If you have never ordered an STD test online, the process can sound vaguer than it is. Where does the order go? Who sees it? Do you need a doctor first? This guide walks through same-day STD testing from the moment you order to the moment you read your results, so there are no surprises along the way.
Step 1: Choose your test online or by phone
Start at Tests & Panels. You can order a single test – chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis, herpes, trichomoniasis or Mycoplasma genitalium – or the 10-Test Panel, which checks the ten most common infections in one visit (trich and M. gen are ordered separately). If you are unsure, the phone line at (866) 872-1888 is staffed around the clock by care advisors who will help you pick based on your situation and how long ago the exposure was.
No doctor’s visit is required beforehand. A licensed physician in our network authorizes every order, which is what allows you to walk into a lab without a referral.
Step 2: Pick a test center near you
During checkout you enter your ZIP code and choose from the partner labs nearby. There are more than 2,100 nationwide, so most people have several within a short drive. Each listing shows the address and hours; no appointment is needed at any of them.
Payment is by card, and the charge appears on your statement as RSC Health. Insurance is never billed, so no claim is made and nothing goes to a policyholder.
Step 3: Walk in today
This is the “same-day” part. Your lab order reaches the test center in 2–3 minutes, so you can head there as soon as you have ordered. At the test center you sign in at the kiosk with your name and date of birth. The lab already has your order on file, so there is nothing to explain and no paperwork about what you are being tested for. The lab collects samples for many kinds of testing, so to the other people there you are simply having a routine lab visit.
A technician collects a small blood sample and, depending on the test, a urine sample. Once you are called it takes about five minutes; allow longer if the lab is busy. There is no physical exam. For urine tests, try not to urinate for about an hour before you go in.
Step 4: The lab does its work
Your sample is processed at a CLIA-certified laboratory using the same tests hospitals and physicians’ offices order. This is the part of the process that cannot be rushed: these are laboratory tests, not the rapid point-of-care tests some clinics use, so results are not available in minutes. Results are typically ready in 1–2 business days; a few tests may take slightly longer, and the care advisor tells you which when you order.
Step 5: Read your results in your private account
When results are ready, you are notified and you log in to your secure online account to view them – or call and a care advisor will read them to you. Results are never texted or mailed, and they are not sent to your doctor, employer or insurer. Your information is handled confidentially by the physicians and laboratories involved in your care; for a few infections, laboratories report positive results to public health where the law requires it, as every lab in the country must. You can download or print your results if you need a copy for a partner or a doctor.
Step 6: If something comes back positive
A positive result is manageable, and you will not be left to sort it out alone. A member of our care team calls you and arranges a physician consultation by phone about what the result means, what treatment looks like and when to retest. Chlamydia and trichomoniasis are cured with antibiotic tablets sent to your pharmacy; gonorrhea and syphilis are cured with an antibiotic injection, which the physician arranges in person; HIV, herpes and hepatitis B are managed with medication that keeps them controlled, and hepatitis C is cured with a course of pills. The consultation is a separate fee. Our treatment options page explains what happens next for each.
Timing: the one thing that can trip you up
Same-day testing is only useful if you are testing at the right time. Every infection has a window period between exposure and when a test can detect it. Test too early and you can get a negative result that has to be repeated. The timing is different for every test – a couple of weeks for the bacterial infections, longer for HIV and syphilis, longer still for the hepatitis viruses and herpes – and our when-to-test guide has the full breakdown, including when a negative should be repeated. If you were exposed recently, you can test now for an early answer and retest after the window has passed; a care advisor will tell you which day. If you may have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours, ask an urgent care or emergency room about PEP today rather than waiting for any test.
Who same-day testing is for
It is for anyone who wants an answer without a clinic schedule getting in the way: people starting a new relationship who want to begin it honestly, couples testing together, anyone who had a condom fail, anyone who noticed a symptom, and people who simply make testing part of their routine. It is also for people who would rather nobody at their regular doctor’s office know. One caveat: if you have a sore, blister or rash, or severe pain, see a clinician who can examine you as well – a lab test cannot tell you what a sore is.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an appointment?
No. Order online, then walk in to the test center you chose during its normal hours.
Do I need to show ID?
No. You sign in at the kiosk with your name and date of birth, and the lab matches you to your order.
How long until I get results?
Usually 1–2 business days, posted to your secure online account or read to you by phone.
Is it confidential?
Yes. No insurance is involved, the charge shows as RSC Health, and results are visible only to you in your password-protected account. Your information is handled confidentially by the physicians and labs involved in your care.
Can I test with my partner?
Yes. Each person places their own order so results stay private to each of you, and you can walk in together. See our couples testing page.
Start today
Choose a test, find a lab and walk in today. Questions first? Call (866) 872-1888 any time.
Ready when you are
Get tested for STDs and HIV – privately, today.
No embarrassing exams, long waits or multiple visits. Order online or call, make one quick lab visit, and see your results in your private account in 1–2 business days.
We don’t chase clicks. Our articles are written to answer the questions people actually search for, checked against CDC guidance, sent to our physician reviewer, and updated when the guidance changes. Questions about your situation? Call (866) 872-1888, 24 hours a day.
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