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

Updated · Sources are cited in the text

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

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 in Reno does not have to cost much, and in some cases it costs nothing. Several clinics in Washoe County list free tests, and others charge on a sliding scale based on income. This guide walks you through the process from start to finish, so you can find free STD testing, book it and know what to expect.

You will find each option below with its address, phone number and what the CDC directories say it offers. Where a clinic has not published something, such as its hours or a price, this guide says so and tells you who to call.

Why free and low-cost testing matters in Reno

Many sexually transmitted infections cause no symptoms, so testing is how people find out what is going on. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) describe routine screening as a core part of sexual health care, with timing that depends on age, anatomy, pregnancy and sexual practices.

Local numbers show these infections are part of life here. CDC AtlasPlus data, as compiled by Stacker, put Washoe County's 2021 chlamydia rate at 497.0 cases per 100,000 people (2,452 cases). The same source lists gonorrhea at 213.6 per 100,000 (1,054 cases). That is a secondary source and a few years old, so treat it as a rough picture, not a current count.

The point is simple. These infections are common, most are treatable, and cost should not be the reason someone waits. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis are curable with treatment from a clinician. HIV and herpes are not curable, but both are treatable and manageable.

What you need before you start

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

  • A phone to call the clinic and, if needed, to receive a call about results.
  • Photo ID, if you have one. Ask the clinic what it requires, since policies differ.
  • Insurance or Medicaid card, if you have one. Every clinic below lists insurance or Medicaid as accepted, but you can also ask about free or sliding-scale options.
  • Proof of income, such as a recent pay stub, in case the clinic asks for it to set a sliding-scale fee. The CDC listings say to contact each organization about eligibility, so ask what paperwork is needed.
  • A short list of notes: the date of your last test, any symptoms, medicines you take and the kinds of sex you have had. A clinician uses this to choose which tests make sense.
  • Your questions, written down so you do not forget them in the room.

Step 1: Know the three kinds of cost

The word "free" covers a few different things, and knowing them helps you ask the right question.

  1. Free tests. CDC GetTested lists a free HIV test and a free STI test at the Northern Nevada Public Health sexual health clinic. It also lists a free HIV test and a free hepatitis C test at Northern Nevada HOPES.
  2. Sliding-scale fees. The price depends on your income and household size. Northern Nevada Public Health, Northern Nevada HOPES, Community Health Alliance and Nevada Health Centers all list a sliding scale.
  3. Insurance billing. Planned Parenthood Mar Monte lists insurance and Medicaid, and says to contact the organization about eligibility. Its CDC listing does not publish a price or sliding scale.

None of the sources checked for this guide list a flat price for a test. When you call, ask what you would pay for the specific tests you want, and ask before the visit, not after.

Step 2: Pick a clinic

Here is every option with the facts the CDC directories list. The full local list is also on the Reno testing page.

Northern Nevada Public Health Sexual Health Clinic

  • Address: 1001 E Ninth St, Bldg B, Reno, NV 89512
  • Phone: 775-328-2470
  • Cost: CDC GetTested lists a free HIV test and a free STI test, plus insurance, Medicaid and a sliding scale. Eligibility is by contacting the organization.
  • Services listed: The CDC National Prevention Information Network (NPIN) lists on-site chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis testing, conventional and rapid HIV testing, PrEP, PEP and doxy-PEP, and PrEP navigation. CDC GetTested also lists HPV, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and mpox vaccines.
  • Walk-in: Listed as available. Hours are not published on the CDC listings, so call first.

This is the public health department's own clinic, and it is a strong starting point if cost is your main concern.

Northern Nevada HOPES, 5th Street Clinic

  • Address: 580 W 5th St, Reno, NV 89503
  • Phone: 775-786-4673
  • Cost: CDC GetTested lists a free HIV test and a free hepatitis C test, a sliding scale, and acceptance of insurance, Medicaid and Medicare.
  • Services listed: Rapid HIV testing, hepatitis B and C testing, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis testing, and PrEP for people without insurance.
  • Appointment: Required, according to the CDC listing.
  • Hours: The nnhopes.org website lists Monday to Thursday 8am to 7pm and Friday 8am to 5pm, but the page does not say which clinic those hours apply to. Confirm by phone.

Nevada Health Centers, Willow Street Health Center

  • Address: 790 Willow St, Reno, NV 89502
  • Phone: 800-787-2568, the main line listed by CDC NPIN
  • Cost: A sliding scale, with insurance, Medicaid and Medicare accepted. Eligibility is by contacting the organization.
  • Services listed: On-site chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and conventional HIV tests, adult hepatitis B and HPV vaccines, PrEP and STI treatment.
  • Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, closed for lunch from 12:00 to 1:00 PM.
  • Walk-in: CDC NPIN says appointments are recommended and walk-ins are welcome.

