine a clinician prescribes, works best when started as soon as possible. NYC Health lists a 24/7 PEP Hotline at 844-373-7692.

Tips for a smoother visit

Go early. Walk-in clinics can close early once they reach capacity, according to NYC Health.
Call the hotline for the latest hours. The Sexual Health Clinic Hotline answers Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Ask for a full set of tests. Many people get tests for several infections at once, since some have no noticeable symptoms. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) and USPSTF both describe screening recommendations by age, sex and risk, and a clinician can walk you through them.
Bring questions. It is fine to ask about PrEP, doxy-PEP, vaccines and treatment. NYC Health lists those services at its Sexual Health Clinics. For the HPV vaccine, NYC Health says it is available only to patients who are also receiving other sexual health services.
Consider timing for partners. If a clinician diagnoses certain infections, partners may need care as well. Under New York Public Health Law § 2312, a clinician may provide expedited partner therapy. NYC Health names chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis as the infections where the CDC recommends it. Ask the clinician how it works.

Common mistakes to avoid

Testing too soon after an exposure and stopping there. A result that comes back early may not tell the whole story. Ask the clinician about a repeat test and when to do it.
Assuming one test covers everything. A rapid HIV test checks for HIV, not other infections. Ask what each test covers.
Skipping the follow-up. Lab results take days. Do not assume no call means anything in particular. Contact the clinic if you have not heard back.
Going to the wrong place at the wrong time. Hours differ by site and by day. Corona's late evening is Thursday, and the Express Clinics' late evening is Tuesday.
Staying away because of cost worries. NYC Health says no one is turned away for inability to pay at its Sexual Health Clinics. Callen-Lorde and Mount Sinai also list low-cost or free options.

What your results can tell you

A test result is information from a specific test at a specific point in time. A negative result means that test did not find that infection in that sample. A clinician can explain whether a repeat test is useful, based on timing.

A positive result means a clinician will talk with you about next steps. Bacterial infections like 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. Only a clinician can prescribe treatment, and they will tailor it to you.

NYC Health reports certain infections to the Health Department, including chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, as required by the NYC Health Code. Clinics follow these rules as part of routine care.

Other ways to test in New York City

If you cannot get to a clinic, NYC Health lists free HIV self-test kits for NYC residents through Community Home Test Giveaway partner agencies. You can find partners on the NYC Health Map, call 311, or text TESTNYC to 55676. NYC Health did not list a free at-home STI kit program for other infections.

The CDC also runs a locator at gettested.cdc.gov for finding testing sites by ZIP code.

If you are under 21

New York Public Health Law § 2305 allows a licensed physician to diagnose and treat a person under 21 for a sexually transmitted infection without parental consent or knowledge. NYC Health says its Sexual Health Clinics serve anyone 12 or older without parental consent, regardless of immigration status. Mount Sinai Adolescent Health Center serves ages 10 to 26.

Why getting tested matters in New York City

In 2024, the NYC DOHMH STI Surveillance Annual Report counted 62,774 reported chlamydia cases in New York City, a rate of 760.16 per 100,000. It counted 32,889 gonorrhea cases, a rate of 398.27 per 100,000. Those are reported cases, so they reflect the people who were tested. Regular testing is a normal part of sexual health care for people of every gender and orientation.

Your next step

Pick a clinic from the list above, check its hours with the hotline or the clinic's page, and plan to arrive early. If you want quick answers, ask about rapid options when you arrive. Testing is free or low-cost at many New York City sites, and the people there do this every day.

Same-Day STD Testing in New York City: Rapid Tests and Quick Results