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.

Free STD testing in Dallas exists, but it is spread across a county clinic, community health centers, a nonprofit and a state mail-in program. Each one works a little differently. Some need an appointment. Some charge a small visit fee. Some set the price by income.

This guide walks you through the process in order. You will see what each option offers, what to bring, how to check current hours, and what to expect afterward. Where a clinic has not published a price, we say so, and you can ask when you call.

Why testing is worth a short phone call

Many infections cause no symptoms, so a test is often the only way to learn your status. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) describe regular screening as a routine part of sexual health care for sexually active people, with the schedule depending on age, partners and risk factors.

Dallas County sees a lot of testing need. The Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reported 22,073 chlamydia cases in Dallas County in 2022, a rate of 848.7 per 100,000 people. The statewide rate that year was 519.9 per 100,000. DSHS also reported 10,696 gonorrhea cases in the county (411.3 per 100,000), compared with 207.0 per 100,000 for Texas.

These numbers are not a reason to worry. They are a reason to treat testing as ordinary, routine health care. The bacterial infections on that list are curable with treatment from a clinician.

What you need before you start

You do not need much. Gather these before you call or head out:

A phone to call and book, since the county clinic requires appointments.
A photo ID if you have one. Ask the clinic whether it is required, because policies differ.
Insurance or Medicaid information, if you have it. Several clinics accept it, and a card can lower or remove costs.
Proof of income (for example a recent pay stub) in case you ask about a sliding fee. Ask the clinic what it accepts.
A short list of symptoms and dates, if you have any, and the approximate date of your last possible exposure.
A list of medicines you take, including any PrEP.
A way to receive results, such as a phone number you can answer or a patient portal.

Step 1: Decide which kind of free option fits

Dallas options fall into four groups. Knowing which one you want saves time.

County public health clinic. Dallas County Health and Human Services runs a Sexual Health Clinic.
Free tests at a community center. Resource Center offers several tests at no charge.
Sliding-scale health centers. The fee is based on household income and size.
Free mailed self-testing. Texas DSHS lists a free mail-in program for people who prefer to test at home.

If you have symptoms, a clinic visit is usually the better fit, because a clinician can examine you and order the right tests. If you want routine screening and no symptoms, any of the four can work.

Step 2: Review every free and sliding-scale option in Dallas

Here is what is published for each place. Prices and hours can change, so confirm them by phone before you go.

Dallas County Sexual Health Clinic (Dallas County Health and Human Services)

Address: 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway, 1st Floor, Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75207. Phone: (214) 819-1819.

The county page lists testing for HIV, hepatitis C, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and mpox. It also lists treatment for syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and genital herpes outbreaks, plus PrEP and nPEP (post-exposure medicine). The CDC GetTested listing adds rapid HIV testing and HPV vaccine.

Appointments are required, and the county says same-day or next-day appointments are offered. People who need routine testing without symptoms are directed to the DCHHS Mobile Medical Unit. The county page lists no fees. The CDC GetTested listing says Medicaid is accepted and that PrEP is available for people without insurance, and it advises contacting the organization about eligibility.

Hours listed by the county: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Wednesday 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The phone line opens at 7:45 a.m. On the second Thursday of each month the clinic closes at 3:30 p.m. The county page says the clinic does not do routine herpes blood screening, Pap smears, or BV and yeast testing.

Resource Center Health (Nelson-Tebedo clinic)

Address: 2603 Inwood Rd., Dallas, TX 75235. Phone: 214.528.2336.

Resource Center is Dallas's LGBTQ+ community center, and its clinic welcomes everyone. Its testing page lists these prices:

Confidential rapid HIV antibody test, early HIV RNA test and syphilis test: free.
Gonorrhea and chlamydia test: free with a $40 office visit.
Anonymous HIV antibody screening: $90.
Hepatitis A, B and C panel: $100.

The page does not mention a sliding scale or an insurance policy, and it does not say whether walk-ins are accepted. It asks you to request an appointment online. For PrEP or PEP, the Resource Center PrEP Care Program is at 214.540.4469.

Prism Health North Texas

Oak Lawn Health Center: 2801 Lemmon Ave, Suite 200, Dallas, TX 75204. Phone: 214-521-5191.

Prism is a nonprofit community health center that lists HIV and STI testing and treatment. Its resources page says it uses sliding fee rates based on household income and size, accepts Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP and most private insurance, and does not deny care based on ability to pay.

