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 a chlamydia test in Boston is usually quicker and cheaper than people expect. Several clinics offer it free, and others charge on a sliding scale based on income.

The harder part is knowing which clinic takes walk-ins, which needs an appointment, and when you will hear back. This guide walks through those steps in order.

It covers cost and timing only. For a broader look at every kind of STI test in the city, see the full guide to STD testing in Boston.

What You Need Before You Go

You do not need much. Gather these items first so the visit goes smoothly.

A phone and a few minutes. Several clinics ask you to call first, and hours can change.
Insurance information, if you have it. Some clinics bill insurance. Others do not need it.
A rough list of your recent partners and the dates. You do not need names. The list helps a clinician choose which tests make sense.
A list of any symptoms, medicines or allergies. Many people with chlamydia have no symptoms, according to the CDC. Mention anything unusual anyway.
Time to avoid urinating for a short while before the visit. Some clinics collect a urine sample. Ask when you book whether to hold it.

Step 1: Decide How Soon You Want to Be Seen

Your timing needs shape which clinic fits best. Think about whether you want to walk in today or book ahead.

The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend yearly chlamydia screening for sexually active women under 25. They also recommend it for older women with risk factors, such as a new partner. The CDC recommends at least yearly screening for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, based on where they have sex. The USPSTF also recommends screening sexually active women 24 and younger, and older women at increased risk.

If you are unsure whether testing fits your situation, a clinician can talk it through with you at no judgment. The Mayor's Health Line, 617-534-5050, offers free, confidential, multilingual health information and referrals, according to the City of Boston.

Step 2: Pick a Clinic Based on Cost and Access

Boston has free and sliding-scale options. The table below puts the published details side by side. For addresses and more clinics, see the local testing list.

Clinic	Cost (as published)	Walk-ins	Phone
Boston STD Clinic (Boston Medical Center)	Free routine testing; cost help for people without insurance	Not confirmed; call first	617-414-2803
Fenway Health Sexual Health Clinic	Bills insurance if you have it; free for uninsured patients through grant funding	Yes, on set days	617-267-0159
X-Clinic at Codman Square Health Center	Sliding scale; accepts all insurance	Yes, for Express visits	617-822-8350
TrueCare@MAC (Multicultural AIDS Coalition)	Free	Yes; appointment optional	617-442-1622
Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, Greater Boston Health Center	Sliding scale; accepts insurance and Medicaid	No; appointment required	617-295-7235
DotHouse Health	Sliding scale; accepts Medicaid and Medicare	Listed as appointment required; call to confirm	617-288-3230

The Boston Public Health Commission is also listed in the CDC GetTested directory as a free chlamydia testing site at 774 Albany St. The directory does not confirm walk-ins or hours, so call 617-534-3976 before you go.

Note that Boston Medical Center's clinic and the Commission's listing are separate providers, even though both are on Albany Street.

Step 3: Check Hours and Book if Needed

Hours are where plans most often go wrong. These are the schedules the clinics publish, and they can change.

Boston Medical Center

The clinic is at 725 Albany St., 9th Floor, Suite 9C. Its page lists Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The page also lists Tuesday with the shorter days, so confirm by phone. Appointments are made by phone or MyChart for established patients.

Fenway Health

The clinic is at 1340 Boylston Street, 4th floor. Walk-in hours are first come, first served:

Tuesday, 1 to 7 p.m.
Wednesday, 3 to 7 p.m.
Thursday, 3 to 7 p.m.
Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Monday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., is by appointment only. Check-in closes 30 minutes before the end time, so arrive early.

TrueCare@MAC

The site is at 9 Palmer Street in Roxbury. Doors are open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with testing from 10:30 to 4. Wednesday runs 12 to 7 p.m., with testing from 12:30 to 6. Saturday runs 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with testing from 11:30 to 3. Sunday is not listed.

Codman Square X-Clinic

The clinic is at 637 Washington St. in Dorchester. Its own pages list two different weekly schedules, so call 617-822-8350 to confirm before you travel. Express visits are for people with no symptoms and no known exposure, and they are walk-in during operating hours. Telehealth and appointments are also offered.

