HIV Self-Testing (Home Testing)

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Updated December 17, 2020

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Find Self-Testing Services In Your Area

Select your state to find out where you can get a self-test (home test) for free or at a reduced cost.

Arizona
California
Colorado

Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE)external iconAvailability: State of Colorado

Take Me Homeexternal icon
Availability: Adams County, Arapahoe County, Douglas County

Vivent Healthexternal icon
Availability: Denver Metro Area

Boulder County AIDS Projectexternal icon
Availability: Boulder County, Broomfield County, Clear Creek County, and Gilpin County

Connecticut

Connecticut Department of Public Healthexternal icon
Availability: State of Connecticut

Disctrict of Columbia

GetCheckedDCexternal icon
Availability: District of Columbia

Delaware

Delaware Division of Public Healthexternal icon
Availability: State of Delaware

Florida
Georgia

SisterLoveexternal icon
Availability: State of Georgia
Call (678) 705-7194 or email to request your FREE HIV self-test.

CSRA Safety Net
Availability: Burke, Columbia, Emanuel, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, Warren, and Wilkes counties.
Call (706) 721-4463, text (706) 223-1751, or email to request your FREE HIV self-test.

Idaho

Take Me Homeexternal icon
Availability: State of Idaho

A.L.P.H.Aexternal icon
Availability: State of Idaho

Indiana

IU Health Positive Link
Availability: Cities of Bloomington, Paoli, and Terre Haute
Call (812) 353-3269 or email to request your FREE HIV self-test.

Iowa

Nebraska AIDS Projectexternal icon
Availability: Harrison, Shelby, Audubon, Guthrie, Pottawattamie, Cass, Adair, Madison, Mills, Montgomery, Adams, Union, Fremont, Page, Taylor and Ringgold counties
Call or text (712) 545-0107 to request your FREE HIV self-test.

Maine
Maryland

I Want the Kitexternal icon
Availability: City of Baltimore

Virginia Department of Healthexternal icon
Availability: State of Maryland

Harford County Health Department
Availability: Harford County
Call (410) 612-1779 and ask for “at-home HIV testing”, or email to request your FREE HIV self-test.

Missouri

Vivent Healthexternal icon
Availability: City of St. Louis

Montana
Nebraska

Douglas County Health Departmentexternal icon
Availability: Douglas County

Nebraska AIDS Projectexternal icon
Availability: Cities of Omaha, Lincoln or Kearney
Call or text (712) 545-0107 to request your FREE HIV self-test.

New York

New York State Department of Healthexternal icon
Availability: State of New York

The Alliance for Positive Change
Availability: City of New York
Call (855) 427-2692 or email to request your FREE HIV self-test.

Ohio
Oregon
  • Take Me Homeexternal icon
    Availability: State of Oregon
  • HIV Alliance
    Availability: Marion, Lane, Douglas, Coos, Curry and Josephine counties
    Email to request your FREE HIV self-test kit.
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Tennessee
  • Take Me Homeexternal icon
    Availability: State of Tennessee
  • Samaritan Ministryexternal icon
    Availability: State of Tennessee
    Call (865)-450-1000, ext 827 or email to request your free HIV self-test kit
  • CEMPA CARES
    Availability: City of Chattanooga
    Call (423) 803-2719 or email
  • Columbia Cares
    Availability: City of Columbia
    Call (800) 961-5332 ext 12 or email
  • Choice Health Network Knoxville (Project ACT)
    Availability: City of Knoxville
    Call (865) 525-1540 or email
  • Choice Health Network SSP
    Availability: City of Knoxville
    Call (423) 259-3751 or email 
  • Samaritan Ministries
    Availability: City of Knoxville
    Call (865) 450-1000 or email
  • Friends for Life
    Availability: City of Memphis
    Call (901) 333-8235 or email
  • The Haven
    Availability: City of Memphis
    Call (901) 333-8236 or email
  • Lebonheur Outreach
    Availability: City of Memphis
    Call (901) 287-4731 or email
  • Partnership to End AIDS Status, Inc.external icon
    Availability: City of Memphis
    Call (915) 315-3316
  • Nashville CARES Outreach
    Availability: City of Nashville
    Call (615) 921-0344 or email
  • Streetworks
    Availability: City of Nashville
    Call (615) 259-7676 or email
Texas
Utah
Virginia
  • Virginia Department of Healthexternal icon
    Availability: State of Virginia
  • Health Brigade
    Phone: 804-533-2732
    Email: ckincaid@healthbrigade.org
    Availability: Amelia, Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Essex, Gloucester, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, Isle of Wight, King and Queen, King William, Lancaster, Louisa, Mathews, Middlesex, New Kent, Northumberland, Powhatan, Prince George, Richmond (county), Southampton, Surry, Sussex, Westmoreland, Colonial Heights, Hopewell, Petersburg, Richmond City
  • Mary Washington Wellness Program
    Phone: 540-374-2179
    Email: Wellness.Program@mwhc.com
    Availability: Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Orange, Caroline, King George, Westmoreland, Essex, Prince William
  • Blue Ridge Health District
    Phone: 434-989-3292
    Email: norman.dorise@vdh.virginia.gov
    Availability: Albemarle, Charlottesville, Louisa, Nelson, Greene, Fluvanna
  • FAHASSexternal icon
    Phone: 540-907-4555 x128 or x114
    Email: prevention@fahass.org
    Availability: Fredericksburg, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Culpeper, Fauquier Caroline, King George, Westmoreland, Prince William, Madison
  • AIDS Response Effort
    Phone: 571-445-0369
    Email: larellan@valleyhealthlink.com
    Availability: Winchester, Frederick, Clarke, Shenandoah, Warren, Page
  • Minority AIDS Support Servicesexternal icon
    Phone: 757-247-1879
    Email: dwoodson@massva.org
    Availability: James City, Newport News, Hampton, York, Williamsburg, Gloucester, Mathews, Middlesex, Lancaster, Northumberland, King William, King and Queen, Essex, Richmond (county), Northumberland, Accomack, Northampton, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake, Suffolk, Isle of Wight, Southampton
Wisconsin

