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 should not depend on your budget. In Boston, several clinics offer free STD testing, and others use a sliding scale that sets your fee by what you can pay.

This guide walks you through the process in order. You will see what to gather, how to choose a clinic, how to confirm hours, what happens at the visit, and how results usually come back. Each clinic is described with what its own page says, including the places where a page leaves something out.

If you want the short version of the clinics first, the Boston testing list has them in one place.

What "free" and "sliding scale" mean here

The two terms are not the same, so it helps to separate them.

Free means the clinic says routine testing costs you nothing. Some clinics still bill insurance if you have it, and they say so on their pages.
Sliding scale means the fee is based on your income or ability to pay. Clinics with a sliding scale often accept insurance and Medicaid as well.

The City of Boston runs a Getting Tested page for STI testing, and the Boston Public Health Commission lists infectious disease services. The CDC also runs a national directory at gettested.cdc.gov that lists Boston providers. Between them, you can compare options without paying anyone to find a clinic.

Materials you need before you go

You do not need much. Most people can gather everything in a few minutes.

Your phone and a calendar. You will likely call to book or to confirm hours.
Insurance information, if you have it. Some clinics bill insurance. Others see uninsured patients through grant funding. Ask which applies to you.
A photo ID, if you have one. Check with the clinic. Codman Square Health Center says it provides testing and treatment regardless of citizenship status.
A short list of questions. Write down which infections you want to ask about and any symptoms or exposures you want to mention.
A safe way to receive results. This might be a patient portal, a private phone number, or a time when you can take a call.
Your own schedule notes. Many clinics have limited evening hours, so know which days work for you.

Step 1: Decide what you want to ask about

A clinic can only test for what it offers, and the right tests depend on your situation. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) are the source clinicians use for who should be offered which tests.

Several Boston clinics list chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis C among their routine tests. You can tell the clinician about any recent partners, the kinds of sex you have had, and any symptoms. They use that to decide on the tests, and which body sites to check.

Do not worry about getting the list exactly right. A clinician will ask follow-up questions and can suggest what fits.

Common mistake: waiting until you feel "ready" or have symptoms. Many STIs cause no noticeable symptoms, according to the CDC, so a lack of symptoms does not tell you what a test would show. Only a test can.

Step 2: Review every free and sliding-scale option

Here is each Boston option, with its cost, how to reach it, and what the source says about walk-ins. Details come from each clinic's own page or from the CDC GetTested directory, as noted.

Boston STD Clinic at Boston Medical Center

Where: 725 Albany St., 9th Floor, Suite 9C (BMC Shapiro Center), Boston, MA 02118.
Phone: 617-414-2803.
Cost: The clinic's page says routine testing for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and hepatitis C is free. It also mentions cost assistance for people without insurance.
Booking: Appointments are made by phone, or through MyChart for established patients. The page does not say whether walk-ins are accepted, so call first.
Hours: The 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. It also appears to list Tuesday with the 9 to 4 days, so confirm Tuesday by phone.
Other services listed: PrEP, PEP and treatment.

Fenway Health Sexual Health Clinic

Where: Ansin Building, 1340 Boylston Street, 4th floor, Boston, MA 02215.
Phone: 617-267-0159. The main line is 617-267-0900.
Cost: Fenway's page says the clinic bills insurance if you have it. Quest Labs bills insurance directly, and the patient is responsible for Quest charges. Uninsured patients can be seen free through grant funding. The page does not mention a sliding scale.
Walk-in hours: First come, first served on Tuesday from 1 to 7 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday from 3 to 7 p.m., and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Monday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. is by appointment only. Check-in closes 30 minutes before the end time.
Results: The page says 3 to 5 business days.
Who it serves: The page is aimed at gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, transgender and gender diverse people, and their partners.
Other services listed: PrEP, PEP, doxy-PEP and treatment.

X-Clinic at Codman Square Health Center

Where: 637 Washington St., Dorchester, MA 02124.
Phone: 617-822-8350. For help with coverage, the center lists 617-822-8162.
Cost: Sliding fee schedule. The clinic accepts all insurance.
Walk-in: Express visits, meaning no symptoms and no known exposure, are walk-in during operating hours. Telehealth and appointments are also offered.
Hours: Codman's two pages list different schedules, so call to confirm before you travel. Saturday morning hours appear on both.
Other details: Teen testing is confidential. Services listed include rapid HIV testing, PrEP and PEP.