Community Health Alliance

Community Health Alliance has two Reno sites that share one phone number, 775-329-6300.

  • North Valleys Health Center: 280 Vista Knoll Pkwy, Suite 107, Reno, NV 89506
  • Nell J Redfield Health Center: 3915 Neil Rd, Reno, NV 89502

CDC GetTested lists the same services at both: HIV tests (rapid and blood draw), hepatitis A, B and C tests, and herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis tests. It also lists hepatitis A, hepatitis B and HPV vaccines. Both sites list a sliding scale, accept insurance and Medicaid, and offer PrEP for people without insurance. Appointments are required. Hours are not published on the listing.

Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, Reno Health Center

  • Address: 8025 S Virginia St, Reno, NV 89511
  • Phone: 775-688-5555
  • Cost: CDC GetTested lists insurance and Medicaid as accepted and says to contact the organization about eligibility. It does not list a price or a sliding scale.
  • Services listed: HIV tests (rapid and blood draw), herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis tests, and adult hepatitis B and HPV vaccines.
  • Appointment: Required, according to the CDC listing. Hours are not published there.

Step 3: Call and ask the right questions

A short call saves a wasted trip. Most listings do not publish hours, and costs are set by eligibility, so the phone is the fastest way to get accurate answers. Here is what to ask:

  1. "Do you have free or sliding-scale STD testing, and how do I qualify?"
  2. "What documents should I bring to show income, if any?"
  3. "Do I need an appointment, or do you take walk-ins? What are your hours this week?"
  4. "Which tests will you run, and will I pay anything for each one?"
  5. "How and when will I get my results?"
  6. "If something is found, can treatment be given here, and what would it cost?"

You can ask about cost in plain terms. Clinic staff answer this question all day, and it says nothing about you.

Step 4: Check current hours and events

Hours change with holidays, staffing and funding. Treat any hours you read online, including the ones above, as a starting point.

  • Call the clinic the day you plan to go, or the day before.
  • Look the clinic up on CDC GetTested, which lets you search by ZIP code.
  • Ask Northern Nevada Public Health at 775-328-2470 whether it has any current walk-in days or community testing events.

The sources checked for this guide did not list any specific free testing events or special walk-in days, so none are named here. If a clinic tells you about one, ask for the date, time and location and confirm it on the clinic's own site.

Step 5: Prepare for the visit

A little preparation makes the visit smoother and the results more useful.

  • Bring your list of notes and questions.
  • Plan for privacy. Choose a phone number and a way of getting results that you are comfortable with, and tell the clinic what is safe to leave as a message.
  • Allow time. Some visits are quick and some include paperwork, a conversation with a clinician and a wait.
  • Ask about timing. Each infection has a window after exposure when a test may not yet detect it. The CDC explains that this timing differs by infection and by test type, so ask the clinician when a repeat test makes sense for you.

Step 6: Know what happens during testing

A clinician will ask about your health and about sexual contact. These questions are about choosing the right tests, and good clinics ask them without judgment. You can say what you are comfortable with and ask why a question matters.

Depending on what you have been exposed to, testing may involve a urine sample, a swab, a blood draw or a finger-stick. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) say that testing of the throat, rectum or genitals may be recommended based on the kinds of sex a person has, not on who they are. Tell the clinician what applies to you so the right sites are checked.

Several clinics here list rapid HIV testing. The CDC listings for Northern Nevada Public Health, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte, Northern Nevada HOPES and Community Health Alliance all mention it. Ask whether the clinic can give you results during the same visit.

Step 7: Plan for your results

Ask when results will come back and how the clinic will reach you. Some results are quick. Others, such as blood tests and lab-processed swabs, take longer.

Nevada law also shapes what happens after a test. Under NRS 441A, health care providers and laboratories must report certain communicable diseases to the health authority. Summaries of Nevada Administrative Code 441A.225 say a case or suspected case is generally reported on the first working day after identification. Public health staff use these reports to track infections and to offer help. Ask the clinic how it handles your information if you have questions.

Who can use these services

Every clinic above says to contact it about eligibility. The answer for you depends on your income, insurance, age and the program, and the best way to learn it is to ask.

People without insurance. Northern Nevada Public Health, Northern Nevada HOPES, Community Health Alliance and Nevada Health Centers each list a sliding scale. Community Health Alliance and Northern Nevada HOPES also list PrEP for people without insurance.

