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.

Many teens in Los Angeles wonder whether they can get tested for sexually transmitted infections without a parent in the room. Many parents wonder what the rules are. This page answers both sets of questions in plain language.

California law gives minors real control over this kind of care. The answers below explain how, and where to go in Los Angeles.

Consent: What the Law Says

Can minors get STD testing without parents in California?

Yes. Under California Family Code section 6926, as amended by AB 499 in 2011, a minor who is 12 or older can consent to care related to sexually transmitted infections. The Guttmacher Institute lists no parental-notification requirement for California. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says patients 12 and older can be tested and treated without their parents knowing.

Does that consent cover treatment too?

Yes. The Guttmacher Institute summarizes California law as allowing minors 12 and older to consent to both STI testing and treatment. Treatment is whatever a clinician prescribes after an exam or test results. The clinic can explain what applies in each situation.

What if someone is younger than 12?

The California law described above sets its age at 12. For a younger child, the best step is to call a clinic or the health department and ask how care works. A pediatrician or the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health can explain the options.

Does the person have to be sexually active to qualify?

The statute covers minors who may have been exposed to an infection, and it does not ask a teen to explain their private life. Clinicians ask health questions so they can choose the right tests. Those questions are about care, and a teen can answer them in a nonjudgmental setting.

Confidentiality: What Stays Private

Is STD testing confidential for teens?

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says its clinics test and treat patients 12 and older without their parents knowing. Some results are also reported to the health department by law, which is covered in the next question. Teens can ask any clinic, before the visit starts, who can see their information.

What gets reported to the health department?

California Code of Regulations title 17, section 2500, requires health care providers to report gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV infection to the local health officer. Section 2505 requires laboratories to report chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and acute HIV results. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health uses these reports to track infections across the county.

Can parents see a teen's results?

Under the law described above, a minor who consents to this care is the patient. At Los Angeles County public health clinics, results are delivered through the LA Health Portal, so a teen should ask how their own access is set up. At any clinic, ask who has access to the portal and where results are sent.

Will an insurance bill reveal the visit?

Insurance paperwork can sometimes reach the main policyholder, so it is worth asking each clinic how billing works. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health charges patients no fees and bills insurance only if the patient has it, with no copay or coinsurance. California Family Code section 6926 also says parents or guardians are not liable for payment for this care.

Do clinics ask about immigration status?

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says its clinics are open to everyone regardless of citizenship. It also says it will not report immigration status. Other clinics set their own policies, so families can ask when booking.

Where Teens Can Go in Los Angeles

Where can a teen find free or low-cost testing?

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health runs sexual health clinics at the Central Health Center, 241 Figueroa St., and the MLK Jr. Center for Public Health, 11833 S. Wilmington Ave. Both offer STD and HIV testing at no patient charge. Appointments are preferred and walk-ins are limited, so call the scheduling line at (213) 449-7009. You can also browse the full list of Los Angeles testing options.

Is there a clinic just for young people?

Children's Hospital Los Angeles offers STD services for youth ages 12 to 24 at 3250 Wilshire Blvd., 3rd Floor. The county's clinic listing shows weekday hours of 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm and a phone number of (323) 361-7550. The listing does not state a price, so call to ask about cost.

What about the Pacoima clinic?

The Pacoima Health Center, 13300 Van Nuys Blvd., offers free STD screening only. Someone with symptoms or a possible exposure is directed to book at another county clinic for evaluation and treatment. Appointments for all county sites go through (213) 449-7009.

Are there school-based clinics?

The health department's sexual health clinic page does not list school-based sites. A school nurse or counselor can say what is offered on a particular campus. The county scheduling line can also point a teen to a clinic that fits their situation.

Is there a free home test for teens?

The county's I Know program offers a free home test for chlamydia and gonorrhea. It is a vaginal-swab kit for people with a vagina aged 12 to 44 in Los Angeles County. The kit, lab test and return postage are free, and results come online or by phone. The program hotline is (800) 758-0880.

How else can someone find a testing site?

The CDC runs a national locator at gettested.cdc.gov. The Los Angeles County STD hotline, (800) 758-0880, can also help people find free testing. The county HIV hotline is 800-367-AIDS (2437).

Tests, Results and Treatment

Which tests do guidelines recommend for teens?

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) and the US Preventive Services Task Force recommend yearly chlamydia and gonorrhea screening for sexually active women 24 and younger. The CDC also recommends that everyone ages 13 to 64 get an HIV test at least once. A clinician can say which tests fit a person's situation.

How long do results take, and does timing matter?

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says results come through the LA Health Portal in 2 to 10 business days. The CDC explains that a test may not detect a recent infection right away, which is called the window period. A clinician can explain how timing applies to each test.

What happens if a result is positive?

The CDC says bacterial STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, and trichomoniasis, are curable with treatment from a clinician. HIV and herpes are not curable but are treatable and manageable. A positive result is a medical finding that a clinician can explain, and it says nothing about a person's worth.

Can a partner get treated too?

California Health and Safety Code section 120582 allows expedited partner therapy for chlamydia, gonorrhea and other STIs named by the state or current CDC guidelines. In practice, a clinician may be able to arrange treatment for a partner. The CDC reports that this practice is permissible in 49 states.

Can teens get PrEP, PEP or doxy-PEP?

Los Angeles County public health sexual health clinics provide PrEP, PEP and doxy-PEP at no patient charge. The California PrEP Assistance Program also covers minors ages 12 to 17, regardless of immigration status. A clinician decides whether any of these fit a person's needs.

Is testing different for pregnant teens?

California Health and Safety Code section 120685, as amended by SB 306, requires prenatal care professionals to screen for syphilis following California Department of Public Health guidelines. Those guidelines call for screens at the first prenatal visit, in the early third trimester and at delivery. Early prenatal care helps protect both parent and baby.

For Parents and Guardians

How can a parent support a teen who wants testing?

Stay calm, listen, and thank them for asking. Offer to help find a clinic, or step back if they want privacy, since the law lets them go alone. In Los Angeles County, about 493 in every 100,000 residents had a reported chlamydia case in 2024, according to the county's STI Surveillance Snapshot. Testing is a routine part of health care.

STD Testing for Teens and Minors in California: Consent and Confidentiality