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Viral hepatitis (fecal-oral; sexually transmissible via oral-anal contact) Curable

Hepatitis A Testing

Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). Unlike hepatitis B and C, it never becomes chronic: nearly everyone recovers fully within weeks to months and is then immune for life. A single blood test (IgM anti-HAV) confirms it, and a safe two-dose vaccine prevents it entirely. If you've been exposed, vaccination within two weeks can stop illness before it starts.

Find hepatitis A testing near you When can hepatitis A be detected?

Understanding hepatitis A

Testing for hepatitis A, in brief

Hepatitis A is usually symptomless and quick to cure, so testing is the only reliable way to know you have it. This page covers how hepatitis A testing works, what it costs, and where to get tested near you.

Full hepatitis A overview: symptoms, complications & treatment

Where to get tested

Find hepatitis A testing near you

Choose your test and enter your city: we'll take you straight to local hepatitis A testing: nearby clinics and labs, prices, hours and county rates.

Test from home

At-home STD testing in the U.S.

if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to the U.S., 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 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

    Quest Diagnostics

    Quest Diagnostics

    $79 & up

    Panel:
    8-infection panel incl. chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV, syphilis, hepatitis & herpes: single tests too
    Sample:
    Quest Mobile: a phlebotomist collects your sample at home
    Results:
    1–3 days, online: physician-reviewed
    • In-home sample collection
    • Nationwide Quest lab network
    • Physician-reviewed results
    • FSA/HSA eligible
    Order online Quest Diagnostics review

  • Best value: single tests

    Everlywell

    Everlywell

    $49 & up

    Panel:
    Chlamydia & gonorrhea, up to a 6-test panel adding HIV, syphilis, trichomoniasis & hep C
    Sample:
    Finger-prick + swab
    Results:
    Days, online
    • Telehealth visit if positive
    • CLIA-certified labs
    • HSA/FSA eligible
    • Subscription savings
    Order online Everlywell review

  • Best range: couples & full panels

    myLAB Box

    myLAB Box

    $79 & up

    Panel:
    Up to 14 infections, incl. HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis & herpes
    Sample:
    Self-collect: swab, urine, finger-prick
    Results:
    2–5 days, online
    • Free phone consult if positive
    • CLIA-certified labs
    • Couples & subscription options
    • Discreet packaging
    Order online myLAB Box review

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.

Symptoms

Do you need a hepatitis A test?

Young children under 6 are often completely asymptomatic but still shed HAV in their stool and can spread it efficiently to adult caregivers and household contacts. In older children and adults, symptoms typically appear 15–50 days after exposure (average ~28 days) and can range from mild, flu-like illness to severe jaundice and debilitation. Illness usually lasts a few weeks to less than two months, though roughly 10–15% of people experience a relapsing course over 6–9 months. Almost all adults eventually recover fully. That's exactly why testing matters: you can have it, pass it on, and never feel a thing.

See every hepatitis A symptom — in women, men, rectal & throat

How testing works

How a hepatitis A test works

Testing for hepatitis A is simple and painless — you pee in a cup or do a quick swab, and a lab checks the sample for the infection. Below: your options, what each costs, and how soon you can test after a possible exposure.

When to test

Test when symptoms appear (jaundice, dark urine, fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain) or as soon as possible after a known exposure to a confirmed case. IgM anti-HAV remains detectable for approximately 3–12 months after acute infection resolves. If you are asymptomatic after a known exposure, prioritize post-exposure vaccination over testing, early vaccination can prevent illness.

After treatment

A positive IgM anti-HAV confirms current or recent infection. A positive total/IgG anti-HAV with negative IgM indicates past infection or vaccine-induced immunity, not current illness. If you have recently been vaccinated, a positive IgG result is expected and protective.

IgM anti-HAV antibody Confirms active infection
Sample
Blood draw
Results
1–3 days

The diagnostic test for current or recent hepatitis A infection. Sensitivity ~93%, specificity ~97%. Becomes positive at or around symptom onset and remains detectable for approximately 3–12 months. A positive IgM with compatible symptoms confirms acute hepatitis A. Self-pay cost: ~$9–$15 at most private labs. Ordered as a standalone test or as part of a hepatitis panel.

IgG anti-HAV antibody (total or IgG)
Sample
Blood draw
Results
1–3 days

Detects antibodies from past infection or prior vaccination. Sensitivity ~97%, specificity ~97%. Used to assess immunity before starting the vaccine series, to confirm a protective vaccine response, or to document immunity for occupational or travel purposes. Positive IgG with negative IgM = past infection or vaccine-acquired immunity, not current illness. Self-pay cost: ~$9–$15.

Total hepatitis A antibody (combined IgM + IgG)
Sample
Blood draw
Results
1–3 days

A single draw that detects both IgM and IgG. Used when the clinical picture is unclear or when immunity confirmation is needed alongside acute-infection screening. A positive total with negative IgM = immunity; positive total with positive IgM = current or very recent infection. Self-pay cost: ~$10–$25.

Liver function tests (ALT and AST)
Sample
Blood draw
Results
Same or next day

Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) are markedly elevated during acute hepatitis A (often 10–50× the upper limit of normal), reflecting hepatocyte inflammation and injury. Ordered alongside HAV antibody tests to gauge severity, confirm the clinical picture, and monitor recovery. Not specific to HAV: elevated transaminases prompt the diagnostic workup, which then includes HAV serology.

What a hepatitis A test costs

Where What it costs
Private lab (self-pay)IgM or IgG anti-HAV antibody tests self-pay at a private lab: ~$9–$25 per test; combined total antibody panel: ~$10–$40. A basic liver panel (ALT/AST) runs ~$8–$20 additional. Testing at private walk-in labs (Quest, LabCorp affiliates) requires no appointment.
Free / sliding-scale clinicHealth departments offer free or very-low-cost hepatitis A testing and the complete vaccine series, especially during active outbreak responses. Community health centers and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) frequently provide testing and vaccination at no cost for uninsured patients. Check your local health department's hepatitis A outbreak resources.
With insuranceHepatitis A testing and the full vaccine series are covered by most ACA-compliant insurance plans. The vaccine is on the routine childhood immunization schedule (covered with no cost-sharing under most plans). For adults, hepatitis A vaccination is a recommended preventive service for at-risk groups and covered by many plans without cost-sharing.

Compare STD testing costs across every option.

Screening guidance

Who should get tested for hepatitis A?

Testing for hepatitis A is usually guided by symptoms, a known exposure, or a partner's diagnosis rather than routine screening: so you test when you have a reason to, not on a fixed schedule.

  1. 1

    Anyone with symptoms of jaundice or liver illness

    Fatigue, nausea, dark (tea-colored) urine, pale or clay-colored stools, or yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice) after a potential exposure are the most direct prompts to test. An IgM anti-HAV blood test confirms current or recent infection with ~93% sensitivity and ~97% specificity. Symptoms typically appear 2–7 weeks after exposure; abdominal pain in the upper right quadrant (over the liver) is also characteristic.

  2. 2

    Close contacts and sexual partners of a confirmed case

    If someone in your household, a sexual partner, or someone you shared drugs or drug equipment with has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, get evaluated and discuss post-exposure vaccination immediately, ideally within two weeks of exposure. Receiving the hepatitis A vaccine within 2 weeks of exposure can prevent illness. Every day counts; contact your health department for rapid access.

  3. 3

    People in outbreak settings, MSM, PWUD, people experiencing homelessness

    Since 2016, the CDC has tracked ongoing U.S. outbreaks in these three populations. If you are unvaccinated and belong to one of these groups, vaccination is strongly recommended even without a known exposure. Testing after any potential exposure or onset of compatible symptoms is warranted.

  4. 4

    People with chronic liver disease or HIV

    Hepatitis A causes disproportionately severe illness in people with pre-existing liver conditions, chronic hepatitis B or C, cirrhosis, alcoholic or fatty liver disease, and in people with HIV. Fulminant liver failure is substantially more likely in this group. Testing after any potential exposure and vaccination before exposure are critical preventive steps.

  5. 5

    International travelers to high-prevalence areas

    Travelers to countries in Africa, Central and South America, the Middle East, and parts of Asia and Eastern Europe where hepatitis A is common (or endemic) should be vaccinated at least 2 weeks before departure. If you return with jaundice, dark urine, or fatigue, request hepatitis A testing alongside a standard travel-medicine evaluation. Many travel-health clinics offer combined HAV + HBV (Twinrix) vaccination.

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Hepatitis A testing by state & city

Jump to local hepatitis A testing, clinics and labs, prices and county rates, in your state or a popular city, or explore another test.

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Living with hepatitis A

Questions to ask your provider about hepatitis A

Hepatitis A is treatable and nothing to be ashamed of. The most useful next step after a positive result (or before a first test) is a direct conversation with a clinician. Here are the questions that matter most:

  • Is my hepatitis A test result definitive, or do I need a confirmatory test?
  • What treatment options are available to me, and how long until I'm no longer contagious?
  • Should I notify my recent partners, and can your office help me do that confidentially?
  • Now that I've had hepatitis A, am I immune for life, and do I still need the vaccine?
  • Are there other STIs I should test for at the same visit?
  • How long until I feel better, and what should prompt me to seek urgent care?

Good to Know

Hepatitis A testing FAQs

Common questions about hepatitis A and hepatitis A testing, answered.

How do I get tested for hepatitis A?

Hepatitis A testing is a simple blood draw. A clinician orders an IgM anti-HAV antibody test, the test that confirms current or recent infection. You can order at a private lab (Quest, LabCorp, or affiliated walk-in sites: no appointment needed in most cases), visit a local health department or community clinic, or ask your primary-care provider. Results typically return within 1–3 days. The test costs approximately $9–$15 self-pay at most private labs and is covered by most insurance plans. If you want to confirm immunity (from a past infection or prior vaccination), a total anti-HAV or IgG anti-HAV test is ordered instead: same process, similar cost.

How soon after exposure should I get tested?

IgM anti-HAV antibodies appear around the time symptoms begin, roughly 2–7 weeks after exposure. If you have symptoms (jaundice, dark urine, fatigue, nausea, abdominal pain), get tested right away. If you are currently asymptomatic after a known exposure, the immediate priority is post-exposure vaccination, not testing, a test taken too soon after exposure may be negative even if you are incubating the virus. Once symptoms appear, the IgM test is highly accurate and confirms or rules out HAV infection within 1–3 days.

How much does hepatitis A testing and vaccination cost?

Testing: IgM or IgG anti-HAV antibody tests cost approximately $9–$25 self-pay at private labs; a combined total antibody panel runs $10–$40. Vaccination: the two-dose vaccine series and testing are often free at health departments, particularly during outbreak responses. Most ACA-compliant insurance plans cover hepatitis A vaccination at no out-of-pocket cost for eligible groups, since it is on the routine immunization schedule. Community health centers and FQHCs offer sliding-scale pricing for uninsured patients. Many syringe-service programs offer free hepatitis A vaccination as part of harm-reduction services.

How is hepatitis A tested for?

Hepatitis A is diagnosed with a blood test that looks for IgM antibodies to the virus, which signal a recent or current infection. A provider or lab draws the sample, and some at-home hepatitis panels also include hepatitis A.

Where can I get a hepatitis A test?

You can get tested at a clinic, your doctor office, an STI clinic, or a commercial lab, and some mail-in hepatitis panels test for it at home. It is often checked when you have symptoms or a known exposure.

How much does a hepatitis A test cost?

A standalone hepatitis A antibody test is usually inexpensive and often covered by insurance; mail-in hepatitis panels that include A, B, and C cost more but screen for all three at once. Many public clinics test at low or no cost.

Medically Reviewed · Updated

Reviewed by Mark Riegel, MD · Sexual Health Physician · Chief Medical Reviewer

Physician focused on sexual health, STI testing, treatment and prevention, and EasySTD's chief medical reviewer. Owns the condition guides and is the clinical backstop for any page without a more specific specialist. Our editorial guidelines →

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