If you’re sexually active, getting tested for STIs is an important part of staying healthy. ANYONE who has any kind of sex with a partner can get an STI. And since many STIs have no signs or symptoms in most people, the only way to know if you have an STI is to get tested.
Even if an infection is “silent,” with no noticeable symptoms, it can cause long-term health damage. For example, when a bacterial STI like chlamydia or gonorrhea is undiagnosed and untreated, it can lead to other health issues, such as pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and, potentially, infertility.
This is why getting tested—and treated, if needed—is so important. It protects your health and the health of your partner(s).
Always see a health care provider right away for testing if you have any symptoms such as genital itching, sores, or discharge. These are common signs of a number of STIs, but they could also be a sign of other medical conditions. Testing is the only way to know what’s causing your symptoms (and it’s the first step to getting you the relief you need).
Most people who are sexually active should get screened for STIs even if they don’t have symptoms. Which STIs you should screen for and how often is different for everyone. Screening guidelines are based on things like your age, your gender, your biological sex, who you have sex with, what kinds of sex you have (oral, anal, or vaginal), and whether you’ve had an STI recently.
The best thing to do is ask your health care provider. Before they answer, they will probably ask you a lot of question about your sexual history. They’re not just being nosy. These answers help them decide what tests might be right for you (so be honest).
Figuring out exactly which tests to get and how often can be a little confusing. See the chart below for some testing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or visit the CDC website for more detailed information.
In the meantime, here are some basic pieces of advice we can all follow. Get tested when:
What should you get tested for? When? How often? Below are some testing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). There are more detailed recommendations at the CDC website. While these guidelines are general ones, you are an individual. The health care provider you visit may have different recommendations based on your individual health status and history.
CDC recommends yearly chlamydia testing for:
Additional recommendations include:
CDC recommends yearly gonorrhea testing for:
Additional recommendations include:
The CDC recommends that everyone aged 13 to 64 should be tested for HIV at least once. Most HIV is transmitted by the 25% of infected people who do not realize they are infected.
Sexually active MSM may benefit from more frequent HIV testing (e.g. every 3 to 6 months).
All pregnant women should be tested at their first prenatal visit. Women who may be more likely to be exposed to HIV (due to having having STIs during pregnancy, having multiple sex partners during pregnancy, having a new sex partner during pregnancy, living in an area with high HIV prevalence, or having partners with HIV) should be retested in their third trimester.
CDC recommends syphilis testing for:
Annual testing is recommended for:
Human papillomavirus (HPV) screening is recommended for anyone with a cervix, starting at either age 21 or 25. CDC recommends:
The American Cancer Society guidelines, updated in December 2025, are slightly different. They recommend primary HPV testing, every 5 years, as the preferred screening option, starting at age 25. Beyond this option, they recommend:
The best type of screening is whatever type is available to you. Most cases of cervical cancer are in people who have fallen behind these screeneing schedules. Cervical cancer can be preventing by early diagnosis and treatment. The HPV vaccine can also prevent cervical cancer and other types of HPV-related cancer.
Herpes testing isn’t recommended routinely like other STIs (such as chlamydia and gonorrhea). It is only people who have symptoms or concerns, such as a partner with herpes.
CDC says that blood tests might be useful for people who:
A blood test will tell whether or not a person has HSV-1, HSV-2, or both. If a person tests positive for HSV-2, it is virtually always a genital infection. If a person tests positive for HSV-1, it may be either an oral or genital infection. The blood test can only identify the virus type, not the site of the infection.
When a person has active herpes lesions (a.k.a. blisters, sores), a swab can be taken and tests can done that can detect the virus directly. A Nucleic Acid Amplification Testing (NAAT) can identify the specific herpes virus type someone is infected with (HSV-1 or HSV-2).
Most regular health care providers and gynecologists offer STI testing. While some providers might include STI screening as part of a yearly check-up, others don’t test at all unless you ask them to—so make sure to ask!
If you don’t have a regular healthcare provider, you can search for a clinic that offers testing near you. Just enter your zip code to find a local testing site.
