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STD Testing in Hillsborough, CA: Free, Same-Day & Confidential

In California's San Mateo County, reported gonorrhea runs about 30% lower than the US average. When looking for one-time or routine STI testing in Hillsborough, California, you can choose between community clinics and private labs. Community clinics usually offer low-cost or free options, while private labs may have faster results and more flexible scheduling.

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  • Clinics, labs & at-home kits compared
  • Free & low-cost options included
  • Backed by CDC, CMS & Census data
  • Editorially reviewed

STD testing near Hillsborough, CA

9 testing options are listed for Hillsborough, CA. The nearest, North East Medical Services - 35 Baywood, is about 1.7 miles away. Compare community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.

How to read these listings

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.

Community health center 1.7 miles

North East Medical Services - 35 Baywood

No ratings yet

North East Medical Services - 35 Baywood, San Mateo, welcomes walk-ins for STI screening without an appointment. Federal qualification anchors its sliding-scale fee structure, making syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing available at costs tied to household income, so a single visit can cover the full standard panel.

Sliding-scale
Address
35 Baywood Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94402
Website
Community health center 1.8 miles

HealthRIGHT360- San Mateo Clinic

Where these reviews come from

Review sources

  • Google10
  • EasySTD1
Rated 3.8 out of 5 from 11 reviews

HealthRIGHT360–San Mateo Clinic serves anyone navigating care without insurance or on a tight budget, meeting them with federally qualified sliding-scale fees tied to income. Walk-ins are welcome for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening: no appointment needed, no fixed price standing between someone and testing.

Sliding-scale
Address
117 North San Mateo Drive, Suite 1, CA 94401
Website
1.9 miles

Stanford Childrens Health

Where these reviews come from

Review sources

  • Google9
  • EasySTD1
Rated 3.9 out of 5 from 10 reviews

Stanford Children's Health in San Mateo requires an appointment and covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, herpes, hepatitis A, B, and C, and TB on a sliding-scale fee basis, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections and insurance or Medicaid accepted.

Read full overview Show less

Prevention Prescribing Goes Beyond the Test

Prevention-only clinics often hand off prescription-based HIV prevention entirely. Stanford Children's Health in San Mateo writes both PrEP and PEP in-house, meaning the clinical relationship that begins with testing can extend directly into ongoing or emergency prevention without switching providers.

Herpes and Three Hepatitis Strains on the Panel

The panel at Stanford Children's Health in San Mateo includes herpes simplex and hepatitis A, B, and C alongside the standard bacterial and HIV tests: infections screened in a single appointment, each with its own clinical consequence for treatment or vaccination eligibility.

Tests & treats PrEP
Address
50 South San Mateo Drive, Suite 180 San Mateo, CA 94401
Booking
Appointment required
Opening hours
  • Monday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Tuesday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Wednesday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Thursday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Friday 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
  • Saturday 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Sunday Closed
Website
Community health center 2.2 miles

Central County Mental Health CTR

Where these reviews come from

Review sources

  • Google3
  • EasySTD1
Rated 5 out of 5 from 4 reviews

Central County Mental Health CTR, serving San Mateo, carries federal qualification that requires sliding-scale fees tied to income. Meaning cost adjusts to what a patient actually earns. Walk-in STI screening covers syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia without an appointment needed.

Sliding-scale
Address
1950 Alameda De Las Pulgas, San Mateo, CA 94403
Website
Community health center 3.0 miles

NEMS Administrative Building - Gilbreth

No ratings yet

NEMS Administrative Building - Gilbreth, in Burlingame, earned federal qualification precisely so people paying out of pocket, between insurance plans, or living on modest incomes have a real clinical option. Fees slide with income, and standard STI screening covers syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. No appointment needed.

Sliding-scale
Address
1710 Gilbreth Road, Burlingame, CA 94010
Website

Free tool · not a clinic

When can I test? Exposure-window calculator

Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.

Detection windows for every 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.

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What matters most to you?

What will it cost? Estimate your STD test

Typical out-of-pocket ranges by option, actual cost depends on which tests you need.

  • Public / community clinic

    Free HIV testing is common

    $0–$25
  • Private lab (self-pay)

    Never billed to insurance

    $24–$200
  • At-home kit

    Mailed to your door, private

    From $49
  • Doctor / urgent care

    Often $0 preventive with insurance

    $0–$50 copay

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Rate what mattered to you, no account needed. Reviews are moderated before publishing.