People with Medicaid or Medicare. Northern Nevada Public Health, Northern Nevada HOPES, Community Health Alliance and Nevada Health Centers list Medicaid. HOPES and Nevada Health Centers also list Medicare. Planned Parenthood lists insurance and Medicaid.

Teens and minors. The Nevada Legislature's NRS 129.060, as summarized, allows a minor to consent to examination and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases from a health officer, licensed physician, physician assistant, registered nurse or clinic. It also covers STD prevention services. Details can vary by clinic, so ask how it handles consent and billing for people under 18.

People who are pregnant. Under NRS 442.010, Nevada requires a syphilis test at the first prenatal visit, or as soon as practicable, and again in the third trimester. The statute places the third-trimester test between the 27th and 36th weeks of pregnancy, or as soon after as practicable. Speak with your prenatal provider about which tests apply to you.

Everyone else. Testing is for anyone, whatever their gender, orientation or relationship status. You do not need to explain or justify why you want a test.

Tips for getting the most from free STD testing

  • Ask which tests are covered. If a clinic lists a free HIV test or a free STI test, ask exactly which infections are included and which are billed separately.
  • Ask about vaccines while you are there. Northern Nevada Public Health lists HPV, hepatitis A, hepatitis B and mpox vaccines. Community Health Alliance and Nevada Health Centers list hepatitis B and HPV vaccines. A clinician can tell you which suit you.
  • Ask about prevention options. PrEP is a medicine a clinician prescribes to lower the chance of getting HIV. The CDC's 2024 guidance also describes doxy-PEP, which a clinician may prescribe after sex to lower the chance of certain bacterial infections for some people. CDC NPIN lists doxy-PEP, PEP and PrEP at Northern Nevada Public Health. A clinician decides whether either fits your situation.
  • Try a second site if the first is full. Appointment slots can fill. With five organizations and six locations, there is usually another call to make.
  • Keep a record. Write down the date, the tests done and when to follow up.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Skipping the call. Hours are missing from many listings, and several clinics require appointments. Showing up without calling can mean a wasted trip.
  • Assuming "free" covers every test. A free HIV test is not necessarily a free test for every infection. Ask for specifics.
  • Leaving out information. Telling the clinician about all kinds of sex helps them test the right places. Their goal is accurate results, not judgment.
  • Testing once and stopping. A test shows what it can detect at that time. The clinician can tell you when to test again based on your exposures and the CDC guidelines.
  • Treating silence as a result. If you do not hear back, call the clinic and ask.
  • Waiting out of worry about cost. If a price is a barrier, say so. Sliding scales exist for this reason.

What to expect afterward

A clinician is the right person to interpret your results. In general terms:

  • A negative result may mean an infection was not found by that test at that time. It may not account for a very recent exposure, because tests have window periods. Ask whether a repeat test is advised.
  • A positive result is something a clinician can explain and act on. Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis can be cured with treatment a clinician prescribes. HIV and herpes can be managed with treatment, and many people live full, healthy lives with them.
  • If a result is unclear, the clinician may suggest a follow-up or a different test.

If a test is positive, ask the clinic about telling partners. The CDC's legal status page for Nevada lists no expedited partner therapy statute, so ask a clinician how partners can be seen and treated. Health departments can often help with confidential partner notification, and that is worth asking about directly.

If you have symptoms now, such as pain, discharge, sores or a rash, say so when you call. The clinic can advise whether to come in sooner.

A note on the law and HIV in Nevada

The sources reviewed for this guide did not show an HIV-specific criminal statute in Nevada. The general communicable disease law, NRS 441A.180, covers people with an infectious communicable disease who act in a way with a high probability of transmitting it. Summaries of the law list defenses where a partner knew the risk and consented, or where prevention measures were used. If you have questions about your own situation, a clinic, the health department or a legal aid office can help.

The same chapter, NRS 441A.315, requires physicians, hospitals and certain providers in emergency and primary care settings to ask patients 15 and older whether they want STD testing, including HIV, with some exceptions. If you are asked during an unrelated visit, that is why, and you can say yes.

Your next move

Pick one clinic from the list above and make a single call today. For the lowest-cost route, start with Northern Nevada Public Health at 775-328-2470, where CDC GetTested lists free HIV and STI tests. To compare other locations, the CDC GetTested directory lists services and eligibility notes.

Testing is a routine part of health care. Asking about it is a way of looking after yourself and the people in your life.

Sources