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.

Waiting for answers is hard. The good news is that some tests do return results during the same visit. Others need a lab and take a few days.

This guide explains how same day std testing in Salt Lake City works, which tests can be quick, and which cannot. It also walks through how to plan a visit so you leave with the clearest picture a clinic can give you.

The short answer: what can be same-day and what cannot

How long do std test results take? It depends on the test, not the city. Here is the general pattern:

Rapid HIV tests can give a result during the visit, often within minutes to about an hour, depending on the clinic.
Rapid syphilis tests exist, but only some clinics offer them. The clinic's published list for Salt Lake County does not mention one, so ask when you call.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea tests use a lab method called a nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT). The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) recommend NAATs as the preferred test. Results usually come back in about 1 to 3 days, though the exact time depends on the lab.
Blood tests for syphilis, herpes and hepatitis are usually sent to a lab. Plan on waiting a few days unless the clinic tells you otherwise.

So a same-day visit is realistic for testing. A same-day result is realistic mainly for rapid HIV testing.

Materials you will need

You do not need much. A short checklist helps the visit go smoothly:

A photo ID, if you have one. Ask the clinic whether it is required.
A phone number where you are comfortable getting a call or message about results.
A short list of your questions and of any symptoms you have noticed.
The approximate dates of your last sexual contact and of any earlier tests.
Your insurance card, if you have one. Some clinics bill insurance and some cannot.
A form of payment for clinics that charge set fees.
About an hour of free time, longer if you are walking in.

Step-by-step: how to get tested in Salt Lake City

Step 1: Decide which results you want quickly

Start by asking yourself what matters most. If you want a fast HIV result, ask for a rapid HIV test. If you want a full picture, ask about every test the clinic offers. Most visits that cover several infections will include some results that arrive later.

A clinician can help you choose tests based on your history, your symptoms and the kinds of sex you have had. You do not have to figure that out alone. Testing is for everyone, whatever your gender, orientation or relationship status.

Step 2: Pick a clinic that fits your timing

Walk-in and appointment-only clinics work very differently. Here are the Salt Lake City options, with what each source says. You can also see the full local testing list on this site.

Salt Lake County Health Department STD Clinic (Salt Lake Public Health Center)

Address: 610 South 200 East (enter from 200 East), Salt Lake City.
Phone: 385-468-4242. The STD Prevention Program line is 385-468-4185.
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The clinic page says it is closed until 1:00 PM on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.
Walk-ins: The county lists walk-ins as accepted when possible. Appointments shorten the wait.
Testing includes: HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhea, with rapid HIV testing listed. Testing is available for anyone 14 or older.

The Salt Lake County Health Department publishes its fees. An office visit is $60 for Salt Lake County residents and $80 for people outside the county. There is no office visit fee if you test only for HIV. An HIV blood test is $50, syphilis is $40, and chlamydia or gonorrhea is $40 per site. Rapid HIV testing is listed as free to high-risk individuals while grant funds last. The county also notes that the clinic cannot bill health insurance.

For a general line, the Utah 211 directory lists 385-468-4225 for the Salt Lake City Public Health Center. It says walk-ins are permitted, but calling ahead to make an appointment is preferred.

Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, Salt Lake Health Center

Address: 654 S 900 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84102.
Phone: (801) 322-5571.
How it works: The CDC GetTested directory lists this site as appointment required, with a sliding scale. It says insurance and Medicaid are accepted.
Testing includes: HIV (rapid and blood draw), hepatitis B and C, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis.

The directory does not list hours and says they may change, so confirm by phone.

Community Health Centers Inc.

Community Health Centers Incorporated runs two Salt Lake City sites listed by CDC GetTested. Both list a sliding scale and accept insurance, Medicaid and Medicare. Contact each site about eligibility and hours, which the directory does not list.

Oquirrh View Community Health Center: 4745 S 3200 W, (801) 964-6214. The directory lists it as appointment required.
Ellis R. Shipp Clinic: 4535 S 5600 W, (801) 676-4405. The listing does not say whether walk-ins are accepted.

The directory lists HIV blood draw, herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis tests at both. It does not list rapid HIV testing, so ask when you call.

University of Utah Health, Redwood Health Center

This clinic is at 1525 W 2100 S, phone (801) 213-9900. CDC GetTested lists tests for HIV (blood draw), chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, plus PrEP navigation. It says insurance is accepted and PrEP is available for people without insurance. Hours are not listed, so call first.

University of Utah Student Health Center

The center is at 555 Foothill Dr, Level 1, phone 801-581-6431. Its page says HIV and STI testing is by appointment, with or without symptoms, and that a visit fee and lab charges apply. The page also says Campus Wellness mobile clinics offer free HIV, gonorrhea and chlamydia testing for people without symptoms. The page does not say whether non-students can use the center, so check before you go.

Utah Naloxone (Andy's Wellness Center)

This nonprofit harm reduction program is at 525 East 100 South, Suite 4400, phone (385) 495-9050. A directory listing from NASEN shows HIV testing, hepatitis C testing, and STI testing and treatment. Listed hours are Monday, Thursday and Friday, 10:30 AM to 4:30 PM. The listing does not state a cost or a walk-in policy, so call to ask.

You can also look up more sites at gettested.cdc.gov, the CDC's testing locator.

Step 3: Call ahead, even if walk-ins are allowed

A two-minute call can save you a trip. Ask these questions:

Do you offer rapid HIV testing today, and how long does it take?
Do you offer a rapid syphilis test, or is syphilis tested by blood draw at a lab?
Can I walk in, or do I need an appointment?
What will the visit cost, and do you accept insurance?
How and when will I get the lab results?
Is testing available for my age?

