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.

Getting tested for sexually transmitted infections is a routine part of health care. In St. Louis, you have several routes: a free city clinic, county services, community health centers, Planned Parenthood, your own clinician and free mail-in HIV self-test kits. This guide walks through each one, what a visit usually involves, what to ask for and how cost works.

One thing to know up front: the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County are separate. The city is an independent city and not part of the county, and each has its own health department. Where you live does not limit where you can be tested, and that matters when you compare options below.

If you want a quick list of places first, the local testing list has them in one spot. Come back here for the details.

Key takeaways
Why testing matters in St. Louis
Where to get tested in St. Louis
What testing costs
What to expect at a visit
What is tested and what to ask for
Timing, results and next steps
Rights, privacy and partners in Missouri
Common questions
Sources

Key takeaways

The City of St. Louis Health Stop Testing and Referral Center offers STI and HIV testing at no cost, and its page says no ID is needed.
Health Stop is open Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. It is closed Fridays and city holidays. Call (314) 657-1584 to confirm before you go.
Saint Louis County, Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, CareSTL Health and WashU Infectious Diseases offer other routes. Several use sliding scale fees. Ask each site about price when you call.
Not every test is included in every visit. Tell the clinician where you have had sex and ask which sites should be tested.
The CDC lists free HIV self-test kits by mail through TakeMeHome.org, and Health Stop hands out free kits too.
HIV, herpes and HPV are treatable or manageable but not curable. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis are curable with treatment from a clinician.
Missouri law lets a minor consent to treatment for venereal disease, per RSMo 431.061.

Why testing matters in St. Louis

Many STIs cause no symptoms, so the only way to know your status is a test. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend routine screening for many groups because of this, not only for people who feel unwell.

Local data shows why the health department encourages it. The City of St. Louis Fast-Track Cities HIV Data page reports 108 new HIV diagnoses in the city in 2021, a rate of 36.0 per 100,000 people. St. Louis County had 143 new diagnoses (15.0 per 100,000), and Missouri overall had 633 (10.0 per 100,000).

The City of St. Louis Department of Health, in an April 2022 news release on a CDC report, said that the city's reported chlamydia rate fell 15% in 2020 and attributed that to reduced testing during the pandemic. It also said the gonorrhea rate rose 5% from 2019, and that rates were highest among women aged 15 to 24 for chlamydia, at 6,071 per 100,000. For the county, the same release reported gonorrhea and syphilis rates up 13% from 2019 to 2020.

The same release counted congenital syphilis cases, which happen when syphilis passes to a baby during pregnancy: 10 in the city in 2020 and 4 in the county. The city's congenital syphilis page says 56 cases were reported in the city and county combined from 2020 through 2022. Testing during pregnancy is the main way to catch syphilis early enough for a clinician to treat it.

These numbers are not a reason for fear. They are a reason testing is easy to find here and worth putting on the calendar.

Where to get tested in St. Louis

Here is every route covered by the published information, with what each source says. Clinic hours and services can change, so call first.

City of St. Louis Health Stop Testing and Referral Center

This is the city health department's sexual health testing site. The City of St. Louis page describes it as free and confidential.

Address: 1520 Market St, Suite 1625 (first floor), St. Louis, MO 63103
Phone: (314) 657-1584 for scheduling, results help and linkage to care. The Department of Health main line is (314) 612-5100.
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Closed Fridays, 12 to 1 p.m. and city holidays.
Cost: The city page states: 'There is no cost for this service, and no ID is necessary to receive the service.'
Tests listed: HIV (finger-prick or blood draw), hepatitis C (finger-prick), gonorrhea and chlamydia (urine, mouth swab or rectal swab) and syphilis (blood or finger-prick).
Speed: The city says rapid tests take about 15 minutes and STI results take 5 to 7 business days.

The city page says walk-ins are accepted, subject to availability. The CDC GetTested listing for the same site says an appointment is required. Because those two sources differ, a quick call to (314) 657-1584 is the safest way to plan your trip.

The city page also mentions free HIV self-test kits (an oral swab) available at Health Stop. The Health Stop page does not list treatment. If you need treatment, the staff can help with referral and linkage to care, and a clinic that treats on site is listed below.

Saint Louis County Sexual Health Clinic

WashU Infectious Diseases lists this clinic, run by the Saint Louis County Department of Public Health, at 4000 Jennings Station Road, St. Louis, MO. The phone number is 314-615-9736. The listing describes it as walk-in only, with no appointments, and says: 'Everyone is welcome, regardless of where you live or insurance status.' It lists STI prevention, testing and treatment.