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Staff & comfort
Value for cost

Every other option

More ways to get tested in Hillsborough, CA

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.

At-home STD testing in Hillsborough, CA

The nearest testing center is about 2 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Hillsborough, 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.

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.

Other CLIA-certified labs near Hillsborough, CA

Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve San Mateo 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.

  • Color Diagnostics

    863 Mitten Road, Burlingame, CA 94010

    CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists

    • Full STD panel
  • Sutter Bay Hospitals

    1501 Trousdale Drive, Burlingame, CA 94010

    CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists

    • Full STD panel
  • UCSF Peninsula Outpatient Center LAB

    225 California Dr Room 460, Burlingame, CA 94010

    CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists

    • Full STD panel
  • Peninsula Dermatology

    1750 El Camino Real, Suite 206, Burlingame, CA 94010

    CMS-certified lab

    • STD testing
  • Anne Thai MD A Professional

    1720 El Camino Real, Suite 135, Burlingame, CA 94010

    CMS-certified lab

    • STD testing

Showing the nearest 5 CLIA-certified labs.

Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Hillsborough. 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.

Clinicians near Hillsborough, CA who may help arrange STD testing

Beyond dedicated clinics, 5,465 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Hillsborough. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 2,282 offer telehealth.

  • James Chen, MD

    Internal medicine · 1435 Southdown Road, Hillsborough

  • Sana Jivraj, MD Telehealth

    Family medicine · 329 Primrose Road, Burlingame

  • Adrian Tomes, MD Telehealth

    Family medicine · 225 California Drive, Burlingame

  • Tommy Kuo, MD Telehealth

    Family medicine · One Baywood Avenue, San Mateo

  • Lily Enayati, MD Telehealth

    Internal medicine · 1 Baywood Avenue, San Mateo

  • Sue Arakaki, MD

    Family medicine · 1 Baywood Avenue, San Mateo

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.

Pharmacies near Hillsborough, CA

No pharmacy near Hillsborough, 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.

  • Walgreens 1.4 mi
    Rx pickupOTC HIV self-testAt-home STI kitsPrEP/PEP fillsHPV & Hep B vaccinesCondoms / EC
  • Albertsons/Safeway 1.4 mi
    Rx pickupHPV & Hep B vaccinesCondoms / EC
  • Mills Square Pharmacy

    1.9 mi
    Rx pickupCondoms / EC

Showing the 3 closest pharmacies to Hillsborough, CA.

Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.

PrEP, prevention & online treatment

Testing is one step. For residents of Hillsborough, 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.

Pricing varies by insurance and changes often, confirm on the provider's site. These services are not a substitute for emergency care.

STDs & HIV in San Mateo County: the local picture

How reported STI rates in San Mateo County, the county that includes Hillsborough, compare with California and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~16% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.

#26 of 58 California counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 55% of the state

Reported STD rates per 100,000, San Mateo County vs California vs U.S.

San Mateo County California U.S. ▲▼ = San Mateo County vs the state average
Infection San Mateo County California United States
Chlamydia
360.4 2,618 cases ▼ 27%
491.1 492.2
Gonorrhea
125.3 910 cases ▼ 34%
190.2 179.5
Syphilis (P&S)
9.2 67 cases ▼ 44%
16.3 15.8
Syphilis (early)
11.6 84 cases ▼ 39%
19.1 16
Syphilis (late/unknown)
19.1 139 cases ▼ 59%
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.

Reported STD rates in San Mateo County over time (per 100,000)

Chlamydia ▲ 5% vs 2022
Chlamydia Gonorrhea Syphilis (P&S)
0 200 400 2020202120222023

Between 2020 and 2023 in San Mateo County, chlamydia has risen from 263.1 to 360.4 per 100,000 (37%), gonorrhea has risen from 108.3 to 125.3 per 100,000 (16%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 12.3 to 9.2 per 100,000 (25%).

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

What shapes testing access in and around Hillsborough, CA

Adults uninsured
4%
No routine checkup
26.9%
No transportation
4.6%
Binge drinking
15.1%
Frequent mental distress
12.3%
Depression
18.8%
Below poverty line
5.4%
Primary-care ratio
918 : 1
San Mateo County
  • Primary-care shortage score 9 / 26
  • Medically Underserved Area · IMU 58.8
  • Social Vulnerability Index · 29th percentile nationally

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 San Mateo County.

