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PrEP in Los Angeles: How to Get It, What It Costs and Who It Is For

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PrEP in Los Angeles: How to Get It, What It Costs and Who It Is For

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.

PrEP is medicine that lowers the chance of getting HIV. In Los Angeles, it is easier to reach than many people expect. Several public clinics offer it at no charge to the patient, and California runs its own assistance program.

This guide explains how PrEP works, who it is for, the three ways it is given, what the visits involve, what it costs and where to start in Los Angeles. It uses information from the CDC, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH).

Key takeaways

  • PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. It is HIV prevention medicine that a clinician prescribes.
  • The CDC says PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken as prescribed. It is less protective when doses are missed.
  • PrEP comes as daily pills, an on-demand approach for some people, and an injection. A clinician helps match the form to your life and health.
  • Before starting, you need an HIV test and a few other lab checks. After starting, you return for regular follow-up.
  • LA County DPH Sexual Health Clinics provide PrEP at no patient charge, according to DPH.
  • California's PrEP Assistance Program (PrEP-AP) is open regardless of immigration status, according to CDPH.
  • PrEP does not protect against other STIs, so testing still matters.

Table of contents

  1. What PrEP is and how well it works
  2. Who PrEP is for
  3. Daily pills, on-demand PrEP and the injection
  4. How to get PrEP: the visit, the labs and the follow-up
  5. HIV PrEP cost: coverage and assistance in California
  6. Where to get PrEP in Los Angeles
  7. PrEP, PEP, doxy-PEP and STI testing
  8. Questions people ask about PrEP

What PrEP is and how well it works

PrEP means taking HIV medicine before a possible exposure, so the body is ready to stop the virus from taking hold. It is a prescription medicine. A clinician decides whether it is a good fit and which form to use.

The CDC says PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when it is taken as prescribed. For people who inject drugs, the CDC says it reduces the risk by at least 74%. The CDC also says PrEP is much less effective when it is not taken consistently. That is why the plan you build with a clinician matters as much as the prescription.

PrEP protects against HIV only. The CDC is clear that it does not prevent other sexually transmitted infections. Condoms, regular testing and treatment when needed still play a role. We cover that later in this guide.

Why this matters in Los Angeles

The LA County Department of Public Health reports 1,454 new HIV diagnoses among people aged 13 and older in 2024, a rate of 17 per 100,000 (DPH Division of HIV and STD Programs, 2025 HIV Snapshot, provisional data). For California as a whole, CDPH's Office of AIDS reports 4,538 new diagnoses, or 11.6 per 100,000, in 2024.

These numbers are not a reason for worry. They are a reason the county has built a wide network of PrEP services, and a reason a conversation with a clinician is worth having.

Who PrEP is for

PrEP is for people who do not have HIV and who may be exposed to it. The CDC's clinical guidance says it can be offered to sexually active adults and adolescents, and to people who inject drugs, when they are at ongoing risk. The USPSTF recommends PrEP for people at increased risk of HIV, and it gave this recommendation its highest grade, an A.

Situations where the CDC says a clinician should consider offering PrEP include:

  • Having a partner who has HIV, especially when their viral load is not suppressed or is unknown.
  • Having had a bacterial STI in the past several months.
  • Having sex without condoms with partners whose HIV status is not known.
  • Sharing needles or other injection equipment.
  • Wanting added protection for any reason. The CDC encourages clinicians to prescribe PrEP to anyone who asks for it.

That last point is worth repeating. You do not have to fit a category or justify your reasons. PrEP is for people of every gender and every sexual orientation: cisgender and transgender women and men, nonbinary people, people in relationships and people who are not. A clinician can talk through your situation without judgment.

What PrEP does not require

You do not need to be in a particular community to ask about PrEP. You also do not need to have had a recent exposure. PrEP is about the period before exposure. If you may have been exposed in the last few days, ask about PEP instead, which is covered in the section on related options.

Daily pills, on-demand PrEP and the injection

There are three ways PrEP is used. The Sexual Health Clinics run by LA County DPH list all three: pills taken daily or on demand, and a monthly injection. Availability differs between clinics and insurance plans, so ask what is offered where you go.

Daily oral PrEP

Daily oral PrEP is a pill taken every day. It is the most widely used form and the one with the longest track record. The CDC's guidelines describe it as an option for sexual exposure and for exposure through injection drug use. Your clinician will explain how long it takes for the medicine to reach protective levels in the body, because that varies by the type of exposure.

On-demand PrEP

On-demand PrEP is sometimes called 2-1-1. It means taking pills around a sexual encounter rather than every day. The CDC describes this approach only for certain people, namely men who have sex with men, and only under a clinician's guidance. It is not described for everyone. If you think it might suit you, ask a clinician whether it applies to your situation. Any timing instructions come from the person prescribing it.

Injectable PrEP

Injectable PrEP is a shot given by a clinician at scheduled visits, so there is no daily pill to remember. DPH describes its injection as monthly. The CDC has added injectable PrEP to its guidance, and the visits include HIV testing before each injection. For some people, an injection fits their routine better, and for others it does not. You and your clinician can compare.