The listing does not give hours or a price. The county's own sexual health page could not be confirmed, so check with the clinic or the county health department about hours and cost before you go.

Saint Louis County Department of Public Health, John C. Murphy Health Center

The CDC GetTested directory lists this center at 6121 N Hanley Rd, Berkeley, MO 63134, phone 314-615-0500. It shows insurance, Medicaid and sliding scale fees, an appointment requirement, and vaccines for hepatitis A, hepatitis B and HPV. The listing does not show STI or HIV test types for this site, so ask the center what it offers. It says to contact the organization about eligibility.

WashU Infectious Diseases, Village Square Clinic (Hazelwood)

This clinic is at 1 Village Square Shopping Center, Suite 1, Hazelwood, MO 63042, phone 314-362-9098. A May 2024 WashU news article described a CDC-funded expansion of testing and treatment in north St. Louis County. It said the aim is to offer walk-in testing to anyone at no or low cost, with treatment for walk-in patients and their partners. The article also mentions PrEP, PEP and doxy-PEP.

Hours are not published on the pages reviewed, and the article described service details as still being worked out in 2024. Call to confirm what is offered and when.

Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, Central West End Health Center

The CDC GetTested listing for this health center, at 4251 Forest Park Ave, Saint Louis, MO 63108 (phone 314-531-7526), shows tests for HIV (rapid and blood draw), herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. It also lists hepatitis A, hepatitis B and HPV vaccines and PrEP navigation. It shows insurance, Medicaid and sliding scale fees, and says an appointment is required. The listing shows no hours, so ask when you book.

CareSTL Health, Dr. Martin Luther King Health Center

CareSTL Health is a community health center at 5471 Dr Martin Luther King Dr, Saint Louis, MO 63112 (phone 314-367-5820). The CDC GetTested listing shows HIV (blood draw), chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis tests, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and HPV vaccines and PrEP navigation. It lists insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and sliding scale fees, and says an appointment is required. Hours are not shown.

Urgent care and your own primary care clinician

Urgent care centers and primary care offices can also order STI tests. The published information for this guide does not list specific urgent care or primary care sites, prices or hours, so check directly with the office. Ask three things: whether they test for the infections you are asking about, how the cost works with or without insurance, and how results reach you.

Many people prefer a clinician who already knows their history. If that is you, a primary care visit is a reasonable route. If you are uninsured or want a lower cost option, the clinics above may fit better.

Free at-home HIV self-test kits

The City of St. Louis Health Stop page says it provides a free HIV self-test kit (an oral fluid swab) and that kits can also be ordered by mail through TakeMeHome.org. TakeMeHome.org offers free HIV self-test kits by mail after a short eligibility screen. Its orders contact is [email protected] or 628-899-4663.

An HIV self-test only checks for HIV. It does not cover chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis or other infections. Published information does not list a free city program for at-home STI kits, so for those infections, plan on a clinic or clinician visit.

Finding more options

The CDC runs a national directory at gettested.cdc.gov where you can enter a ZIP code and find HIV, STI and hepatitis testing sites, with details such as cost type and appointment needs. It is a good way to find a site closer to home if the ones above are far away.

What testing costs

Published prices are limited, and this guide does not estimate them. What the sources do say:

Site	Cost information published	Source
City of St. Louis Health Stop	No cost. No ID needed.	City of St. Louis Health Stop page
Saint Louis County Sexual Health Clinic	Cost not stated. Open to everyone regardless of insurance status.	WashU Infectious Diseases listing
John C. Murphy Health Center	Insurance, Medicaid and sliding scale listed. Contact for eligibility.	CDC GetTested
Planned Parenthood Great Rivers, Central West End	Insurance, Medicaid and sliding scale listed.	CDC GetTested
CareSTL Health, MLK Health Center	Insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and sliding scale listed.	CDC GetTested
WashU Village Square Clinic, Hazelwood	Walk-in testing aimed to be at no or low cost.	WashU news article, May 2024
TakeMeHome.org HIV self-test	Free by mail after a short eligibility screen.	TakeMeHome.org

A sliding scale means the fee depends on income and household size. The sites do not publish dollar amounts in the sources reviewed, so ask for the fee when you call, and ask whether a visit fee and the lab fees are separate.

If you have insurance, ask how the visit will appear on your statement or explanation of benefits. If you want to keep a visit private from a policyholder, ask the clinic what its billing options are. The free city clinic does not require insurance.