You can also test for STIs at home. Test kits are available in most pharmacies, or you can order them from any number of online companies. There are also programs in some areas that offer free test kits for you to use at home.
Most home tests ask you to collect samples and send them to a lab. You should get your results in about a week. There are home tests for HIV and a new test for syphilis that give you results in 15-20 minutes.
Wherever you get tested, it should be quick and easy. If you get tested by a health care provider in a clinic or office setting, they may start with a visual exam of your genitals. Then they may take a blood sample; swab your vagina, penis, urethra, anus, or throat; or ask you to pee in a cup. Sometimes the provider can give you results at the same visit, but more often the sample is sent out to a lab, and you receive your results in a few days.
Here’s an idea of what to expect for some more common STIs.
How the test is done: Swab of genital area or urine sample
What you also need to know: If you have had oral or anal sex, let your healthcare provider know this also. These sites may be infected, but vaginal or urine samples may not be positive. Pharyngeal (throat) or anal swabs may be needed.
How the test is done: Blood test or swab from inside of mouth
What you also need to know: Confidential and anonymous testing options are available in many clinics. The most common HIV tests look for antibodies to the virus. The time between infection and the development of detectable antibodies is called the window period. The window period varies from person to person and also depends upon the type of HIV test.
When a person has no symptoms
When a person has symptoms
How the test is done: Blood test, or sample taken from a sore.
What you also need to know: The CDC recommends all pregnant women be tested for syphilis. Congenital syphilis (where a syphilis infection passes on from a pregnant person to an infant) is dangerous but preventable. Most cases can be prevented with testing and treatment.
How the test is done: Swab of infected area, physical exam or sample of discharge.
What you also need to know: “Trich” is harder to detect in men than in women.
There are many different types of HPV. Some cause genital warts and some cause different types of cancer, including cervical cancer.
Genital warts
Cervical cancer
If you choose to test at home, you may be asked to swab your own genitals, collect a urine sample, or a prick your finger and put a drop of blood on a collection card. (Don’t worry the test kit will come with specific instructions.)
Most health insurance plans will cover in-office STI testing, often with no co-pay, though there may be some exceptions. Many health care centers across the country—including health departments and Planned Parenthood clinics—offer free or low-cost testing. The CDC’s Get Tested website can help you find testing centers by zip code and lets you filter results for free and low-cost testing.
Home-based tests that you buy in the pharmacy or online are typically not covered by insurance, though it may be possible to use funds from an HSA plan, if you have one. There are also programs in some areas that will mail free test kits.
Not really. Public health experts use the term screening when they’re talking about preventative care for certain populations. Think of it like mammograms for breast cancer or colonoscopies for colon cancer. These are tests that people should get on a regular schedule to stay healthy. STIs screening is the same thing. In contrast, STI testing is for people with symptoms. That said, a lot of people will just use the phrase STI testing for any time that someone is checked for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, or other STIs whether they have symptoms or not.
See how easy it can be in this video from Planned Parenthood.
The FDA just approved a new, fully at-home test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis. The tests, which is only for women, will be available without a prescription. Users can collect their own sample and have results in less than 30 minutes.
A new study found that opt-out screenings for all patients in emergency departments caught numerous cases of syphilis and HIV that would have gone undetected under other screening protocols.
A study revealed that the majority of young people would prefer testing for STIs at home over going to a doctor’s office or clinic.
A completely at-home PCR test for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomaniasis could allow people to test themselves and get results and treatment within a matter of hours.
Widespread screening for STIs in heterosexual men is deemed “not cost effective.” Should we reconsider?
The FDA recently approved an at-home test for syphilis that can provide initial results in just 15-minutes. Syphilis has been surging in recent years with the number of cases rising 80% between 2018 and 2022 alone.
For the first time, the Food and Drug Administration has given market authorization to an at-home test for chlamydia and gonorrhea.
The U.S. Preventative Service Task Force (USPSTF) has advised against routine screening for herpes in adolescents, adults, and pregnant women.
ASHA believes that all people have the right to the information and services that will help them to have optimum sexual health. We envision a time when stigma is no longer associated with sexual health and our nation is united in its belief that sexuality is a normal, healthy, and positive aspect of human life.
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