Choosing between them

A clinician may ask about these things when helping you choose:

  • How easy it is for you to take a pill every day.
  • Whether your sexual activity is predictable or varies.
  • Your kidney and bone health, and any other medicines you take.
  • Whether you prefer fewer medicine-taking moments but more clinic visits.
  • What your insurance covers.

How to get PrEP: the visit, the labs and the follow-up

If you are wondering how to get PrEP, the path is simpler than it sounds. It starts with a visit to a clinician who prescribes it. In Los Angeles, that can be a public sexual health clinic, a community health center, a private doctor or a telehealth provider.

Step 1: Book or walk in

DPH clinics take appointments through one centralized scheduling line, (213) 449-7009. DPH says appointments are preferred and that walk-ins are limited. DPH also offers telehealth visits that are booked by phone. Other clinics in the next section have their own booking rules, which we list.

Step 2: The conversation

The first visit usually starts with questions about your health, your medicines, your sexual health and what you want from PrEP. These questions are to match care to you, not to judge you. Share whatever you are comfortable sharing, and ask anything you like.

Step 3: Baseline lab tests

The CDC's PrEP guidance calls for certain checks before starting. These typically include:

  • An HIV test. PrEP is for people who do not have HIV, so the clinician confirms this first. If a test shows HIV, a clinician can explain treatment options. HIV is treatable and manageable, though not curable.
  • Kidney function. This matters most for oral PrEP.
  • Hepatitis B status. This affects medicine choice and monitoring.
  • STI testing. The CDC recommends screening for STIs when starting PrEP and at follow-up visits. Which sites are tested depends on the kind of sex you have.

For window periods, the time after exposure before a test can detect HIV, follow the CDC's guidance and ask the clinician which test they use. Different tests detect HIV at different times, and a clinician can tell you what a particular test can and cannot show.

Step 4: The prescription and follow-up

If PrEP is right for you, the clinician prescribes it. The CDC's guidelines call for follow-up about every three months for people on PrEP. These visits repeat HIV testing, check for side effects, review kidney function as needed, screen for STIs and talk about how PrEP is going. Injectable PrEP has its own visit schedule that your clinician sets.

Side effects

Some people notice mild effects such as nausea or headache when they start, and these often ease. Tell your clinician about anything that bothers you. Do not stop on your own without asking, because the plan can often be adjusted.

HIV PrEP cost: coverage and assistance in California

The HIV PrEP cost question has a more reassuring answer in California than in most places. Here are the main routes.

Public clinics at no patient charge

LA County DPH says its Sexual Health Clinics provide PrEP, PEP and DoxyPEP at no patient charge. At the Central Health Center, DPH says no patient fees apply, and insurance is billed if you have it, with no copay or coinsurance. If you have no insurance, you are not turned away for that reason.

Insurance and the Affordable Care Act

The USPSTF gave PrEP an A grade. Under the Affordable Care Act's preventive services rules, most private health plans must cover services with an A or B grade without charging a copay or coinsurance. In practice, this means many insured people can get PrEP and related services with no out-of-pocket cost. Details vary by plan, by the specific medicine and by which related tests are billed, so call your plan or ask the clinic's billing staff before your first visit. If you are covered under a parent's or partner's plan and want privacy, ask the clinic what its options are for confidentiality.

California PrEP Assistance Program (PrEP-AP)

CDPH's Office of AIDS runs the California PrEP Assistance Program. According to CDPH, PrEP-AP can cover PrEP for eligible California residents, including adults, adults with insurance-confidentiality concerns, and minors aged 12 to 17. It is open regardless of immigration status. CDPH also describes an Immediate Access option that gives anyone one month of PrEP free.

Income limits exist for adults in PrEP-AP, and CDPH has changed them over time. Check the current limit on the CDPH Office of AIDS PrEP-AP pages or ask a clinic's enrollment worker.

GetPrEPLA and the PrEP warmline

LA County DPH runs GetPrEPLA, a site with PrEP and PEP information, PrEP Centers of Excellence and a provider directory. The county's PrEP warmline is (213) 351-7699. If you are not sure where to begin, that line is a good first call.

Low-cost community options

The Los Angeles LGBT Center says PrEP care there is free or low-cost. APLA Health says its Out Here locations offer free or low-cost sexual health services. Neither page lists exact fees, so ask the clinic what you would pay before you book.

Where to get PrEP in Los Angeles

The clinics below are the ones with PrEP services that we could confirm. Hours and walk-in rules can change, so confirm before you go.

ClinicAddressPrEP and costHow to reach them
Central Health Center (DPH Sexual Health Clinic) 241 Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 PrEP, PEP and DoxyPEP. No patient fees, per DPH. (213) 449-7009. Appointments preferred, limited walk-ins. Registration hours are Tuesday to Friday and the clinic is closed Monday, per DPH's schedule.
MLK Jr. Center for Public Health (DPH Sexual Health Clinic) 11833 S. Wilmington Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90059 PrEP, PEP and DoxyPEP. No patient charge, per DPH. (213) 449-7009. Appointments preferred, limited walk-ins.
Los Angeles LGBT Center, McDonald/Wright Building 1625 N. Schrader Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028 PrEP, PEP and DoxyPEP. The Center says PrEP care is free or low-cost. (323) 993-2997 per the county listing, or main line (323) 993-7500. The county lists walk-ins and same-day appointments, Monday to Friday, 10am to 7pm.
APLA Health, Gleicher/Chen Health Center Annex (Out Here Sexual Health Center) 3741 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90016 PrEP, PEP and DoxyPEP. APLA says free or low-cost; no fee details are published. (213) 201-5000. APLA directs patients to book an appointment. The county lists weekday hours that differ by day, so confirm when you call.

