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.

You do not need insurance to get tested in Los Angeles. Several clinics offer free testing, and others describe their services as free or low cost. The harder part is knowing what to compare, because prices are not always posted.

This guide treats testing as a service you are choosing. It explains what a good provider looks like, which features matter, how settings differ on cost, and which warning signs are worth noticing. It does not tell you whether you need a test or what a result might be. A clinician or a test can answer that.

How much is an STD test in Los Angeles?

The honest answer is that it depends on where you go. Here is what is published, setting by setting.

Setting	What is published
County public health sexual health clinics	The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (DPH) lists no patient fees. It bills insurance if you have it, with no copay or coinsurance.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Wellness Center	AHF's FAQ describes its testing as free.
Community and LGBTQ+ health centers	APLA Health says its Out Here locations offer free or low-cost sexual health services. The Los Angeles LGBT Center says PrEP care is free or low cost, and its page does not state a price for STI testing.
Hospital and community clinics (Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Watts Health Center)	The county's clinic listing does not state a price.
Urgent care and online lab-order services	No Los Angeles price range from the health department or CDC is published. Each provider sets its own price, so ask for it in writing before you pay.

That table is the most useful answer to "how much is an STD test" that can be given without guessing. Free options exist, and paid options vary, so any single dollar figure you see elsewhere may not match what you are charged.

If a clinic's page does not list a price, call and ask. That is a normal question, and a good provider will answer it.

What to look for in a testing provider

Quality here means clear information, qualified follow-up and respect for your privacy. These are the signs worth checking.

A clinician is involved

Results should connect to a person who can explain them and, if needed, prescribe treatment. The CDC's 2021 STI Treatment Guidelines describe bacterial infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis as curable with treatment from a clinician. Trichomoniasis is also curable. A provider should be able to say what happens next if a result is positive.

The panel is spelled out

"Full panel" means different things at different places. Ask which infections are included and which sample types are used. These can be urine, a blood draw, or swabs from the throat, genitals or rectum. A test that skips a body site where you may have had contact can miss something.

The price is clear before you test

A trustworthy provider can tell you the total cost, whether a visit fee applies, and whether treatment is billed separately. Free clinics should be able to confirm that no fee applies.

Results timing is stated

DPH says results arrive through the LA Health Portal in 2 to 10 business days. Ask any provider how and when you will hear back, including by phone.

Privacy is explained

Ask who sees your results. DPH says its clinics are open to everyone regardless of citizenship and that it will not report immigration status. California law also requires laboratories to send certain results, including chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, to the local health department, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) rules for laboratories. This is routine public health reporting.

Key features to compare

Use this checklist when you compare two or three places.

Cost. Free, low cost, or not stated.
Walk-in or appointment. Some places take walk-ins. Others prefer bookings.
Services on site. Testing only, or testing plus treatment, PrEP, PEP and doxy-PEP.
Hours. Some sites keep evening hours. Others close for part of the week.
Location. Los Angeles is large. A clinic that is easy to reach by bus or train matters.
Age rules. Some services are for youth only, and some are for adults.
Language and comfort. Ask whether staff speak your language and whether the clinic serves people of every gender and orientation.

The CDC also recommends that clinicians talk with patients about which sites to test, based on the kinds of sex a person has. That is a reason to choose a provider who asks questions and listens.

Options at different price points

These are not endorsements. They are the places the health department and the clinics themselves describe, grouped by what they say about cost.

Free, according to the published sources

DPH Sexual Health Clinics. DPH runs sexual health services at six locations in the county. Three carry a Los Angeles address.

Central Health Center, 241 Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90012. It offers STD and HIV testing, PrEP, PEP, doxy-PEP and treatment. Appointments are preferred and walk-ins are limited. Registration is Tuesday through Friday, and the clinic is closed Monday.
MLK Jr. Center for Public Health, 11833 S. Wilmington Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90059. It offers the same range of services, with preferred appointments and limited walk-ins.
Pacoima Health Center, 13300 Van Nuys Blvd, Pacoima, CA 91331. This site is for screening only. DPH directs people with symptoms or a possible exposure to another DPH clinic for evaluation and treatment.

All DPH appointments go through one scheduling line at (213) 449-7009. Phone visits (telehealth) can be booked the same way. The DPH Sexual Health Clinics page has the current schedule.

AHF Wellness Center, Western, 1811 N. Western Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90027. AHF says it tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis and HIV, with no appointment needed. It suggests calling ahead about wait times at 1 (855) 783-2434. The county's listing shows Tuesday through Friday 10am to 8pm and Saturday 9:30am to 5:30pm. The site is closed Sunday and Monday. AHF says it can help you find affordable treatment, but it does not say treatment is given on site.