What to expect at a visit

A testing visit is usually short and focused. Staff have seen all of it before and ask these questions to choose the right tests, not to judge.

Before you go

Call to confirm hours, whether you need an appointment and what to bring.
Check whether a visit is free or sliding scale, as above.
Think about how to receive results: phone, portal or in person.
Write down the date of any recent partner, new symptoms and any medicines you take.

During the visit

Expect a short conversation about your sexual health. A clinician or counselor may ask about the types of sex you have, the number of recent partners, condom use, symptoms and whether you are pregnant or planning to be. Answer as openly as you are comfortable with. The more accurate the picture, the better the tests match your situation.

Then comes sample collection. Depending on the infection and the clinic, that can be:

A urine sample
A swab of the mouth, throat, rectum or genitals, sometimes collected by you in private
A blood draw or finger-prick
A swab of a sore, if you have one

The City of St. Louis Health Stop page lists urine, mouth swab and rectal swab for gonorrhea and chlamydia, and blood or finger-prick for syphilis and HIV.

After the visit

Rapid tests, where offered, give results in minutes. The city says its rapid tests take about 15 minutes. Lab tests take longer: the city page says STI results come in 5 to 7 business days. Ask exactly how you will be contacted and what number to call if you do not hear back.

What is tested and what to ask for

A visit for STI testing is not automatically a test for every infection. What gets tested depends on what you ask for, your history and the clinic's menu. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) are a good guide to who is advised to be screened.

What the CDC recommends for screening

HIV: The CDC recommends that everyone aged 13 to 64 be tested for HIV at least once, and the USPSTF recommends screening for people aged 15 to 65. People with ongoing chances of exposure may be advised to test more often.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea: The CDC guidelines recommend yearly screening for sexually active women under 25 and for older women with risk factors such as a new partner. Gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men are advised to be screened at least yearly at each site of sex (genitals, rectum, throat), and more often if exposure is ongoing.
Syphilis: The CDC recommends screening for men who have sex with men, for people with HIV and for all pregnant people, along with others based on risk.
Hepatitis C: The CDC recommends testing all adults at least once. The Health Stop lists a finger-prick hepatitis C test.
Herpes: The CDC guidelines do not recommend routine herpes blood testing for people without symptoms. If you have a sore, a clinician can swab it for testing. If you are curious about herpes testing, talk with a clinician about what the test can and cannot tell you.
HPV: HPV is common, and there is no general blood test for it. Cervical screening is done by a clinician for people with a cervix, and HPV vaccination is available at some sites listed above.

Questions worth asking

Which infections are included in this visit, and which are not?
Can you test the throat and rectum if I have had oral or anal sex?
Should I also be tested for hepatitis B and hepatitis C?
Is a herpes test appropriate for me?
How long until my results come in, and how will I get them?
If a result is positive, what happens next, and can you treat me or refer me?
Do you offer PrEP, PEP or doxy-PEP, or can you refer me?

Everyone is welcome

Testing is for all genders, orientations and relationship types. If you are transgender or nonbinary, tell the clinician about your body and the kinds of sex you have, since the CDC guidelines recommend choosing tests by anatomy and exposure, not by gender label. A clinic that is new to you may not know your needs, so speak up. You can ask for another staff member if you are not comfortable.

Prevention you can ask about

Testing visits are a good time to talk about prevention. Options include condoms, vaccines for hepatitis A, hepatitis B and HPV, and medicines a clinician can prescribe.

PrEP is a medicine a clinician prescribes to lower the chance of getting HIV. Planned Parenthood Great Rivers and CareSTL Health list PrEP navigation on their CDC listings, and WashU Infectious Diseases mentions PrEP. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) provides general PrEP information and links to the CDC resource on paying for PrEP, at 888-252-8045 or [email protected]. Its page does not describe a Missouri-specific PrEP payment program.
PEP is a medicine a clinician can prescribe after a possible HIV exposure. It needs to be started quickly, so contact a clinician promptly if you think you may have been exposed. WashU Infectious Diseases mentions PEP.
Doxy-PEP: In 2024, the CDC issued guidance that clinicians can consider doxy-PEP for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men and for transgender women who have had a bacterial STI in the past year. It is a prescription a clinician decides on with you after talking through your history. WashU's Village Square Clinic mentions doxy-PEP.

Timing, results and next steps

Window periods

A window period is the time after an exposure when a test may not yet detect an infection. According to the CDC, for HIV this depends on the test type. A nucleic acid test (NAT) can usually detect HIV 10 to 33 days after exposure. An antigen/antibody test done on a lab blood draw usually detects it 18 to 45 days after exposure, and a finger-prick antigen/antibody test 18 to 90 days. Antibody-only rapid tests and self-tests generally take 23 to 90 days, per the CDC.

For other infections, window periods vary by the infection and the test. Ask the clinician how soon after a possible exposure testing makes sense, and whether a repeat test later is advised. Being tested sooner is still worthwhile in many cases, and the clinician can explain what a result means at that point.

If a result is positive

A positive result is information, and a next step. A clinician can explain it and plan care.

Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis are curable with treatment from a clinician. Follow the clinician's instructions and ask about retesting.
HIV is treatable, and people on effective HIV treatment can stay healthy. It is not curable. The City of St. Louis lists a Linkage to Care Intake Line at 314-356-0200, and the Health Stop can help with linkage to care.
Herpes and HPV are not curable but are manageable, and a clinician can discuss options for symptoms and prevention.

Treatment decisions, including which medicine and how long, are made by a clinician for your situation.

Telling partners

Telling partners is hard for many people, and clinic staff can help you plan it. Missouri also has a legal route for some partners. The CDC's page on the legal status of expedited partner therapy (EPT) in Missouri says RSMo 191.648, effective August 28, 2010, covers chlamydia and gonorrhea, for partners who do not have an established patient relationship with the prescriber. Ask your clinician whether it applies in your case. WashU's May 2024 article also says treatment is offered to walk-in patients' partners at the Village Square Clinic.

Pregnancy

If you are pregnant, testing is part of prenatal care. Missouri's RSMo 210.030 requires, if the pregnant person consents, a blood sample at the first prenatal visit or within 20 days after it, tested for syphilis, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. The statute page also describes later draws, but a 2025 bill proposed changes, so ask your prenatal provider about current timing. The CDC recommends syphilis screening for all pregnant people.

Rights, privacy and partners in Missouri

Minors

Under RSMo 431.061, which the Missouri Revisor of Statutes publishes, a minor may consent for themselves to treatment in the case of venereal disease. The statute states no minimum age. The published information does not list other limits, so a young person with questions can ask a clinic how it handles consent and billing statements.

Confidentiality

The City of St. Louis describes Health Stop testing as confidential. Ask any clinic how results are shared, who can see them and how billing is handled, especially if you are on someone else's insurance plan.

Reporting

Some infections are reported to the health department by clinicians and labs, as in any state. The Missouri Secretary of State lists 19 CSR 20-26.040 for physician HIV test consultation and reporting. The details of reporting deadlines were not confirmed for this guide, so ask your clinician what is reported and how.

Missouri's exposure law

Missouri RSMo 191.677 covers knowingly exposing another person to a serious infectious or communicable disease through an activity that poses a substantial risk of transmission. It does not name HIV, and it makes it an affirmative defense if the exposed person knew of the infection and consented. The statute is detailed, so a person with questions about it can ask a clinician for a referral to legal help.

Common questions

Do I need an appointment?

It depends on the site. The WashU listing says the Saint Louis County Sexual Health Clinic is walk-in only. The City of St. Louis page says walk-ins are accepted at Health Stop, subject to availability, while the CDC listing for the same site says an appointment is required. Planned Parenthood, CareSTL and the John C. Murphy Health Center are listed as appointment required. Call ahead.

Do I need ID or insurance?

The city's Health Stop says no ID is necessary and there is no cost. The county sexual health clinic is described as open to everyone regardless of insurance status. For other sites, ask when you call.

How often should I be tested?

The CDC guidelines tie the schedule to age, anatomy, partners and exposure. Some people are advised to test once a year, and others every three to six months. A clinician can recommend a schedule for you, and a new partner or a new symptom is a good time to check in.

Which route should I choose first?

If cost or ID is a worry, the Health Stop is free and requires no ID. If you want treatment in the same place, ask about the county clinic or the WashU Village Square Clinic. If you want an ongoing health home, community health centers and primary care offices can follow up over time. If you want HIV testing at home, order a free kit and still consider a clinic visit for other infections.

Where can I find help if I am unsure?

Call the Health Stop at (314) 657-1584 or the City of St. Louis Department of Health at (314) 612-5100 on a weekday morning. You can also use gettested.cdc.gov to find free and low-cost sites.

Testing is a normal, caring thing to do for yourself and your partners. Pick the route that fits your schedule and budget, and take the first step.

STD Testing in St. Louis: Where to Get Tested, What It Costs and What to Expect

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