Women's STD testing: which tests you need and what they cost

For most women, an STD test is a vaginal swab you can take yourself or a urine sample, plus a blood draw for HIV, syphilis and hepatitis. CDC recommends a chlamydia and gonorrhea test every year for sexually active women under 25, and for older women at increased risk. A Pap test doesn't cover any of this. The cheapest chlamydia test we track costs $59 (verified Nov 1, 2026) at STDcheck.com, and the cheapest full panel costs $139 (verified Nov 1, 2026) at STDcheck.com.

Key points

• CDC recommends chlamydia and gonorrhea tests every year if you're sexually active and under 25. At 25 and older, test if you're at increased risk, for example with a new partner.
• Everyone 13 to 64 should test for HIV at least once, and every adult for hepatitis B and C at least once.
• CDC says a vaginal swab you take yourself is as accurate as one a clinician takes.
• Pap and HPV tests screen for cervical cancer. They don't test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis or HIV.
• In pregnancy, CDC says to test for syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C early on.
• Title X clinics serve people regardless of ability to pay.

What CDC recommends for women

These are CDC's screening recommendations, meaning tests with no symptoms and no known exposure:

• Chlamydia and gonorrhea. Every year if you're sexually active and under 25. At 25 and older, if you're at increased risk. CDC's list, taken from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, includes a new partner, more than one partner, a partner who has other partners or an STI, and a past STI. Retest about 3 months after treatment.
• HIV. At least once between 13 and 64, and whenever you're checked or treated for an STI.
• Syphilis. If you're at increased risk. CDC lists a history of incarceration or transactional sex work, where you live, and race or ethnicity. Its consumer page says most sexually active adults should test based on where they live.
• Trichomoniasis. CDC says screening can be considered in places where it's common, such as STI clinics, and for women at high risk, for example with multiple partners or a past STI. It recommends a yearly test for women with HIV.
• Hepatitis B and C. At least once for every adult. For hepatitis B, CDC recommends a three-part blood test.

A vaginal swab or urine sample doesn't test the throat or rectum. CDC says rectal chlamydia tests and throat and rectal gonorrhea tests can be considered based on the sex you have, as a decision you make with your clinician.

Women who have sex with women. CDC says women who have sex with women shouldn't be assumed to be at low or no risk for STIs because of their sexual orientation, and that screening, including for chlamydia, should follow the guidelines.

Transgender and gender diverse people. CDC says screening follows anatomy. It extends the yearly chlamydia and gonorrhea advice for women under 25 to transgender men and gender diverse people with a cervix. Our male STD check-up guide covers urine testing and the advice for men who have sex with men.

Vaginal swab or urine?

For chlamydia and gonorrhea, CDC names a vaginal swab as the best sample for women, and urine is also accepted. CDC says a vaginal swab you collect yourself is as sensitive and specific as one a clinician takes, and that women find self-collection highly acceptable.

At a Quest center, staff give you a sealed self-collection kit with instructions, and Quest says you can take the swab during your period. Some services use urine only. STDcheck, for example, says it tests urine and blood and doesn't use swabs. A blood sample covers HIV, syphilis and hepatitis.

If you have vaginal discharge or other symptoms, see a clinician, who can examine you. CDC says women seeking care for discharge should be tested for trichomoniasis.

Pap and HPV tests aren't STD panels

CDC explains that a Pap test looks for cell changes on the cervix that could become cancer, and an HPV test looks for the virus that can cause them. Its schedule starts Pap tests at 21, every 3 years after a normal result. From 30 to 65, an HPV test alone or with a Pap test can wait 5 years after normal results. CDC says HPV tests aren't recommended to screen women under 30.

Neither is a test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis or HIV. Planned Parenthood says STD testing isn't always part of a regular checkup or gynecologist exam, so ask for it. Some online services sell HPV tests, and our HPV test page explains what they can and can't replace.

STD testing during pregnancy

CDC says pregnant women should be tested for syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C early in pregnancy. Its screening recommendations add:

• Syphilis and HIV at the first prenatal visit, with a repeat test later in pregnancy for some women at increased risk.
• Hepatitis B at the first prenatal visit of every pregnancy, even if you've been tested before.
• Chlamydia and gonorrhea for all pregnant women under 25 and for those 25 and older at increased risk, with a repeat test in the third trimester for some.

CDC says routine herpes blood screening isn't recommended in pregnancy, and that the benefit of screening for trichomoniasis without symptoms hasn't been established. These tests are part of prenatal care, so ask your prenatal clinician which ones you've had before you buy a panel.

Home kit, lab visit or clinic

Lab visit. You order online and give a urine sample or a self-collected swab, plus blood, at a Quest or Labcorp center. Quest says no doctor's visit is needed.

Home kit. You collect a vaginal swab or urine, and a finger-prick blood sample for some tests, and mail them to a lab. LetsGetChecked's Simple 2, for example, has a vaginal swab kit. CDC says FDA-approved self-tests for chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis use a vaginal swab and give results within minutes. Everlywell sells one, the Visby test, which takes about 30 minutes. Our at-home STD tests guide compares kits.

Clinic. A nurse or doctor can examine you and take swabs, which makes a clinic the better choice with symptoms. Our urgent care guide and Planned Parenthood guide cover what a visit costs.

The cheapest current price on each route for a chlamydia test, a common 4 panel and a full panel:

What women's STD testing costs

The lowest and highest price for each test, with the date we checked:

Some providers sell chlamydia and gonorrhea separately, so add up both before you compare them with a panel. Our full panel guide explains how.

With insurance, HealthCare.gov says Marketplace plans and many other plans must cover chlamydia screening for younger women and other women at higher risk, gonorrhea screening for women at higher risk, and HIV screening, with no copay at an in-network provider. Our cost guide has more.

Free and low-cost testing

HHS says Title X family planning services are voluntary, confidential and provided regardless of ability to pay, and they include STI services. CDC's GetTested site finds free and low-cost testing near you. Our city pages list free and low-cost sites with the date we checked each one, and our free testing guide explains what to expect.

Free option: public clinics

Free and low-cost testing is available at health department clinics and Title X family planning clinics. CDC's GetTested site finds confidential, free or low-cost testing near you by ZIP code.

What to expect

• Clinics usually test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV, and often hepatitis B and C, following CDC screening advice for your age, anatomy and the kind of sex you have.
• A clinician can examine you, swab sores and often treat you in the same visit.
• Some tests sold in private panels are usually not offered without symptoms, such as herpes blood tests and HPV tests for men, because CDC doesn't recommend them as screening tests.
• Hours can be limited, and you may wait for an appointment or a walk-in slot.
• Free testing usually isn't anonymous either (some publicly funded sites offer anonymous HIV testing). Positive results for reportable infections are reported to the health department, confidentially.

Find free testing near you (opens in a new tab)More about free testingFree clinics we checked, by city

Results and next steps

STDcheck says most results are ready 1 to 2 business days after the lab visit, and that a trichomoniasis test can take up to an extra week. Quest says 2 to 3 business days for its expanded panel. LetsGetChecked says about 2 to 5 days after the lab receives a home kit. Our results timing guide explains why times differ.

If a result is positive, CDC recommends a new test about 3 months after treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhea and trichomoniasis. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV are reportable in every state, and CDC says those reports are kept confidential. Our positive result guide explains treatment and telling partners.