At-Home STD Tests: How They Work and How Accurate They Are

Testing at home is private and convenient, which is why many people prefer it. But not every kit is the same, and some situations also call for a clinician. Here is how the options compare.

What are the two kinds of at-home STD tests?

Mail-in lab kits. You collect a sample yourself, such as urine, a vaginal swab, a throat or rectal swab, or a finger-prick of blood. You post it to a laboratory and get your results online or by phone.

Rapid tests. These give a result at home or in a private place. HIV self-tests, which use an oral fluid swab or a finger-prick of blood, are the example CDC describes in detail. CDC says HIV self-test results can come within 20 minutes. Check the packaging to see which infections a kit covers.

What do at-home tests cover?

Coverage varies between kits. Chlamydia kits usually use a urine or swab sample, and HIV kits can use an oral fluid swab or finger-prick. Many kits do not include throat or rectal swabs or herpes testing. Read the list of infections and sample types carefully before you buy.

How accurate are at-home tests?

The accuracy depends mostly on the test type and when you take it.

• Mail-in kits are processed by a laboratory. The chlamydia test CDC recommends is a NAAT, and patient-collected vaginal swabs perform as well as clinician-collected ones. Collect the sample exactly as the instructions say, and send it promptly.
• Rapid tests are convenient, but most detect antibodies, which take longer to appear. A rapid HIV antibody test can miss a recent infection, so a negative result soon after an exposure needs repeating after the window period. The window periods guide gives the timings.
• Collection mistakes can affect any home test, so follow the instructions carefully.

Look for a kit that states which laboratory processes the sample, and check that it uses a CLIA-certified lab. If you cannot find that information, treat the result with caution.

When do you need a clinician as well as a test?

Order your test online, and also involve a clinician if any of these apply:

• You have severe pain, a fever or symptoms that do not settle. A test shows what infection you have, but a clinician can examine you.
• You have a sore that could be herpes, because it needs a swab taken while the sore is present, which only a clinician can do.
• You had a possible HIV exposure in the last 72 hours. Do not wait for a kit. Go to an emergency department or urgent care now for PEP, which CDC says should start as soon as possible and no later than 72 hours after exposure.
• Your home result is positive, unclear or does not match how you feel.
• You are pregnant (talk to your OB or midwife) or have been sexually assaulted (go to an emergency department).

If you want to be checked at every body site or for several infections at once, choose a kit that lists them all.

A clinician can also examine you, prescribe treatment and help you notify partners. The guide to what happens at a test explains the process.

Are at-home tests private?

Privacy policies differ between companies. Read how your results and personal details are stored and shared, and check whether the price includes a follow-up consultation, because that matters if you test positive.

What happens after a positive result?

Contact a clinician quickly. Chlamydia and gonorrhea are treated with prescription antibiotics, and treatment is best started promptly. Your recent partners should also be tested and treated, which stops the infection passing back and forth. CDC advises retesting about 3 months after chlamydia treatment.

Some kits include a telehealth consult or can arrange a prescription. If yours does not, a doctor, clinician or telehealth service can help. For an overview of which tests cover which infections, see which STD test do I need.