STD Testing in Dallas: Where to Get Tested, What It Costs and What to Expect

Getting tested for sexually transmitted infections is a routine part of health care. It is also one of the most useful things a sexually active adult can do for their own health and for the people they are close to. This guide walks through every main route to STD testing in Dallas, what each visit usually involves, what the sourced costs look like, and what the law in Texas says about privacy, minors and partners.

A note on words. Doctors and the CDC now often say STI, for sexually transmitted infection, because many infections cause no symptoms and never become a disease. STD and STI are used interchangeably here. Whichever term you prefer, the testing is the same.

Everything local on this page comes from published sources, and each one is named where it is used. Clinic hours, fees and services change, so confirm with the clinic before you go.

Table of contents

1. Why testing matters in Dallas
2. Every route to testing in Dallas
3. What testing costs, with sources
4. What to expect at a visit
5. What is tested, and what to ask for
6. When to test and how often
7. Texas law: privacy, minors, partners and pregnancy
8. After your results

Why testing matters in Dallas

Many STIs have no symptoms for a long time. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV can all be present without any sign. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) therefore recommend screening based on age, anatomy, sexual practices and other factors, not on symptoms alone.

What the local numbers show

Texas DSHS publishes county figures. In its 2022 STD Epidemiologic Profile, Dallas County reported 22,073 chlamydia cases, a rate of 848.7 per 100,000 people. Texas DSHS reported a statewide chlamydia rate of 519.9 per 100,000 for the same year.

For gonorrhea, DSHS reported 10,696 cases in Dallas County in 2022, or 411.3 per 100,000, compared with 207.0 per 100,000 statewide. For all stages of syphilis, Dallas County had 4,223 cases, or 162.4 per 100,000, compared with 86.6 per 100,000 statewide.

The Texas HIV Surveillance Report 2021 from DSHS lists 795 new HIV diagnoses in Dallas County, a rate of 30.7 per 100,000, compared with 14.8 per 100,000 for Texas that year.

These are county figures, not city-only figures. They are also reported cases, which reflect both how common infections are and how much testing is happening. DSHS had not published newer county STD figures at the time this page was written.

What these numbers mean for you: testing is common and routine here, and finding an infection early usually means a simpler path to treatment and fewer chances to pass it on.

Every route to testing in Dallas

There is no single best place. The right choice depends on cost, how soon you want to be seen, whether you have symptoms, and how comfortable you feel at a particular clinic. Here are the main options. A shorter list with addresses is also on the local testing list.

The county health department: DCHHS Sexual Health Clinic

Dallas County Health and Human Services runs the Sexual Health Clinic at 2377 N. Stemmons Freeway, 1st Floor, Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75207. The phone number is (214) 819-1819.

According to the DCHHS Sexual Health Clinic page, the clinic tests for HIV, hepatitis C, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and mpox. It treats syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis and genital herpes outbreaks. It also offers PrEP (a daily pill or an injection every two months) and nPEP. The CDC GetTested listing for DCHHS adds rapid HIV testing and the HPV vaccine.

Hours listed by DCHHS:

• 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.

Appointments are required, and walk-ins are not accepted. DCHHS says it offers same-day or next-day appointments. It also says people who only need routine testing without symptoms are directed to the DCHHS Mobile Medical Unit. For the Mobile Medical Unit's schedule, call the clinic or check the DCHHS website.

DCHHS also notes that the Sexual Health Clinic does not do routine herpes blood screening, Pap smears, or testing for bacterial vaginosis and yeast infections. If you need one of those, ask the clinic where to go. The county page does not list doxy-PEP.

Find the clinic page on the Dallas County Health and Human Services website.

Community and LGBTQ+ health centers

Resource Center Health (Nelson-Tebedo clinic) is run by the Dallas LGBTQ+ community center, Resource Center, at 2603 Inwood Rd., Dallas, TX 75235. The phone number is 214.528.2336. Its testing page lists HIV and STI testing, and it offers PrEP and PEP prescriptions through its PrEP Care Program (214.540.4469). The page asks you to request an appointment online. It does not mention walk-ins. Details are on the Resource Center testing page.