The DPH Sexual Health Clinics page also lists a screening-only site in Pacoima. That site offers STI testing rather than PrEP, so use the Central or MLK clinics for a full-service visit. Long Beach and Pasadena have their own city health departments, so people there may have other local options.

Privacy, age and immigration

  • Teens. Under California Family Code section 6926, a minor aged 12 or older can consent to care for STIs. DPH says patients 12 and older can be tested and treated without their parents knowing. CDPH also lists minors aged 12 to 17 as eligible for PrEP-AP. Children's Hospital Los Angeles lists STD services for youth aged 12 to 24 at 3250 Wilshire Blvd., 3rd Floor, (323) 361-7550. Its PrEP services and costs are not published in the county listing, so ask them directly.
  • Immigration. DPH clinics are open to everyone regardless of citizenship, and DPH says it will not report immigration status.
  • Results. DPH says lab results arrive through the LA Health Portal in 2 to 10 business days.

PrEP is one tool in a larger set. Knowing the others helps you pick what fits.

PEP: after a possible exposure

PEP is post-exposure prophylaxis. It is HIV medicine taken after a possible exposure. The CDC says it must be started within 72 hours, so sooner is better. If this applies to you, contact a clinic or urgent care right away. DPH Sexual Health Clinics provide PEP. For HIV questions, the county's hotline is 800-367-AIDS (2437).

Doxy-PEP: for bacterial STIs

In 2024, the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline taken after sex to reduce the risk of certain bacterial STIs for some people. A clinician decides whether it makes sense for you. DPH lists DoxyPEP among the services at its Sexual Health Clinics. It does not protect against HIV, so it complements PrEP rather than replacing it.

Why STI testing still matters on PrEP

PrEP prevents HIV, not other infections. In 2024, LA County DPH reported 45,459 chlamydia cases (493 per 100,000) and 23,272 gonorrhea cases (252 per 100,000) in the county, excluding Long Beach and Pasadena, and these are provisional figures. Early syphilis was 36 per 100,000 in the same snapshot. Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are curable with treatment from a clinician. The CDC recommends regular STI screening for people on PrEP, and the quarterly follow-up visits are a convenient time for it.

For free or low-cost testing across the city, see our guide to STD testing in Los Angeles. The CDC also runs a national locator at gettested.cdc.gov, where you can look up testing sites by ZIP code.

Home testing options

LA County's "I Know" program offers a free home chlamydia and gonorrhea kit for people with a vagina aged 12 to 44 who live in the county. The kit, lab test and return postage are free, and the hotline is (800) 758-0880. This is a public health program from DPH. A home kit does not replace the HIV testing that PrEP visits include.

Questions people ask about PrEP

Does PrEP mean I do not need condoms?

PrEP lowers the chance of HIV, but it does not prevent other STIs. Condoms lower the chance of both. Whether to use them is your choice, and a clinician can help you weigh it.

Can I take PrEP while pregnant or trying to conceive?

The CDC's guidelines include guidance for people who are pregnant, planning pregnancy or breastfeeding. Tell your clinician your plans so they can review options with you. California also requires prenatal syphilis screening at set points in pregnancy, under CDPH guidance for Health and Safety Code section 120685, so prenatal care is another place to talk about sexual health.

Will my partner know I take PrEP?

That is up to you. Clinics keep your health information confidential under health privacy laws. If you use insurance and share a policy with someone, ask the clinic about confidentiality options, and note that PrEP-AP lists an option for adults with insurance-confidentiality concerns.

How long do I stay on PrEP?

There is no fixed length. Many people take PrEP during periods when they may be exposed and stop when their situation changes. A clinician can help you plan a safe way to stop or restart. Do not stop without that conversation, since your protection depends on your plan.

Is it too late if I never thought about this before?

No. People start PrEP at every age and stage of life. If you are unsure, a first visit costs nothing at DPH clinics and gives you information without any commitment.

What if a test shows I have HIV?

A clinician will explain next steps. HIV is not curable, but it is treatable and manageable with medicine, and people who get effective treatment can stay healthy. The county can help you find care, and the hotline is 800-367-AIDS (2437). California's HIV laws are also worth knowing. Since 2018, under SB 239, California no longer has HIV-specific felonies, and the law treats all communicable diseases alike, according to the CDPH Office of AIDS.

Your next step

If you want to start PrEP, call (213) 449-7009 to book at a DPH Sexual Health Clinic, or call the PrEP warmline at (213) 351-7699 with questions. If you would like testing first, use the list of Los Angeles testing options or look up a site at gettested.cdc.gov. A clinician can answer what is right for you.

Sources