Prism asks that appointments be scheduled in advance. It says same-day and walk-in appointments are possible for urgent issues, depending on availability. Prism's locations page also lists testing and treatment at other Dallas sites, all reachable at 214-521-5191:

Oak Cliff Health Center, 219 Sunset Ave #116-A, 75208
Uptown Physicians Group, 2801 Lemmon Ave #400, 75204
South Dallas Health Center, 4922 Spring Ave, 75210
Worth Street Health Center, 4004 Worth St #100, 75246

Parkland Health, Southeast Dallas Health Center

Address: 9202 Elam Rd, Dallas, TX 75217. Phone: (214) 266-1600.

The CDC GetTested listing shows a free HIV test, rapid HIV testing, hepatitis C testing and HPV vaccine. It says insurance, Medicaid and a sliding scale are accepted, and that PrEP navigation is offered. The listing does not show walk-in service, so plan to call first.

Foremost Family Health Centers, Martin Luther King Jr Family Clinic

Address: 2922-B MLK Jr Blvd, Dallas, TX 75215. Phone: (214) 426-3645.

The CDC GetTested listing shows STD testing, HIV testing and HPV vaccine. It says insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and a sliding scale are accepted. The listing does not show walk-in service, so call to book.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Healthcare Center, Dallas

Address: 7777 Forest Ln Ste B 122, Dallas, TX 75230. Phone: (972) 383-1060.

The CDC GetTested listing shows STD testing, HIV testing, rapid HIV testing and HPV vaccine, with a sliding scale and PrEP navigation. It lists "Appointment required: No." AHF's own location page could not be read, so check the current hours by phone.

Neighborhood Medical Center

Address: 5917 Belt Line Rd, Dallas, TX 75254. Phone: (972) 726-6464.

The CDC GetTested listing shows STD testing, HIV testing, hepatitis C testing and HPV vaccine. It says insurance is accepted, a sliding scale is available, and an appointment is not required. The DSHS PrEP directory also lists this clinic as a PrEP provider.

Children's Health Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine Clinic

Address: 2350 N Stemmons Fwy, Ste F5200, Dallas, TX 75207. Phone: (214) 456-9099.

This teen and young adult clinic lists treatment of chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, HPV and HIV, along with adolescent PrEP. Its page does not publish a price. It says a parent or guardian must give general consent for a minor to be treated in the clinic, so teens who want to keep a visit private should call and ask how this works before booking.

Free mailed self-testing from Texas DSHS

Texas DSHS lists a program called Test for Texas. It offers a free mailed self-testing kit for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia to anyone in Texas aged 13 or older, with no insurance needed. DSHS directs people to order at testfortexas.org.

The CDC also funds a program called Together TakeMeHome. Its FAQ says it mails free HIV self-tests to anyone 17 or older in the U.S. who does not have an HIV diagnosis, with two tests per package and reorders allowed every 90 days.

A self-test covers only the infections it names. It does not replace a clinic visit if you have symptoms, and a clinician can explain next steps for any result.

Step 3: Narrow the list to the right place for you

Use these questions to choose:

Do you want a same-day visit? The CDC GetTested listings say AHF and Neighborhood Medical Center do not require an appointment. Prism may offer walk-ins for urgent issues. The county clinic offers same-day or next-day appointments.
Do you want the lowest published price? Resource Center lists rapid HIV, early HIV RNA and syphilis tests as free. Parkland's listing shows a free HIV test.
Do you have income-based needs? Prism, Parkland, Foremost, AHF and Neighborhood Medical Center list sliding scales.
Do you want to test from home? The DSHS mailed program is free for people 13 and older.
Are you under 18? Read the minor consent section below before you choose.

You can compare more locations on our list of Dallas testing locations. For a wider look at costs across the city, see our guide to STD testing in Dallas, where to get tested and what it costs.

The CDC also runs a national locator at gettested.cdc.gov. You can enter a ZIP code and see clinics, services and hours that the organizations themselves have reported.

Step 4: Call and ask the right questions

A short call can prevent a wasted trip. Ask:

Do you offer the tests I am asking about, and are any of them free?
Is there an office visit fee, and how much is it?
Do you offer a sliding scale, and what proof of income do you accept?
Do I need an appointment, and what are your hours this week?
What should I bring?
How and when will I get my results?
If a result is positive, can I be treated here?

