Lexington County reports about 15 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 residents, near the US average. When you're considering whether it's your first STI test or a routine screening in Irmo, South Carolina, you can choose between visiting a clinic for immediate answers and starting treatment, or using an at-home kit for convenience and flexibility.
Available testing centers
9 testing options are listed for Irmo, SC. The nearest, Quest Diagnostics, is about 1.7 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.
Cooperative Health, a community health center in Columbia, brings full-service STI care alongside family medicine, covering gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis C, and TB on a sliding-scale fee with same-visit bacterial treatment; appointments required.
Cooperative Health has interpretation services available for non-English languages, meaning the clinical conversation (exposure history, treatment plan, follow-up instructions) moves at full speed without pausing to patch in outside support.
The testing panel at Cooperative Health in Columbia extends to hepatitis C in addition to HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and hepatitis A and B vaccination. Six infections addressed at a single center, so a patient leaves with a genuinely complete picture of their status.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Feb 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Eau Claire Podiatry, serving Columbia, earned its federally qualified health center designation by tying fees to patient income: meaning syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening stays financially within reach across a wide range of household budgets, with no appointment needed to get started.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Brookland Community Pediatrics, in West Columbia, carries federally qualified health center standing. A designation that ties STI screening fees directly to each patient's income on a sliding scale. Walk-in appointments are welcome for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing without needing to commit to a fixed cost upfront.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
South Carolina Department of Public Health in Lexington requires appointments and covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis C, and TB testing on a sliding-scale fee accepted alongside Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance. With same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs and PrEP and DoxyPEP available on-site.
Tracking down PrEP through a primary care referral or DoxyPEP through a separate provider means delays measured in weeks, gaps where consistent prevention simply doesn't happen. South Carolina Department of Public Health in Lexington writes and manages PrEP, PEP, and DoxyPEP directly, so prevention starts from the same visit as testing.
South Carolina Department of Public Health in Lexington tests for hepatitis C in addition to HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, which means a single appointment can surface a hep C infection that would otherwise go undetected until symptoms appear or a separate lab order is placed.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Genesis Healthcare in Columbia welcomes walk-ins for STI screening, so no appointment stands between anyone and care. Federally qualified status means fees follow a sliding scale tied to income. A single visit can cover syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing in one stop.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
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 Irmo, 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 Lexington 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.
400 Palmetto Health Parkway, Columbia, SC 29212
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
400 Palmetto Health Parkway, Columbia, SC 29212
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
7611 St Andrews Road, Irmo, SC 29063
CMS-certified lab
7428 Broad River Road, Irmo, SC 29063
CMS-certified lab
7941 Broad River Road, Irmo, SC 29063
CMS-certified lab
Showing the nearest 5 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Irmo. 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, 503 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Irmo. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 130 offer telehealth.
Pamela Brown, MD
Family medicine · 1526 Lake Murray Boulevard, Columbia
John Gould, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 7430 College Street, Irmo
Joseph Gabriel, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 7182 Woodrow Street, Irmo
Alan Peterson, MD
Internal medicine · 7033 Saint Andrews Road, Columbia
Robert Silverio, MD
OB-GYN · 7033 Saint Andrews Road, Columbia
Surbjinder Guram, MD
Internal medicine · 1 Wellness Boulevard, Irmo
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 Irmo, SC 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.
1.2 mi 
1.3 mi Columbia Pharmacy
1.4 mi
1.5 mi Irmo Drug
1.5 mi
1.5 mi Showing the 6 closest pharmacies to Irmo, SC.
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 Irmo, 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.
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
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 Lexington County, the county that includes Irmo, compare with South Carolina and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~29% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#36 of 46 South Carolina counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 22% of the state
| Infection | Lexington County | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 455.5 1,410 cases ▼ 26% | 612.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 169 523 cases ▼ 24% | 222.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 10 31 cases ▼ 42% | 17.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 14.2 44 cases ▼ 24% | 18.8 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 16.8 52 cases ▲ 44% | 11.7 | 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 Lexington County, chlamydia has fallen from 466.7 to 455.5 per 100,000 (2%), gonorrhea has fallen from 209.2 to 169 per 100,000 (19%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 7.5 to 10 per 100,000 (33%).
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 Lexington County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: South Carolina is one of the U.S. jurisdictions prioritized under the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative: targeted federal funding to expand local HIV testing, PrEP, and prevention.
Lexington County HIV care continuum (2023)
Lexington County recorded 15 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 18.3 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Lexington County residents living with HIV, 83.3% are in care · 69.2% 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 Lexington County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Irmo reads like a community that has settled in: most households own their homes, more than half of adults are married, and families here tend to be larger than the regional norm. That stability is real. But underneath it, a meaningful slice of residents are out of work, and the town's layout means nearly every errand, including a clinic visit, involves getting on Broad River Road or Dutch Fork Road rather than walking anywhere. Those logistical realities land differently depending on where you are in life.
Younger adults in Quail Valley or Glenridge at Harbison (people still building careers, relationships, and routines) are often the ones working variable schedules or managing tight budgets. Typical rent here clears eleven hundred dollars a month, and with roughly one in four households renting rather than owning, cost pressure is a real factor in how people weigh optional appointments. For someone in their late teens or twenties, who statistically carries the greatest exposure risk for STIs, adding a long drive and possible out-of-pocket costs to the calculus often means testing gets deferred indefinitely. That's why the options listed on this page matter as much as their count.
Some offer sliding-scale fees; some have hours that don't require leaving work early. Knowing which one fits your situation, before you need it, is the kind of thing worth checking on a slow Sunday near Irmo Community Park.
Getting there
At 8.7/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Irmo 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 29063 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 29063 area around Irmo: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Irmo alone.
Irmo sits in Lexington County, ZIP 29063. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Irmo? 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 Lexington County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under South Carolina 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 an Irmo-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 Irmo 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 South Carolina 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 South Carolina, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
South Carolina 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 South CarolinaSource: 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 9 options within a 30-mile drive.
Free at public clinics. Private labs run about $24 for one test and $139 for a full panel; at-home kits are $49+.
Yes, free HIV testing is available at public clinics in the area.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Lexington County reported ~456 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the South Carolina average.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
In South Carolina, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Chlamydia is checked with a simple urine sample or a swab; lab results usually come back in a day or two.
A kit ships to your address; you collect a urine, swab, or finger-stick sample, mail it to the lab, and get results online in a few days.
Reassuring if you tested after the window, just retest if it was early, and screen again with new partners.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.