TrueCare@MAC testing (Multicultural AIDS Coalition)

Where: 9 Palmer Street, Roxbury, MA 02119. Another listing shows an older Dorchester address, so use this one.
Phone: 617-442-1622.
Cost: Free.
Booking: An appointment is optional. You can schedule one or come without one.
Testing hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesday from 12:30 to 6 p.m.; Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday is not listed. Confirm before you go.
Tests listed: STD, HIV and hepatitis C testing.

Boston Public Health Commission (CDC GetTested listing)

Where: 774 Albany St, Boston, MA 02118. This is a different provider from Boston Medical Center, although both are on Albany Street.
Phone: 617-534-3976.
Cost: Free, according to the CDC directory.
Tests listed: HIV (blood draw), hepatitis C, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, plus case management.
Booking and hours: The directory says no appointment is required but does not say walk-ins are accepted. It lists no hours and notes that hours may change. Call first.

Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, Greater Boston Health Center

Where: 1055 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215.
Phone: 617-295-7235.
Cost: Sliding scale. The CDC directory says the center accepts insurance, Medicaid and Medicare.
Booking: Appointment required. Hours are not listed in the directory.
Services listed: STD and HIV testing, rapid HIV testing, hepatitis C testing, PrEP navigation and HPV vaccine.

DotHouse Health

Where: 1353 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA 02122.
Phone: 617-288-3230.
Cost: Sliding scale fees. The CDC directory says the center accepts Medicaid and Medicare.
Booking: The CDC directory lists an appointment as required. Codman's resource list says walk-in testing is available through urgent care at the same number. Because the sources differ, ask when you call.
Languages: English, Portuguese and Spanish.
Services listed: STD, HIV and hepatitis C testing, PrEP navigation, case management and HPV vaccine.

Step 3: Match an option to your situation

Each clinic has a different mix of cost, access and focus. These pointers can help you narrow the choice.

You want to walk in without booking. Fenway Health, Codman Square (express visits) and TrueCare@MAC all describe walk-in or optional-appointment testing. Fenway's walk-in days are set times, so check them.
You have no insurance. Boston Medical Center lists cost assistance for the uninsured. Fenway says uninsured patients can be seen free through grant funding. Codman says it provides testing regardless of citizenship status.
You want evening or Saturday hours. Boston Medical Center lists evenings on Tuesday and Thursday. Fenway has evening walk-in hours. Codman and TrueCare@MAC list some evening and Saturday hours.
You prefer a clinic centered on LGBTQ+ care. Fenway describes its sexual health clinic that way.
You speak Portuguese or Spanish. DotHouse Health lists both languages. The Mayor's Health Line, 617-534-5050, offers free, confidential, multilingual health information and referral.
You are a teen. See the next section.

Step 4: Know your privacy and consent rights

Worries about privacy keep some people from testing, so here is what the sources say.

Minors. Massachusetts General Laws chapter 112, section 12F says a minor who reasonably believes they are at risk of exposure through sexual activity may consent to care to diagnose or treat the disease, or for HIV prevention if sexually active, without a parent's consent. The law does not cover abortion or sterilization. The provider must notify a parent or guardian only if the minor's life or limb is seriously endangered. The City of Boston tells people 13 or older they can get a confidential STI test without parental permission. Codman also says teen testing is confidential.

Records. Under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 111, section 119, venereal disease reports and records are not public. They can be disclosed only on a judicial order or to officials whose duties entitle them. Massachusetts also requires certain disease reports to go to local boards of health and the state health department. Ask the clinic how your records and billing statements are handled if you are covered under someone else's insurance.

Partner treatment. Under Massachusetts General Laws chapter 111, section 121B and the state health department's regulation, clinicians may prescribe for partners of a patient diagnosed with chlamydia. The CDC lists chlamydia only for Massachusetts. If a clinician talks with you about this, it is a way for partners to get care.

Step 5: Confirm current hours and book

Hours change, and some pages in this guide disagree with each other. A short call saves a wasted trip.

Call the clinic. Use the number in the section above. Ask, "Is testing free for me, and do I need an appointment?"
Ask about timing. Ask what time to arrive and when check-in closes. Fenway, for example, stops check-in 30 minutes before the end of the session.
Ask what to bring. Ask about ID, insurance cards and any forms.
Ask how results are delivered. Phone, portal or in person. Share a safe contact method.
Use a second source if unsure. The City of Boston Getting Tested page and the CDC GetTested directory list providers. The Mayor's Health Line, 617-534-5050, can help you find options. The Boston Public Health Commission Infectious Disease Bureau is at 617-534-5395.

Tip: Have a backup. If your first-choice clinic is full for the day, a second one on your list lets you test the same week.

Step 6: What happens at the visit

Visits are usually short. Here is what you can expect, based on how clinicians follow the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021).