You can also ask which tests make sense for the kinds of sex you have. A clinician may suggest swabs from the throat or rectum in addition to a urine test or blood draw. That is routine. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend sampling the body sites involved in sex.

If you ask about doxy-PEP, a post-sex medicine that the CDC addressed in its 2024 guidance, remember that only a clinician can decide whether it is right for you. The county page does not list doxy-PEP, so ask each clinic directly.

Step 5: Go to your visit

Arrive a little early, since check-in can take time. Bring the items from your list. A typical visit includes a few private questions about symptoms, partners and sexual practices, followed by a urine sample, swabs or a blood draw.

You can say what you are comfortable with. Clinicians are there to help, not to judge. The questions exist so they can choose the right tests.

If the county clinic sends you to the Mobile Medical Unit for routine testing, ask the clinic where the unit will be and when. The county page does not list a schedule here, so confirm by phone.

Step 6: Get your results and plan next steps

Ask how you will hear back before you leave. Some rapid HIV tests give a result during the visit. Other tests are sent to a lab, and the timing varies by clinic and test.

What results can mean

A negative result generally means the test did not detect that infection in your sample at that time. The CDC notes that each test has a window period, which is the time after an exposure before a test can reliably detect an infection. It differs by infection and by test type. A clinician can tell you whether retesting makes sense for you.

A positive result is information, not a verdict. 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 with medical care. Many clinics on this list offer treatment or can link you to it.

Partners matter too. Texas has no single EPT law, but CDC's summary of Texas rules says physicians and advanced practice nurses may prescribe medicine for the partners of an established patient. It also says pharmacists may dispense it without a physician-partner relationship. Ask your clinician whether this applies to you.

Some results are reported to the health department. DSHS lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV as notifiable conditions in Texas, which means the lab or clinician reports certain results to public health. This is a routine public health step.

Tips for a smoother visit

Call early in the day. The county phone line opens at 7:45 a.m.
Ask for the price in writing or ask the front desk to repeat it, so nothing surprises you.
Test for more than one thing. Free HIV testing is easy to find, but the CDC recommends discussing a full range of tests with a clinician.
Consider PrEP and PEP conversations. The county clinic, Resource Center, Prism and others list PrEP services.
Save your results. Keep a copy or ask for a portal login.

Common mistakes to avoid

Showing up without calling. The county clinic requires appointments, and walk-in details for several others are not published by the clinics themselves.
Assuming free means everything is free. Resource Center lists some tests as free and others as paid. Ask for a price on each test.
Testing too soon after an exposure. Ask a clinician about the window period for the test you want.
Skipping retesting when advised. A single test is a snapshot. Follow the clinician's advice on a repeat test.
Waiting because of embarrassment. Clinic staff see these visits every day.

If you are under 18

Texas Family Code Sec. 32.003 says a minor of any age may consent to diagnosis and treatment of a reportable infectious or communicable disease. DSHS states this includes HIV. Parent or guardian consent is not necessary for that care.

The same statute lets a physician tell a parent or guardian about the treatment, with or without the minor's consent. It permits this but does not require it, so a clinic cannot promise that a parent will never be told. If privacy matters to you, ask the clinic about its practice before the visit.

The Children's Health teen clinic says a parent or guardian must give general consent for treatment there. The DSHS mailed kit is open to ages 13 and older.

If you are pregnant

Texas Health and Safety Code Sec. 81.090 requires syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B testing at the first prenatal visit. It also requires syphilis and HIV testing in the third trimester, not earlier than the 28th week. A person may object to the HIV tests, but not to the syphilis tests. Your prenatal provider handles this as part of regular care.

What to expect afterward

After testing, most people hear back with results and a plan within a short time, though the exact timing depends on the clinic and the test. Results are shared in private. If something is found, the clinic can talk through treatment or arrange a referral.

Results can differ from test to test, and no test is perfect. If you have symptoms that continue after a negative result, tell a clinician, because they can decide whether another test or a visit is warranted.

Your next step is simple. Pick one place from the list above, call, and ask for the cost and the hours. If you want to compare more options, gettested.cdc.gov lists additional free and low-cost sites, and the Dallas County Health and Human Services Sexual Health Clinic page has the county's current details.

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