Vivent Healthexternal icon
Availability: State of Wisconsin

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This list will be updated, so check back for additional resources. If there are no free or reduced-cost HIV self-testing resources near you:

  1. Visit the Greater Than AIDS Web siteexternal icon to access FREE self-tests as part of a limited time distribution effort.
  2. You can purchase a rapid HIV self-test online or at most pharmacies. You can also ask your health care provider to order a mail-in self-test for you.
  3. Contact your local health departmentexternal icon to see the HIV testing options in your area.
Can I get an HIV test to use at home or in a private location?

HIV Self-Tests

Yes. These are known as HIV self-tests. There are two kinds:

  • A Rapid Self-Test is done entirely at home or in a private location and can produce results within 20 minutes. You can buy a rapid self-test kit at a pharmacy or onlineexternal icon. The only rapid self-test currently available in the US is an oral fluid test.
  • A Mail-In Self-Test includes a specimen collection kit that contains supplies to collect dried blood from a fingerstick at home. The sample is then sent to a lab for testing and the results are provided by a health care provider. Mail-in self-tests can be ordered through various online merchant sites. Your health care provider can also order a mail-in self-test for you.

Check to see if the health department or other organization near you is providing a rapid self-test for a reduced cost or for free. Directly purchased self-tests may not be covered by private health insurance or Medicaid. Be sure to check with your insurance provider and your health care provider about reimbursement for tests that are self-purchased.

Note: State laws regarding self-testing vary and may limit availability. Check with your health care provider for additional testing options.

What should I expect when I use a rapid HIV self-test (also known as a home test)?

There is currently one FDA-approved rapid self-testexternal icon (OraQuick). For this test, you must swab your gums to collect an oral fluid sample and use the materials in the kit to test your oral fluid sample. You will be able to get a result within 20 minutes. It is important to follow the directions as described in the instructions or the test will not work. There is a phone number included with the HIV self-test for anyone to call to get help with conducting the test.

You should always interpret the rapid self-test according to the test manufacturer’s instructionsexternal icon.

  • If the test result is negative, and you haven’t had a possible exposure during the previous 3 months, you can be confident you don’t have HIV.
  • If your test result is positive, go to a health care provider for follow-up testing.

Some people have difficulty in conducting a rapid self-test and the test does not perform as it should. If a rapid HIV self-test is invalid as described in the instructions, then the test has not worked. In this case, you will need to use another rapid self-test, a mail-in self-test, or seek testing at a health care provider or testing center.

What should I expect when I use a mail-in HIV self-test?

There are many mail-in self-testing services available through online merchants. The kit you receive provides the tools you will need to safely prick your finger and collect a very small sample of blood on a card. The sample is then mailed to a laboratory for testing. When the testing is completed a health care provider will contact you with the results.

You should always follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully to ensure you collect a good sample.

  • If the test result is negative, and you haven’t had a possible exposure during the previous 3 months, you can be confident you don’t have HIV.
  • If your test result is positive, go to a health care provider for follow-up testing.

Directly purchased self-tests (purchased online) may not be covered by private health insurance or Medicaid. Check with your insurance provider and your health care provider about reimbursement for mail-in self-tests that are self-purchased. Some mail-in self-test providers can bill your insurance for you.

Note: State laws regarding self-testing vary and may limit availability. Check with your health care provider for additional testing options.

This infographic compares the two types of HIV self-tests: Rapid and Mail-In. You can purchase a rapid self-test at a pharmacy or online. A rapid self-test uses an oral swab and offers quick results. You can order a mail-in self-test online or your health care provider can order one for you. A mail-in self-test uses a small blood spot from a finger-stick and can find HIV soon after exposure. HIV self-tests are sometimes covered by insurance.

Download Infographic pdf icon[PDF – 102 KB]

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Page last reviewed: December 17, 2020
Content source: Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention