New HIV diagnoses in Butte County run about 38% lower than the US average. If you need testing after a possible exposure or as part of routine care in Chico, California, weigh the trade-offs between public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits for your STI testing.
Available testing centers
11 testing options are listed for Chico, CA. The nearest, Womens Health Specialists, is about 1.6 miles away. Compare community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.
Listings tagged Community health center are federally funded health centers and rural clinics that treat everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay: required to bill on a sliding fee scale and provide confidential care, and in many states minors may consent to their own STI testing. A Title X tag flags centers funded for confidential family-planning services; confirm current participation when you call.
Source: CMS FQHC & Rural Health Clinic enrollment files (data.cms.gov), refreshed quarterly. Title X status reflects the latest OPA grantee list.
Women's Health Specialists in Chico tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, hepatitis B, and HIV on a sliding-scale fee open to everyone, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections and no appointment required.
Spanish is available directly through staff, and interpretation services extend to additional languages: meaning clinical conversations about symptoms, exposure, and treatment options happen in the language a person speaks without routing through an external service or scheduling around availability.
The panel at Women's Health Specialists in Chico runs six infections: gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, hepatitis B, and HIV. Herpes and hepatitis B testing in a single visit means conditions that often go undetected in narrower panels get caught and addressed in the same clinical encounter.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Dec 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Ampla Health in Chico runs on a sliding scale open to everyone, accepts Medicaid, and covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and HIV. Appointment required. Ryan White funding keeps HIV care continuous, from first test through ongoing treatment.
Ryan White funding at Ampla Health means the clinic holds HIV care as a continuous program: screening, diagnosis, and ongoing medical treatment are all managed here. That standing capacity is what makes it the right fit for someone without a primary care provider or private insurance anchoring their HIV care.
Ampla Health prescribes both PrEP and PEP directly, and maintains a dedicated pathway for uninsured patients to access PrEP without the cost structure that stops people from starting. For anyone who needs ongoing HIV prevention medication and lacks a regular prescribing provider, this is where that relationship gets established.
Alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, Ampla Health tests for herpes: meaning a single appointment can resolve uncertainty about an infection that the standard panel quietly omits, keeping treatment and counseling in the same visit.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Dec 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Planned Parenthood Northern California in Chico tests for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, hepatitis B and C, and TB on a sliding-scale fee with donations accepted: appointments required, bacterial infections treated same visit, and every service carries no charge at the door.
Planned Parenthood Northern California in Chico structures all of its services (testing, treatment, PrEP, vaccines, and family planning) at no cost to patients. That zero-fee floor applies across the full scope of care, not selectively by service type or payer status.
Spanish is available directly at Planned Parenthood Northern California in Chico, and interpretation services extend care to additional languages beyond that. Having two distinct language pathways means clinical conversations (about dosing, diagnosis, or ongoing treatment) happen with precision, not approximation.
As a Title X-funded site, Planned Parenthood Northern California in Chico is legally required to provide confidential family planning services to minors: meaning records, billing, and communications are shielded by federal statute, not clinic policy. That legal mechanism operates independently of parental insurance or consent in family planning contexts.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jul 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
A safety-net federally qualified health center about 2 miles from Chico. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Butte County Public Health Department in Chico runs STI care through the county's own clinical infrastructure: appointments required, sliding-scale fees apply to everyone, and the standard panel covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and hepatitis, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections. Services are available in Spanish and through interpretation for other languages.
Spanish is a working clinical language here, not a routed accommodation. Staff conduct visits directly in it. For other languages, interpretation services extend that same directness, meaning the clinical conversation itself stays intact regardless of which language a patient reasons and communicates in.
Butte County Public Health in Chico prescribes and manages hepatitis C treatment on-site: the antiviral regimen, typically a direct-acting agent like sofosbuvir-based therapy, is handled by the same clinical team that ran the initial test, keeping monitoring and dose management in one place.
The testing panel at Butte County Public Health covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and rapid or conventional HIV, and extends further into herpes, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, each requiring distinct specimen handling and lab interpretation that the department's clinical staff performs directly.
Languages
English, Spanish, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Feb 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Ampla Health North Chico Medical in Chico holds its doors open to anyone navigating coverage gaps, paying out of pocket, or simply between providers, and as a federally qualified health center, it backs that welcome with sliding-scale fees tied to income. STI screening here covers syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
A public safety-net rural health clinic about 9 miles from Chico. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Free tool · not a clinic
Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Conclusive after |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Gonorrhea | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Trichomoniasis | 7 days after exposure | 28 days after exposure |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10 days after exposure | 33 days after exposure |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18 days after exposure | 45 days after exposure |
| HIV (antibody) | 21 days after exposure | 84 days after exposure |
| Syphilis | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis B | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis C | 56 days after exposure | 77 days after exposure |
| Herpes (HSV) | 28 days after exposure | 112 days after exposure |
Guidance only, confirm timing with a clinician. A negative result before the conclusive date may need a repeat test.
Typical out-of-pocket ranges by option, actual cost depends on which tests you need.
Public / community clinic
Free HIV testing is common
Private lab (self-pay)
Never billed to insurance
At-home kit
Mailed to your door, private
Doctor / urgent care
Often $0 preventive with insurance
No centers match those filters. Clear the service-type filter or the opening-hours filters to see every center.
Every other option
Beyond the dedicated testing centers above: at-home kits by mail, hospital labs certified for STI testing, local clinicians who can order a panel during a regular visit, pharmacies for self-test kits and prescriptions, and online PrEP & treatment.
Test from home
The nearest testing center is about 2 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Chico, you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room, and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.
Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome (opens in a new tab) program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits, and, in many areas, free STI kits, to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.
In-home collection
$79 & up
Best range: couples & full panels
$79 & up
Best for simplicity & support
$89 & up
Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often, confirm current details on the provider's site.
Also in the area
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Butte County, each lab's town is shown on its card below. Many test through a doctor's order or by appointment rather than walk-in, so call ahead to confirm STD/STI testing and availability before visiting.
280 Cohasett Avenue, Chico, CA 95928
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
265 Cohasset Road, Chico, CA 95926
CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission
1531 Esplanade, Chico, CA 95926
CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission
888 Lakeside Village Commons, Chico, CA 95928
CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission
183 East 8th Avenue, Chico, CA 95926
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
Showing the nearest 5 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Chico. A CLIA certificate records only that a laboratory is federally certified — it does not confirm the site performs STD testing, nor its hours, price or access. Inclusion is not an endorsement; always call to verify.
Local clinicians
Beyond dedicated clinics, 105 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Chico. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 37 offer telehealth.
Celeste Reinking, MD
Family medicine · 500 Cohasset Road, Chico
Erika Clark, MD
Internal medicine · 340 West East Avenue, Chico
Holly Rankin, MD
OB-GYN · 277 Cohasset Road, Chico
Elisa Tong, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 643 West East Avenue, Chico
Alyssa Milliron, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 680 Cohasset Road, Chico
Terrance Foster, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 270 Cohasset Road, Chico
These are registry-listed clinicians, not dedicated STD-testing clinics. CMS records do not independently verify current licensure, testing services, availability, price, or new-patient status. Confirm each detail before booking. Source: CMS Doctors & Clinicians.
Nearby pharmacies
No pharmacy near Chico, CA publishes an STD-related service or holds a current CLIA testing certificate, so these are simply the closest. Contact a location directly to confirm counter hours, services, prices, and availability before visiting.
0.3 mi 
0.4 mi Terrace Pharmacy
0.8 miShowing the 3 closest pharmacies to Chico, CA.
Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.
Prevention & treatment
Testing is one step. For residents of Chico, telehealth covers the rest: HIV-prevention medication (PrEP) and DoxyPEP to lower future risk, and discreet online treatment if a result comes back positive. All prescribed by licensed U.S. clinicians.
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
Pricing varies by insurance and changes often, confirm on the provider's site. These services are not a substitute for emergency care.
STD stats & rates
How reported STI rates in Butte County, the county that includes Chico, compare with California and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~40% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#13 of 58 California counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 78% of the state
| Infection | Butte County | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 485.6 1,006 cases ▼ 1% | 491.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 131.8 273 cases ▼ 31% | 190.2 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 33.3 69 cases ▲ 104% | 16.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 18.3 38 cases ▼ 4% | 19.1 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 27 56 cases ▼ 42% | 46.7 | 29.5 |
Rates per 100,000 population, 2023. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis). Population figures: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. These figures are the latest available surveillance estimates. Bars are scaled to the highest rate shown.
Reading these numbers: reported case rates only count infections that were actually tested for and diagnosed, so they track local screening effort as much as true spread: a higher rate can reflect more testing, a lower one less. Either way, most STIs cause no symptoms, so treat the figures above as context rather than a verdict, and test on the CDC's schedule regardless of how your area looks.
Between 2020 and 2023 in Butte County, chlamydia has fallen from 534.9 to 485.6 per 100,000 (9%), gonorrhea has fallen from 209.3 to 131.8 per 100,000 (37%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 44.9 to 33.3 per 100,000 (26%).
The 2020 dip reflects reduced pandemic-era screening, not lower transmission. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis).
Community health context
Sources: CDC PLACES (ZIP), County Health Rankings, CDC/ATSDR SVI, HRSA HPSA, HRSA MUA/P, Neighborhood Atlas ADI. Lower insurance coverage, fewer routine checkups, and a thin primary-care ratio all raise the value of low-cost public clinics and at-home testing in Butte County.
Local HIV snapshot
Butte County HIV care continuum (2023)
Butte County recorded 8.5 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 14.9 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Butte County residents living with HIV, 83.4% are in care · 20.4% are virally suppressed. Early, routine testing is what moves these numbers: it is the entry point to PrEP, treatment, and viral suppression.
Sources: AIDSVu (Emory/Gilead) · CDC AHEAD · CDC AtlasPlus · CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county care continuum). The CDC recommends everyone aged 13–64 test for HIV at least once: every lab and clinic listed above offers HIV testing, and free rapid HIV testing is available at a local health department.
Congenital syphilis, passed from parent to baby in pregnancy, is the fastest-rising STI in the country. U.S. cases climbed from 2,163 in 2020 to 3,882 in 2023. It is almost entirely preventable: the CDC recommends a syphilis test at the first prenatal visit, and every clinic and lab listed for Butte County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Chico draws young adults who come for California State's campus, the seasonal agricultural work, or simply because the cost of rent makes staying possible, and that transience shapes how health care gets used here. The population shifts, leases turn over, and people move through. Routine STI testing in and around Chico listed on this page serves residents and newcomers alike who may not yet have built a stable relationship with a single clinic, and who value straightforward, no-questions access to screening without the friction of lengthy intake or waiting lists that stretch months ahead. The testing sites available locally recognize that Chico's working population (many employed part-time, seasonal, or in service industries) needs flexible hours and quick turnaround.
Walk-in appointments, evening slots, and same-day results matter here. Confidentiality isn't a courtesy; it's the baseline that lets single adults, renters between addresses, and people navigating transitions get tested without worrying about results following them or appearing on shared household bills. Whether someone settles in Chico long-term or passes through for a season, access to discreet screening keeps routine health checks from becoming another logistical hurdle. The clinics and urgent-care centers listed reflect that reality: they're built for people whose lives don't fit a fixed schedule, whose addresses change, and who need care that moves as fast as they do.
Getting there
At 7.69/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Chico generally mean driving: plan on a car or rideshare to reach a clinic, and check each listing's hours and phone before you go.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 95926 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 95926 area around Chico: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Chico alone.
Chico sits in Butte County, ZIP 95926. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Chico? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
Reference
Everything to know before you test in Butte County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under California law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.
Based on current CDC screening recommendations.
| Group | Tests | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone aged 13–64 | HIV | At least once |
| Sexually active women under 25 | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Women 25+ with new or multiple partners | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Pregnant people | HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B & C, chlamydia | Early in pregnancy |
| Gay & bisexual men (MSM) | Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV | Every 3–6 months |
| Anyone who shares injection equipment | HIV, hepatitis B & C | At least yearly |
| All adults at least once | Hepatitis C | At least once |
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Chico-area provider.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Gonorrhea | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Trichomoniasis | 1–4 weeks | Urine or swab |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10–33 days | Blood |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18–45 days | Blood |
| HIV (antibody) | 3–12 weeks | Blood / oral |
| Syphilis | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis B | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis C | 8–11 weeks | Blood |
| Herpes (HSV) | 4–16 weeks (antibody); swab a sore | Blood / swab |
These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Chico often test free or on a sliding scale; private labs and at-home kits bundle several tests into one fee. Use this as a per-test benchmark before you pay out of pocket, or see the full guide to STD test costs for insurance, free, and at-home options.
| Test | Reference price | CPT / HCPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87491 |
| Gonorrhea (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87591 |
| Trichomoniasis (NAAT) | $47.76 | 87661 |
| HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody | $26.87 | 87389 |
| HIV-1/2 antibody | $22.44 | 86703 |
| Syphilis (RPR/VDRL) | $5.61 | 86592 |
| Syphilis (treponemal antibody) | $17.49 | 86780 |
| Herpes (HSV NAAT) | $47.76 | 87529 |
| Hepatitis B surface antigen | $15.33 | 87340 |
| Hepatitis C antibody | $29.16 | 86803 |
Source: Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, CMS, 2025 rates (data.cms.gov). Reference rate for the lab assay only: a clinic visit, sample collection, or a bundled multi-test panel may cost more. Medicaid and most insurers cover STD screening at no out-of-pocket cost.
Two things that actually depend on California law: who can consent, and whether partners can be treated without their own visit. Everything else about testing privately is the same nationwide (see below).
In California, a minor aged 12 or older can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
California permits Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT): if you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea, your provider can give you medication (or a prescription) to pass to your partner, no separate exam or appointment needed for them.
Keeping a test private works the same in every state. Whether an STD test shows on insurance (the EOB), how to test anonymously, and self-pay options that leave no insurance trail don’t change by location.
Learn more about confidential STD testing in CaliforniaSource: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.
Good to Know
Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.
There are 11 options within a 30-mile drive.
Usually yes, it can be billed to insurance, or paid out of pocket at a flat rate.
Public clinics serve people without insurance, often on a sliding scale.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Butte County reported ~486 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the California average.
Most results are ready in about 1–2 days.
In California, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
Chlamydia is checked with a simple urine sample or a swab; lab results usually come back in a day or two.
Reputable kits use the same lab methods as clinics; any positive should be confirmed and treated by a provider.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.