Prism Health North Texas is a nonprofit community health center. Its Oak Lawn Health Center is at 2801 Lemmon Ave, Suite 200, Dallas, TX 75204, phone 214-521-5191. Prism's locations page also lists HIV and STI testing and treatment, plus PrEP, at these Dallas sites, all using the same phone number:

• Oak Cliff Health Center, 219 Sunset Ave #116-A, 75208
• PHNTX - 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

Prism says appointments should be scheduled in advance, with same-day and walk-in appointments for urgent issues depending on availability. See the Prism Health North Texas locations page.

Martin Luther King Jr Family Clinic, run by Foremost Family Health Centers, is at 2922-B MLK Jr Blvd, Dallas, TX 75215, phone (214) 426-3645. The CDC GetTested listing shows STD testing, HIV testing and the HPV vaccine. Visit the clinic page.

AHF Healthcare Center - Dallas, run by the nonprofit AIDS Healthcare Foundation, is at 7777 Forest Ln Ste B 122, Dallas, TX 75230, phone (972) 383-1060. The CDC GetTested listing shows STD and HIV testing, rapid HIV testing and the HPV vaccine, and says an appointment is not required. See the AHF Dallas page.

Neighborhood Medical Center is at 5917 Belt Line Rd, Dallas, TX 75254, phone (972) 726-6464. The CDC GetTested listing shows STD testing, HIV testing, hepatitis C testing and the HPV vaccine, and says an appointment is not required. Visit the Neighborhood Medical Center website.

Hospital-system clinics

Parkland Health - Southeast Dallas Health Center is at 9202 Elam Rd, Dallas, TX 75217, phone (214) 266-1600. The CDC GetTested listing shows STD testing, HIV testing (including rapid HIV), hepatitis C testing and the HPV vaccine. It also lists a free HIV test and PrEP navigation. Parkland's own page is here.

Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine (AYA) Clinic at Children's Health Specialty Center Dallas is a teen and young adult clinic at 2350 N Stemmons Fwy, Ste F5200, Dallas, TX 75207, phone (214) 456-9099. The clinic page lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, HPV and HIV among the conditions it treats, and adolescent PrEP among its services.

One important detail: the clinic page says a parent or guardian must give general consent for a minor to be treated in the clinic, while also noting that minors can consent to STD testing and treatment under Texas law. If privacy from a parent matters to you, ask the clinic how that works before you book. More is on the Children's Health AYA page.

Planned Parenthood

The Texas DSHS PrEP directory lists Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas at 9100 N Central Expwy, phone 214-368-1485, as a Dallas PrEP provider. Planned Parenthood's own pages could not be checked for this guide, so confirm directly with them which STI tests they offer, the hours and the fees.

Urgent care and primary care

Many people get tested through their regular doctor, a clinic at work or school, or an urgent care center. If you have insurance, this can be the simplest option. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) call on clinicians to take a sexual history and offer screening, so it is reasonable to raise it yourself.

This guide has no verified Dallas list of urgent care or primary care sites, prices or hours. Ask the office what is included in the visit, whether the tests you want are billed separately, and how results are delivered. A health department or community clinic is a good second choice if a private office cannot answer clearly.

Free mailed kits from the state

Texas DSHS runs Test for Texas, a free mailed at-home self-testing kit for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. It is open to anyone in Texas aged 13 or older, and no insurance is needed. Orders are placed at testfortexas.org, and the details are on the DSHS free at-home testing page.

The CDC-funded Together TakeMeHome program also mails free HIV self-tests to anyone 17 or older in the U.S. without an HIV diagnosis. Each package holds two tests, and you can reorder every 90 days, according to the program FAQ.

A self-test is a screening step. Follow the instructions in the kit, and talk with a clinician about any result you are unsure about and about follow-up testing.

Find more options through the CDC

The CDC's GetTested locator lists testing sites by ZIP code, including ones not covered here.

What testing costs, with sources

Cost is the most common reason people put off testing, and it is also the part of this topic with the least published detail. Nothing below is a quote for your visit. Clinics set their own prices and can change them.