Free or low cost, price not fully stated

APLA Health, Gleicher/Chen Health Center Annex, 3741 S. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90016, phone (213) 201-5000. APLA says its Out Here locations offer free or low-cost sexual health services. It does not publish a sliding-scale detail, and its pages direct patients to book an appointment.

Los Angeles LGBT Center, McDonald/Wright Building, 1625 N. Schrader Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90028, phone (323) 993-2997. The county's listing says walk-ins are accepted, with same-day appointments available, Monday through Friday 10am to 7pm. The Center's page does not state what STI testing costs, so ask when you call.

Listed by the county, price not published

Children's Hospital Los Angeles, STD Services for Youth Aged 12-24, 3250 Wilshire Blvd., 3rd Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90010, phone (323) 361-7550. The county lists Monday through Friday hours of 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm. Check the hospital for cost and walk-in policy.
Watts Health Center, 10300 Compton Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90002, phone (323) 564-4331. The county lists it as open every day 9am to 2pm. Cost and walk-in policy are not published.

Hours can change, so confirm by phone before you travel.

Free home testing

The Division of HIV and STD Programs at DPH runs the "I Know" program. It offers a free home test kit for chlamydia and gonorrhea to people with a vagina aged 12 to 44 who live in Los Angeles County. The kit, the lab test and return postage are free, and results come online or by phone. The program hotline is (800) 758-0880.

CDPH's Office of AIDS has also run TakeMeHome, a program for free mailed HIV self-tests. Current eligibility was not confirmed, so check with the Office of AIDS before relying on it.

Insurance, Medi-Cal and California programs

Having no insurance does not close the door. Here is what the sources say.

DPH clinics. There are no patient fees. If you have insurance, DPH bills it without a copay or coinsurance.
Minors. California Family Code section 6926 lets a minor aged 12 or older consent to STI testing and treatment, according to AB 499 (2011). Parents or guardians are not liable for payment for that care. DPH says patients 12 and older can be tested and treated without their parents knowing.
PrEP. CDPH runs the California PrEP Assistance Program (PrEP-AP) for eligible residents, including minors 12 to 17. It is open regardless of immigration status. Its Immediate Access option gives anyone one month of PrEP free. Check the CDPH page for the current income rules.
Medi-Cal. The sources reviewed for this guide do not list Medi-Cal coverage details for STD testing. Ask the clinic or your plan whether a visit is covered.

For HIV prevention, DPH clinics also provide PrEP, PEP and doxy-PEP at no patient charge. Doxy-PEP is a CDC 2024 recommendation for some people, and a clinician decides whether it is right for you.

What to ask about bundled panels

Bundles can save money or add tests you did not want. Ask these questions.

Which infections are in the bundle, and which are not?
Is HIV testing included, or billed separately?
Does the price cover every sample site, such as throat and rectal swabs?
What does the price cover if I need a repeat test or a visit to go over results?
If a result is positive, is treatment included or billed separately?
Will I get a written price before I pay?

Window periods matter for timing. That is the time after contact when a test may not yet detect an infection. The CDC publishes window periods by infection, and a clinician can tell you whether a repeat test makes sense for you.

Red flags to avoid

These are not cause for alarm. They are signs to slow down and ask more questions.

No price anywhere. A provider that will not state a price before testing makes comparison impossible.
Promises that sound too good. Be wary of anyone who says a test is perfect or that a result is certain. No test is.
No clinician or follow-up. You should know who explains a positive result and who prescribes treatment.
Pressure to buy extras. You can ask for the specific tests you want and decline add-ons.
Vague privacy answers. You are entitled to know how your results are stored and shared.
Treatment without a clinician. Treatment is something a clinician prescribes. Do not accept medicine from a seller who skips an exam or a prescription.
Shaming or judging. Good providers do not do this. You can leave and go somewhere else.

Where to get tested

Start with the free or low-cost options above and call the one that fits your schedule. Our list of Los Angeles testing locations pulls the clinics together with addresses and notes.

You can also use the CDC's locator at gettested.cdc.gov to find testing near an address. If you want help finding free testing by phone, the county's STD hotline is (800) 758-0880. The HIV hotline is (800) 367-2437.

Why testing is worth the call

According to the LA County DPH 2024 STI Surveillance Snapshot, the county reported 493 chlamydia cases per 100,000 people. The figure is provisional and excludes Long Beach and Pasadena, which have their own health departments. Many infections cause no symptoms, which is why the CDC emphasizes routine testing based on age, sex and history rather than waiting for a sign.

Treatment is available for every common bacterial STI. HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable or manageable with care from a clinician. Cost does not have to be what stops you from finding out more.

Low-Cost STD Testing in Los Angeles Without Insurance