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.

Sometimes you decide to get tested on a Tuesday afternoon and do not want to wait two weeks for an opening. In Boston, a few clinics do offer walk-in STD testing. Others need a phone call first.

This guide walks you through finding a walk-in clinic, getting ready, what happens at the visit, and what to expect afterward. The clinic details come from each clinic's own page, and hours can change, so a quick call before you go is always a good idea.

What walk-in testing means (and what it does not)

Walk-in means you can arrive during posted hours without booking a time. It usually means first come, first served, so you may wait. Some clinics also stop checking people in before closing time.

Walk-in does not always mean every test is offered at every hour. It also does not mean the clinic is open to everyone in the same way. Some clinics focus on particular communities, and the steps below cover how to check.

What you need before you go

You do not need much. Gather these before you leave:

A phone with the clinic's number saved. Use it to confirm hours and ask what to bring.
Your insurance card, if you have one. Fenway Health says it bills insurance when you have it. If you are uninsured, ask about free or sliding fee options.
A photo ID, if you have one. Clinics set their own rules, so ask on the phone whether ID is required.
A short list of notes. Include any symptoms, the date of your last test, and roughly when you had a possible exposure.
Time. Walk-in visits can run longer than booked ones.
A way to get your results. Know which phone number or portal the clinic will use, and whether a message can be left.

Step 1: Pick a clinic that takes walk-ins

Not every Boston clinic lists walk-ins. These are the ones whose own pages say walk-in or no appointment is needed.

Fenway Health Sexual Health Clinic

Fenway Health, in the Ansin Building at 1340 Boylston Street, 4th floor, lists walk-in testing on a first-come, first-served basis:

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. Fenway Health says check-in closes 30 minutes before the end time. The clinic page says testing is free for uninsured patients through grant funding. The phone is 617-267-0159, and the main line is 617-267-0900.

Fenway's page describes the clinic as open to gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, transgender and gender diverse people, and their partners. If you are not sure it fits you, call and ask.

X-Clinic at Codman Square Health Center

Codman Square Health Center's X-Clinic is at 637 Washington St. in Dorchester. Codman says express visits, meaning no symptoms and no known exposure, are walk-in during operating hours. Telehealth and appointments are also offered.

Codman accepts all insurance, uses a sliding fee schedule, and offers testing and treatment regardless of citizenship status. The center's two web pages list different schedules, so call 617-822-8350 to confirm today's hours.

TrueCare@MAC testing at the Multicultural AIDS Coalition

The Multicultural AIDS Coalition is at 9 Palmer Street in Roxbury. Its page lists free STD, HIV and hepatitis C testing, with an appointment optional. These are the listed hours, with testing starting a half hour after opening:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (testing 10:30 to 4)
Wednesday: 12 to 7 p.m. (testing 12:30 to 6)
Saturday: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (testing 11:30 to 3)

The page does not list Sunday hours. The phone is 617-442-1622.

Clinics where you should call first

Some well-known options do not confirm walk-ins:

Boston STD Clinic at Boston Medical Center (725 Albany St., 9th floor, Suite 9C): appointments are made by phone at 617-414-2803 or through MyChart for established patients. The clinic page lists free routine testing but does not say whether walk-ins are accepted.
Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, Greater Boston Health Center (1055 Commonwealth Ave.): the CDC's GetTested directory lists an appointment as required. The phone is 617-295-7235.
DotHouse Health (1353 Dorchester Avenue): the CDC directory lists an appointment as required, while a Codman resource list mentions walk-in testing through urgent care. Because the two sources differ, call 617-288-3230.
Boston Public Health Commission (774 Albany St.): the CDC directory lists free testing and says no appointment is required, but it does not say walk-ins are accepted or list hours. The listed phone is 617-534-3976.

For a side-by-side look at clinics and costs, see our guide to where to get tested in Boston and what it costs. You can also browse the local testing list.

Step 2: Call or check the page the same day

Hours, staffing and walk-in rules change. A two-minute call can save a trip. The Boston Public Health Commission also runs the Mayor's Health Line at 617-534-5050, which the City of Boston describes as free, confidential, multilingual health information and referral. It can help if you are unsure where to start.

Ask these questions:

Are you taking walk-ins today, and until what time?
Is there a cutoff for check-in?
Which tests do you offer at a walk-in visit?
What does the visit cost, and what do I need to bring?
How and when will I get my results?