Where	What the source says	Source
DCHHS Sexual Health Clinic	The county page lists no fees. The CDC GetTested listing says Medicaid is accepted and PrEP is available for people without insurance. Contact the clinic about eligibility.	Dallas County HHS; CDC GetTested
Resource Center Health	Confidential rapid HIV antibody test, early HIV RNA test and syphilis test are free. Gonorrhea and chlamydia testing is free with a $40 office visit. Anonymous HIV antibody screening is $90. A hepatitis A, B and C panel is $100. The page states no sliding scale or insurance information.	Resource Center HIV and STI Testing page
Prism Health North Texas	Sliding fee rates based on household income and size. Accepts Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP and most private insurance. Says it does not deny care based on ability to pay.	Prism Health North Texas FAQs
Foremost Family Health Centers (MLK Jr Family Clinic)	Insurance, Medicaid and Medicare accepted, plus a sliding scale.	CDC GetTested listing
Parkland Health (Southeast Dallas)	Free HIV test listed. Insurance, Medicaid and sliding scale accepted.	CDC GetTested listing
AHF Healthcare Center - Dallas	Sliding scale listed.	CDC GetTested listing
Neighborhood Medical Center	Insurance accepted and sliding scale available.	CDC GetTested listing
Children's Health AYA Clinic	No cost information published in the sources used here. Call the clinic.	Children's Health
Test for Texas (mailed kit)	Free for anyone in Texas aged 13 or older. No insurance needed.	Texas DSHS

Tips for keeping the cost down

• Ask what the visit fee covers and which tests are billed separately.
• Ask whether the clinic uses a sliding fee scale, and what documents it needs.
• If you have insurance, ask whether the clinic can bill it, and how the explanation of benefits is delivered if you share a plan with someone. Planning for this protects your privacy.
• If cost is the barrier, a free option such as the state's mailed kit or a free HIV test can be a first step. A clinician can then help with anything else.

Texas DSHS says PrEP is free for many insured people, and that manufacturer and other programs help people who are uninsured or underinsured. DSHS also says PrEP navigators work across Texas. It names no state-run PrEP assistance program, and it says its HIV/STD funds cannot be used to buy PrEP medication.

What to expect at a visit

If you have never been tested, it can help to know how ordinary the visit is. Clinicians do this all day. You are not being judged, and you do not have to explain anything you are not comfortable explaining.

Before you go

• Call to confirm whether you need an appointment. The county clinic does. Some others list no appointment requirement.
• Ask about hours, fees, and what to bring. A photo ID and an insurance card are common requests, but ask, because policies differ.
• If you can, avoid urinating for an hour or so before a visit where a urine sample may be collected. Ask the clinic if this applies.
• Write down the date of any recent medications and any symptoms you have noticed.

At the visit

Expect a short conversation about your health history, your sexual practices and your partners. The CDC encourages clinicians to ask these questions plainly and without judgment, so that the right tests are chosen. Say what is true for you. Your answers decide which body sites to test.

Depending on that conversation, testing may involve:

• A urine sample.
• A blood draw or a finger-stick.
• A swab of the throat, rectum, vagina or urethra. Many clinics let you collect a vaginal swab yourself.
• A visual exam, if you have sores, bumps or discharge.

You can ask what each test is for and who will see the result. You can also say no to any test.

Getting results

How and when you get results depends on the test and the clinic. Some rapid HIV tests give a result during the visit. Other tests are sent to a lab, and the clinic then contacts you by phone, portal or in person. Ask before you leave how you will be contacted, and make sure the clinic has a phone number where you can be reached privately.

If a test finds an infection, a clinician will explain next steps. Treatment is something a clinician prescribes. Several of the clinics above say they treat common bacterial STIs and trichomoniasis on site.

What is tested, and what to ask for

There is no single "STD test." Each infection has its own test, and a standard panel at one clinic can differ from another. Ask what is included. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) set out who should be screened for what.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea

The CDC recommends yearly chlamydia and gonorrhea screening for sexually active women under 25 and for older women with risk factors such as a new partner or a partner with other partners. The USPSTF makes a similar recommendation. The CDC recommends at least yearly screening for men who have sex with men, at each body site of sexual contact. Throat, rectum and genitals are tested separately, so say which apply to you. Both infections are curable with treatment from a clinician.

Syphilis

Syphilis is found with a blood test. The CDC recommends screening for men who have sex with men, for people with HIV, and for pregnant people. The USPSTF recommends screening for people at increased risk and for all pregnant people. Syphilis is curable with treatment from a clinician. Early treatment prevents complications.

HIV

The CDC recommends that everyone aged 13 to 64 be tested for HIV at least once as part of routine care, and the USPSTF recommends screening for people aged 15 to 65. The CDC recommends more frequent testing for people with ongoing risk. HIV is not curable, but it is treatable, and the CDC says people who take HIV treatment as prescribed and reach an undetectable viral load do not transmit HIV sexually.

HIV test types differ in how soon after exposure they can detect HIV. The CDC says nucleic acid tests can detect HIV 10 to 33 days after exposure, antigen/antibody lab tests on blood from a vein 18 to 45 days, rapid antigen/antibody tests from a finger-stick 18 to 90 days, and antibody self-tests 23 to 90 days. A clinician can tell you which test fits your situation and whether a repeat test is useful.

Hepatitis C and hepatitis B

The CDC recommends hepatitis C screening at least once for all adults. DCHHS, Parkland and Neighborhood Medical Center list hepatitis C testing in their sources. Resource Center offers a combined hepatitis A, B and C panel at the price in the table above. Ask whether hepatitis B is included in what you want.

Trichomoniasis

Trichomoniasis is a common infection that can be found with a swab or urine test and is curable with treatment from a clinician. The DCHHS Sexual Health Clinic lists testing and treatment for it.

Herpes and HPV

The CDC does not recommend routine herpes blood screening for people without symptoms. If you have a sore or bump, a clinician can test it directly. The DCHHS clinic says it does not do routine herpes blood screening, but it treats genital herpes outbreaks. Herpes is not curable, but medicine a clinician prescribes can manage outbreaks.

There is no routine HPV test for people with a penis. For people with a cervix, HPV is checked as part of cervical cancer screening with a clinician. The CDC recommends HPV vaccination for children at age 11 or 12 and for people through age 26, and says some adults 27 to 45 may discuss it with a clinician. HPV is not curable, but most infections clear on their own, according to the CDC. The HPV vaccine is listed for the DCHHS clinic, Foremost, Parkland, AHF and Neighborhood Medical Center.

Mpox

The DCHHS Sexual Health Clinic lists mpox testing. Ask the clinic what it needs from you to arrange it.

PrEP, PEP and doxy-PEP

PrEP is medicine a clinician prescribes to lower the chance of getting HIV. PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is medicine a clinician prescribes after a possible exposure, and it works best when started as soon as possible, so call right away. Several Dallas clinics above list PrEP or PEP. The DSHS PrEP directory lists 22 Dallas PrEP providers, including Prism Health North Texas, Parkland, AHF, Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, the Children's Medical Center AYA Clinic and the Dallas County program.

The CDC's 2024 guidance also describes doxy-PEP, an antibiotic a clinician may prescribe after sex to lower the risk of some bacterial STIs for certain people, namely men who have sex with men and transgender women who have had a bacterial STI in the past year. The DCHHS page does not list it, so ask any clinic whether it prescribes it. A clinician decides whether it fits your situation.

When to test and how often

There is no single schedule that fits everyone. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) are the best starting point, and a clinician can apply them to you. Common reasons to test include:

• A new sexual partner, or a partner who has had other partners.
• A partner who tells you they have been diagnosed with an STI.
• Symptoms such as discharge, burning, sores, bumps, pelvic pain or a rash.
• Pregnancy, or planning for it.
• Starting PrEP, or being on PrEP, which comes with regular testing.
• A routine check-up. The CDC recommends yearly checks for some groups and more frequent checks, such as every 3 to 6 months, for men who have sex with men with higher likelihood of exposure.

Window periods

A window period is the time after an exposure before a test can reliably detect an infection. It differs by infection and by test type. The CDC gives specific windows for HIV tests, as listed above. For other infections, ask the clinician whether testing now is useful or whether a repeat test later makes sense. If you are within a few days of a possible HIV exposure, call a clinic about PEP right away, rather than waiting for a test.

Texas law: privacy, minors, partners and pregnancy

Consent for minors

Under Texas Family Code Sec. 32.003(a)(3), a minor of any age may consent to diagnosis and treatment of a reportable infectious or communicable disease. That covers reportable STIs and HIV, according to the statute and Texas DSHS in its publication "HIV and Texas Law." Parent or guardian consent is not necessary for care under that section.