Local HIV snapshot

HIV in San Mateo County (2023)

People living with HIV
271 / 100k
New diagnoses (2023)
77cases countywide
On PrEP (coverage)
15.7%

San Mateo County HIV care continuum (2023)

San Mateo County recorded 12.2 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 14.9 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among San Mateo County residents living with HIV, 75.4% are in care · 55.4% 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.

Pregnant or planning to be?

Congenital syphilis is the fastest-rising STI: what to test, and when

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 San Mateo County tests for syphilis.

Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).

17 Sources

Local resources & officials

Data & references

About Hillsborough, CA

Burlingame Hills sits just over Hillsborough's northern edge, and the households that anchor this corridor share a profile that shapes how residents actually move through their week: the vast majority own their homes, most are married, and households here run larger than the regional average. With well over half the adult population in the labor force and unemployment exceptionally low, the pressure isn't joblessness but schedule density, the kind where two working parents and school-aged children leave little room for appointments that require driving somewhere unfamiliar during business hours. That schedule reality lands hardest on younger adults, people in their late teens and twenties, the group where STI transmission concentrates most.

Hillsborough's share in that age range is relatively modest, but even a smaller slice of a high-income, time-constrained population benefits from knowing options exist without rearranging a full Tuesday. For a household earning comfortably above six figures, cost is rarely the obstacle; the real calculation is time and distance. The range here covers everything from sliding-scale community health appointments to express lab-based testing, so a resident near Carolands or commuting through Millbrae has more than one realistic path to a result.

Getting there

How residents reach STD testing in Hillsborough, CA

Walkability 10.04 / 20 · Below average

At 10.04/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Hillsborough 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.

Map of 9 STD & STI testing locations in Hillsborough, California, EasySTD

ZIP 94010 snapshot

Residents
42,794
Median age
42.5
Median income
$191,758

ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 94010 area around Hillsborough: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Hillsborough alone.

Hillsborough sits in San Mateo County, ZIP 94010. Local context that shapes where residents test:

Local landmarks

  • Millbrae Train Museum
  • Carolands
  • Black Mountain
  • San Mateo Central Park
  • Coyote Point Recreation Area
  • CuriOdyssey

Neighborhoods & communities

  • Burlingame
  • San Mateo
  • Burlingame Hills
  • Burlingame Village
  • Millbrae

Major routes

  • Junipero Serra Freeway
  • CA 82 (El Camino Real)
  • West 3rd Avenue

STD testing in Hillsborough, CA: screening, costs & privacy

Everything to know before you test in San Mateo 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.

Who should test, and when

CDC screening schedule + each infection's detection window

Who should get tested, and how often

Based on current CDC screening recommendations.

GroupTestsHow 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

When to test: STD detection windows

Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Hillsborough-area provider.

InfectionEarliest reliable testSample
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

What each STD test costs

Medicare reference prices per lab test, a benchmark before you pay out of pocket

These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Hillsborough 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.

TestReference priceCPT / 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.

Confidentiality & consent in California

Minor consent and partner treatment (EPT) under state law, plus how to test privately

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).

Can a minor consent on their own?

In California, a minor aged 12 or older can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.

Can my partner be treated too? (EPT)

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 California

Source: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.

STD testing FAQs for Hillsborough, CA

Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.

Can I get tested near San Mateo, CA instead?

Possibly, San Mateo, CA is close; compare it by distance against North East Medical Services - 35 Baywood.

What does STD testing cost around Hillsborough, CA?

Public clinics are free; private labs ~$24–$139, at-home kits $49+.

Is there free STD testing near Hillsborough, CA?

Yes, public clinics in the area offer free or low-cost testing.

Which tests are offered near Hillsborough, CA?

Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.

How common is chlamydia in San Mateo County?

About 360 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), below the California average.

Can someone under 18 get tested in California without a parent?

In California, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.

Where do I get PrEP around Hillsborough, CA?

PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.

Is drug-resistant gonorrhea a concern?

Resistance is rising, which is why the CDC advises a particular treatment; don't self-treat, get tested and treated correctly.

I tested negative, am I fully in the clear?

Likely yes, if you were past the window period; otherwise retest, and keep up routine screening with new partners.

I tested positive, what are the next steps?

Start treatment, tell recent partners so they can test, avoid sex until cleared, and retest if advised, most STIs resolve with care.

Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.