Check-in. You give your name, contact details and insurance information if relevant.
A conversation. A clinician or counselor asks about symptoms, recent partners and the kinds of sex you have had. There are no wrong answers. The questions help decide which tests make sense.
Sample collection. Depending on the tests, this may be a urine sample, a swab, or a blood draw. Swabs can be collected from different body sites. Some clinics let you collect a swab yourself.
Questions and next steps. You can ask about PrEP, PEP, vaccines or treatment options. Boston Medical Center, Fenway, Codman and others list prevention services such as PrEP and PEP.
Leaving with a plan. Before you go, confirm how and when you will hear about results.

Step 7: Understand the timing of results and the window period

A test looks for an infection, an immune response, or genetic material. Each infection has its own window period, which is the time after exposure when a test may not yet detect it. The CDC publishes information on testing and timing for each infection. Ask the clinician how recent exposures affect your testing plan, and whether a repeat test later would be useful.

Fenway's page says results take 3 to 5 business days. Other clinics may be faster or slower, and rapid HIV testing is offered at some locations, including Codman Square, Planned Parenthood and DotHouse Health, according to their listings. Ask each clinic for its own turnaround.

Expected results: what to realistically expect

No test is perfect, and a result is a snapshot. A test may show nothing at one point and something later, depending on timing. A clinician can explain what your result means for you.

If a result is negative, that may mean the test did not detect an infection at that time. A clinician can tell you whether a repeat test is worth considering based on your exposures.
If a result is positive, a clinician can talk through next steps. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis are curable with treatment from a clinician. HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable or manageable with care from a clinician.
If a result is unclear, a clinician may suggest retesting or a different test.

Treatment is always something a clinician prescribes. Do not use leftover medication or someone else's prescription. A clinician chooses treatment based on your test, history and health.

Step 8: Plan your follow-up

Save the clinic's number. Put it in your phone under a name only you recognize.
Ask about partners. A clinician can explain how to let partners know, and what options exist for them.
Ask about prevention. PrEP and PEP are listed at several Boston clinics. Fenway also lists doxy-PEP, which the CDC addressed in its 2024 update. A clinician can tell you whether it fits your situation.
Ask about vaccines. Planned Parenthood and DotHouse Health list HPV vaccine.
Set a reminder. The CDC and USPSTF recommend screening on different schedules depending on age, sex, pregnancy and risk. Ask a clinician which schedule suits you.

Tips and common mistakes to avoid

Skipping the phone call. Several pages in this guide have conflicting or missing hours. Confirm first.
Assuming every clinic is walk-in. Boston Medical Center, Planned Parenthood and the Boston Public Health Commission listing do not confirm walk-ins.
Using an old address. TrueCare@MAC is at 9 Palmer Street in Roxbury. An older Dorchester address still appears elsewhere.
Mixing up Albany Street clinics. Boston Medical Center is at 725 Albany St. The Boston Public Health Commission listing is at 774 Albany St.
Not asking about insurance billing. If a clinic bills insurance, ask how the statement will arrive and who sees it.
Leaving without a results plan. Know how you will be contacted, and by when.
Testing for one thing only. Ask which infections are included, so you know what a result covers.
Waiting for symptoms. Many STIs are silent, according to the CDC.

Why testing matters in Suffolk County

Testing is a routine part of health care. For context, 2021 CDC county data, republished by Boston 25 News, shows Suffolk County, which contains Boston, had a chlamydia rate of 807.8 per 100,000 people (6,230 cases) and a gonorrhea rate of 298.0 per 100,000 (2,298 cases). Suffolk County is larger than the city of Boston, so these are not city-only figures. The county ranked first in Massachusetts for chlamydia. These numbers reflect infections that were diagnosed and reported, which depends in part on how many people get tested.

The takeaway is simple. Testing is common, and clinics see people from every background every day.

If a free option does not fit

If none of the clinics above works for your schedule, the CDC GetTested directory lets you search by location and service. The Mayor's Health Line at 617-534-5050 can also point you toward options. Neither page in this guide lists free home testing or event-based testing days for Boston, so check the City of Boston Getting Tested page or the Boston Public Health Commission for any current events.

Quick checklist

Pick two clinics from the list that fit your schedule and coverage.
Call to confirm cost, hours and whether you need an appointment.
Gather your ID and insurance information if you have it.
Write down your questions and any exposures or symptoms to mention.
Go to your visit and ask how results will reach you.
Follow up on results, treatment, prevention and your next test date.

Free STD Testing in Boston: Every Free and Sliding-Scale Option