Planned Parenthood and DotHouse Health do not list hours on the CDC directory pages. Call each one to ask.

Step 4: Understand What Happens at the Visit

The CDC says chlamydia is diagnosed with a lab test, most often on a urine sample or a swab. Depending on the types of sex you have had, a clinician may suggest swabs from the throat or rectum as well. Tell the clinician what applies to you so the right sites are tested.

A visit often includes an offer of HIV, syphilis and gonorrhea tests too. Boston Medical Center's page lists free routine testing for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and hepatitis C. You can accept all, some or none of the extras.

If you are paying through insurance, ask about charges before you leave. Fenway Health notes that its lab partner, Quest, bills insurance directly and the patient is responsible for Quest charges. Ask the front desk what that could mean for your bill.

Step 5: Plan for the Wait for Results

Wait times vary, and most clinics do not publish them. Fenway Health says results take 3 to 5 business days. For the other clinics above, the pages reviewed do not list a result time, so ask at check-in how and when you will be contacted.

Also ask these questions before you leave:

How will you contact me with results: phone, portal or text?
Is it safe to leave a voicemail?
What number do I call if I have not heard by the expected day?

Massachusetts treats these results as private. State law (M.G.L. c. 111, s. 119) makes venereal disease reports and records non-public, with disclosure only on a judicial order or to officials whose duties entitle them. Clinics do report certain infections to public health officials, as M.G.L. c. 111, s. 111 describes, but that is not shared publicly.

What Results Can Look Like

A negative result generally means the test did not detect chlamydia in the sample at that time. A clinician can explain whether a recent exposure could affect how a result is read, and whether a repeat test makes sense.

A positive result means chlamydia was detected. The CDC says chlamydia is curable with treatment from a clinician. The clinician decides which medicine fits your situation, and you should follow their instructions.

The CDC also advises that partners be tested and treated. Under Massachusetts law (M.G.L. c. 111, s. 121B and the state health department's regulation), clinicians can prescribe treatment for partners of patients diagnosed with chlamydia. The CDC lists chlamydia as the infection covered. Ask your clinician how this works.

Tips for a Smoother Visit

Call ahead, even for walk-in clinics. Hours and staffing change.
Arrive early on walk-in days. First come, first served clinics can fill up, and check-in may close before the posted end time.
Ask about cost before you are seen. Free, sliding-scale and insurance billing work differently at each site.
Bring a way to receive results. A working phone number and a safe way to be contacted save days.
Ask for the other tests in the same visit. It can save a second trip.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Going to the wrong address. Codman's resource list shows an older Multicultural AIDS Coalition address. Use 9 Palmer Street in Roxbury.
Assuming a clinic takes walk-ins. Boston Medical Center, Planned Parenthood and DotHouse Health do not confirm walk-in testing in the sources reviewed.
Skipping the results plan. A test without a way to receive results leaves you waiting.
Waiting to be tested because of embarrassment. Clinic staff see these visits every day.

If You Are Under 18

Massachusetts law (M.G.L. c. 112, s. 12F) lets a minor who reasonably believes they are at risk of exposure from sexual activity consent to care without a parent. The City of Boston tells people 13 or older they can get a confidential STI test without parental permission. Codman Square's X-Clinic says teen testing is confidential. Under the same law, a provider must notify a parent or guardian if a minor's life or limb is seriously endangered.

Why Testing Is Worth Planning

Chlamydia is common in the Boston area. According to CDC county data republished by Boston 25 News in March 2024, Suffolk County, which includes Boston, had a 2021 chlamydia rate of 807.8 per 100,000 people (6,230 cases), the highest in Massachusetts. That figure covers the whole county, not only the city, and comes from a secondary news source.

Because the CDC notes that many infections cause no symptoms, testing is how people find out. If chlamydia is found, treatment from a clinician cures it.

Where to Ask for Help

If you cannot tell which option fits, call the Mayor's Health Line at 617-534-5050 or the Boston Public Health Commission's Infectious Disease Bureau at 617-534-5395. If a price or hour is not listed above, the clinic's page does not publish it, so ask the clinic directly.

Chlamydia Testing Near You in Boston: Cost and Wait Times