There is one thing to know. The same statute, in Sec. 32.003(d), lets a physician tell a parent or guardian about the treatment, with or without the minor's consent. That is permitted, not required. A provider therefore cannot promise that a parent will never be told. If this matters to you, ask the clinic about its practice before you are seen.

Reporting

Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV are notifiable conditions in Texas, according to Texas DSHS in Texas Notifiable Conditions 2026. This means clinics and labs report positive results to public health authorities. DSHS lists reporting windows of within 1 week for chlamydia, gonorrhea, non-acute HIV and later-stage syphilis, and within 1 work day for primary and secondary syphilis and acute HIV. Public health staff may later contact someone to help with partner notification and treatment.

Treating partners

Expedited partner therapy (EPT) is when a clinician provides treatment for the partner of a patient, sometimes without seeing the partner first. The CDC's Legal Status of EPT in Texas page says Texas has no EPT statute. Its legal basis is in Texas Administrative Code Title 22 rules. A Texas Medical Board rule says no practitioner-patient relationship is required for a physician to prescribe STD medication for partners of an established patient. Nurse practitioners and other advanced practice nurses may do so too, and pharmacists may dispense a partner's prescription. Ask your clinician whether EPT fits your situation.

Pregnancy

Texas Health and Safety Code Sec. 81.090 requires syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B testing at the first prenatal visit. It requires syphilis and HIV testing in the third trimester, not earlier than the 28th week, and syphilis and hepatitis B testing on admission for delivery. A woman may object to the HIV tests but not the syphilis tests. Texas had 930 congenital syphilis cases in 2023, a rate of 238.6 per 100,000 live births, according to the CDC's 2023 STI Surveillance state ranking tables. Prenatal testing is one way clinicians prevent this.

Criminal law

The CDC's 2023 analysis of HIV and STD criminalization laws places Texas in the category with no HIV-specific or STD-specific criminal exposure law, but general criminal laws can still apply. If you have a legal concern, a legal aid organization or attorney is the right person to ask. This is not legal advice.

After your results

If a result is negative

A negative result means the test did not detect that infection at that time. It does not predict future results, and it depends on the window period. Ask the clinician whether a repeat test is useful and how often to test going forward.

If a result is positive

A positive result is a medical finding, and it is common and treatable. A clinician will explain it.

• Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis are curable with treatment from a clinician. Follow the clinician's instructions fully, and ask when to retest.
• HIV is not curable, but it is treatable. Starting treatment early protects your health, and the CDC says treatment that keeps the virus undetectable prevents sexual transmission.
• Herpes and HPV are not curable but are manageable. A clinician can talk through symptoms, outbreaks and what to expect.

You may want to tell recent partners so they can get tested. A clinician or the health department can help you plan how, including options that do not require you to say it yourself.

If you are not sure where to start

Pick the option that fits today. If you can get an appointment, call the DCHHS Sexual Health Clinic at (214) 819-1819 or a community clinic such as Prism or Resource Center. If you want a first step at home, the free state kit is open to anyone 13 or older in Texas. If you want to compare more options, use the CDC GetTested locator, or see the local testing list.

Whichever you choose, testing is a normal, responsible part of health care, and the clinics above see people of every gender, orientation and background.

Sources

• CDC, Sexually Transmitted Infections Treatment Guidelines, 2021
• CDC GetTested: National HIV, STD and Hepatitis Testing
• CDC GetTested listing: Dallas County Department of Health and Human Services
• Dallas County Health and Human Services, Sexual Health Clinic
• Texas DSHS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Texas in 2022 (STD Epidemiologic Profile)
• Texas DSHS, Texas STD Surveillance Report 2022
• Texas DSHS, Texas HIV Surveillance Report 2021
• CDC, Sexually Transmitted Infections Surveillance 2023, State Ranking Tables
• Texas DSHS, Free At-Home HIV and STD Testing
• Texas DSHS, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)
• Texas DSHS PrEP Directory
• Texas DSHS, HIV and Texas Law
• Texas DSHS, Texas Notifiable Conditions 2026
• Texas Family Code Sec. 32.003
• Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 81, including Sec. 81.090
• CDC, Legal Status of EPT in Texas
• CDC, HIV and STD Criminalization Laws (archived)
• Resource Center, HIV and STI Testing
• Prism Health North Texas, FAQs and Resources
• Together TakeMeHome FAQ