Utah DHHS says people 14 and older can get care for sexually transmitted infections without a parent's consent. The state cites Utah Code 26B-7-214. If you are younger than 14, ask the clinic what applies to you.

Step 4: Think about timing and the window period

Every test has a window period. This is the time after an exposure when a test may not yet detect an infection. A negative result during that window may not be the final word.

For HIV, the CDC explains that the window depends on the test type:

Nucleic acid tests (NATs) can detect HIV about 10 to 33 days after exposure.
Antigen/antibody lab tests on a blood draw can detect HIV about 18 to 45 days after exposure.
Antigen/antibody rapid tests done with a fingerstick can take longer, about 18 to 90 days.
Antibody tests can take about 23 to 90 days.

If you tested soon after an exposure, a clinician may suggest testing again later. For other infections, ask the clinic how its tests handle timing. That is a question a clinician can answer for your situation.

Step 5: Go to your visit

At the clinic, you will usually check in, fill out a short form and talk with a staff member. Staff will ask about your symptoms, partners and past tests. These questions help choose the right tests. They are not a judgment.

Depending on the test, you may give a urine sample, swab a site yourself or have a clinician do it, or have blood drawn. For a rapid HIV test, you may have a fingerstick or an oral swab, depending on the clinic. For chlamydia and gonorrhea, the CDC guidelines note that samples may come from the genitals, throat or rectum, depending on the kind of sex you have had. That is why the Salt Lake County fee list says chlamydia and gonorrhea tests are priced per site.

Step 6: Ask how you will get your std test results

Before you leave, make sure you know the answer to each of these:

Which results will I get today?
Which are sent to a lab, and about how many days will they take?
Will you call, text, or post to a patient portal?
What number do I call if I have not heard back by then?

Write the answers down. Lab times can vary, and a clear plan keeps the waiting from feeling endless.

Step 7: Plan for what comes next

Any result that needs follow-up is something the clinic will explain. According to the CDC, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are bacterial infections that are curable with treatment prescribed by a clinician. Trichomoniasis is also curable. HIV and herpes are not curable, but both are treatable and manageable with care from a clinician.

For chlamydia and gonorrhea, Utah allows expedited partner therapy, according to the CDC's legal status page for Utah and the Utah DHHS. This lets a clinician provide treatment for a patient's partners without a separate visit. Ask the clinic if it applies to you.

What your results may look like

Results are usually reported as negative, positive or sometimes inconclusive. Here is what each can mean:

Negative: The test did not detect the infection it looked for. If you tested within the window period, a clinician may suggest repeating the test.
Positive: The test detected signs of an infection. Clinics usually confirm a positive result and then talk through next steps with you. A rapid test result that is positive is typically followed by a second test.
Inconclusive or invalid: The test could not give a clear answer, and it is often repeated.

No test is perfect. Results may vary with timing, the sample and the type of test used. Only a clinician can tell you what your results mean for you.

Tips for a smoother visit

Arrive early in the day. Walk-in waits tend to build up later, and the Salt Lake County clinic closes at 5:00 PM.
Check the Wednesday schedule. The county clinic opens at 1:00 PM on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.
Ask about every infection you are worried about. Not every clinic tests for everything by default.
Mention symptoms. Sores, discharge, burning or pain help a clinician decide on tests.
Ask about prevention too. The county clinic lists PrEP and doxy-PEP among its services. The CDC issued doxy-PEP guidance in 2024, and a clinician can tell you whether it fits your situation.
Bring a friend if it helps. Support is fine, and you can still talk with staff privately.

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming every test is rapid. Most STI tests other than HIV go to a lab.
Skipping the phone call. Hours, services and walk-in rules can change.
Testing once and stopping. If your test was within a window period, ask whether to repeat it.
Assuming insurance will cover the county clinic. The county says it cannot bill health insurance, so ask about fees first.
Leaving without a results plan. Get the follow-up method and timing in writing.
Waiting for symptoms. Many infections cause none, which is why testing is a routine part of health care.

Why it helps to know your status in Salt Lake County

These infections are common enough that testing is a normal part of health care. Utah IBIS-PH reported a 2022 chlamydia rate of 479.7 per 100,000 people in Salt Lake County, compared with 328.7 for Utah overall. The same source reported a gonorrhea rate of 166.4 per 100,000 in the county. For primary and secondary syphilis, the county rate was 13.7 per 100,000, against 7.0 statewide.

These numbers show that testing is a routine, common step, nothing to be embarrassed about.

Free and low-cost ways to start

The Salt Lake County Health Department lists rapid HIV testing as free to high-risk individuals while grant funds last, and its other fees are published.
Several Community Health Centers and Planned Parenthood sites offer sliding scale fees.
The University of Utah's Campus Wellness mobile clinics offer free HIV, gonorrhea and chlamydia testing for people without symptoms.
The CDC's GetTested directory can show more sites.

For the most accurate details on fees and eligibility, contact the clinic directly or the Salt Lake County Health Department.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get every STD test result on the same day?

Usually not. Rapid HIV testing is the main same-day option. Most others go to a lab and take days.

How long do std test results take for chlamydia and gonorrhea?

Often about 1 to 3 days, though it depends on the lab. The clinic can give you an estimate.

Do I need an appointment?

It depends on the site. The county clinic accepts walk-ins when possible. Planned Parenthood and Oquirrh View are listed as appointment required.

What if I cannot afford a visit?

Call the clinic and ask about fees, sliding scale options and grant-funded testing. Cost should not stop you from asking.

Same-Day STD Testing in Salt Lake City: Rapid Tests and Quick Results