Step 3: Choose your timing

Arrive earlier in the posted window than you think you need to. Because walk-in visits are first come, first served, late-afternoon arrivals may not be seen if the clinic cuts off check-in. Evening hours at Fenway, Codman and MAC are useful if you work days.

Timing also matters for the test itself. The CDC explains that tests look for an infection or the body's response to it, and that a test can miss a recent exposure. For HIV, the CDC says different test types can detect infection at different points after exposure. Its HIV testing page lists roughly 10 to 33 days for a nucleic acid test, 18 to 45 days for a lab antigen/antibody test, and 18 to 90 days for a rapid antigen/antibody test from a finger prick. Other infections have their own windows. Tell the clinician when your exposure happened, and they can explain whether a repeat test makes sense.

Step 4: Check in and say what you need

At the front desk, tell them you are there for STD testing. You do not need to explain your reasons in detail. The clinician will ask about your sexual health, which may include the kinds of sex you have, the number of recent partners, and any symptoms. They ask so they can choose the right tests, not to judge you.

Be as accurate as you can. If you have symptoms, say so. If you have no symptoms, say that too. Many infections cause none, which is why the CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) describe screening based on factors like age, sex and sexual activity.

Step 5: Complete the tests

Depending on the clinic and your history, testing may involve a urine sample, a swab, or a blood draw or finger prick. Swabs can be collected from different sites depending on the kinds of sex you have. In many clinics you can collect certain swabs yourself, and you can ask what is available.

Ask what is being tested, and what is not. A visit does not always include every infection. The Boston STD Clinic page, for example, lists routine testing for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and hepatitis C.

Step 6: Ask about results and next steps before you leave

Before you walk out, confirm:

How you will be told your results (phone, portal or in person).
How long it takes. Fenway Health says results take 3 to 5 business days.
Whether any result needs a repeat test later.
What to do if you get a call and miss it.

If a test finds an infection, treatment is something a clinician prescribes. Bacterial infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, and trichomoniasis, are curable with treatment from a clinician. HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but they are treatable or manageable, and a clinician can explain options.

Massachusetts also allows expedited partner therapy for chlamydia. The Massachusetts Legislature (M.G.L. c. 111, s. 121B) and the CDC's legal status page for Massachusetts describe it. If you are diagnosed with chlamydia, ask your clinician whether it applies to your partners.

Tips for a smoother walk-in visit

Go on a weekday that fits the posted hours. Weekday evenings can be busy, so give yourself extra time.
Bring water and something to read. Waits happen.
Ask about cost before testing. If a price is not posted, the clinic's page does not list one, so ask. Fenway Health notes that a separate lab may bill your insurance, and you could be responsible for the lab's charges.
Ask about HIV prevention and care. Several Boston clinics list PrEP and PEP. Fenway Health also lists doxy-PEP, which the CDC addressed in its 2024 guidance. A clinician can tell you whether these are options for you.
Write down your results plan. Save the clinic's number in your phone.

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming every clinic takes walk-ins. Several require appointments.
Arriving right at closing. Check-in can close earlier than the clinic does.
Trusting an old schedule. The two Codman pages differ, so confirm by phone.
Skipping the timing conversation. A test too soon after exposure may need repeating, as the CDC explains.
Leaving without a results plan. Ask how you will hear back.
Going to the wrong Albany Street address. Boston Medical Center's clinic (725 Albany St.) and the Boston Public Health Commission listing (774 Albany St.) are different providers.

If you are under 18

Massachusetts law, M.G.L. c. 112, s. 12F, lets a minor who reasonably believes they are at risk because of sexual activity consent to care to diagnose or treat an infection, or for HIV prevention, without a parent's consent. The statute says records are confidential between the minor and the physician, except that a provider must notify a parent or guardian 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.

What to expect afterward

Results are not instant for most tests, although some HIV tests are rapid. When your results come, a negative result generally means the test did not find that infection at that time. Whether it settles the question depends on timing, which is why the exposure date matters. A positive result means a clinician will talk with you about confirmation and treatment or management.

Massachusetts treats these records as non-public. Under M.G.L. c. 111, s. 119, venereal disease reports and records can be disclosed only on a judicial order or to officials whose duties entitle them. Some infections are reported to the health department, as M.G.L. c. 111, s. 111 describes. You can ask the clinic how your information is handled.

If your visit does not go the way you hoped, or a clinic turns out to be closed, call the Mayor's Health Line at 617-534-5050 for a referral. You can also look up options through the City of Boston's getting tested page.

Walk-In STD Testing Near You in Boston: No Appointment Needed