Chlamydia is 39% less common in Santa Clara County than in the US overall. Whether you need testing after a possible exposure or as part of routine care in Palo Alto, California, weigh whether you prefer to visit a clinic to get immediate answers, or use an at-home kit for your convenience.
Available testing centers
12 testing options are listed for Palo Alto, CA. The nearest, Quest Diagnostics, is about 2.1 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.
Santa Clara Valley Dentalcare - Mountain View el Camino Real, in Mountain View, carries federally qualified health center standing: meaning its STI screening fees slide with income, keeping syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing within reach for patients across the financial spectrum. No appointment is needed to get started.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte in Mountain View runs a full gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and rapid or conventional HIV panel on sliding-scale fees with no appointment required, same-visit treatment for bacterial infections included, and clinical staff communicate directly in Hindi, Spanish, and Tagalog.
Clinical staff at Planned Parenthood Mar Monte speak Hindi, Spanish, and Tagalog alongside English. Four languages total available for direct clinical conversation. That means medical history, treatment instructions, and prescription guidance are exchanged in the same language across the whole appointment, not relayed through a secondary channel.
As a Title X-funded clinic, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte is legally required to provide confidential family planning services to minors. The confidentiality isn't a clinic-level courtesy but a federal statutory protection. That distinction governs how records are handled and to whom information can be disclosed.
Many sexual health clinics test and treat but stop short of prescribing ongoing HIV prevention, PrEP requires follow-up labs and renewals that get handed off to a primary care provider. Planned Parenthood Mar Monte prescribes and manages both PrEP and PEP directly, including coverage for uninsured patients through dedicated program funding.
Languages
English, Hindi, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish, Tagalog
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Ravenswood Family Health Network in Palo Alto schedules appointments, no walk-in queue, and covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, HIV, and TB in one visit, with same-visit bacterial treatment, sliding-scale fees accepted by Medicaid, Medicare, and most insurance, and care delivered in Spanish.
Ravenswood Family Health Network conducts STI care fully in Spanish (consultations, results, and follow-up planning) which means nothing gets compressed into simpler terms or held back for a later conversation with someone else.
The clinic runs herpes serology alongside gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV. Meaning a clinician orders and interprets the herpes result in the same appointment rather than treating it as a separate referral pathway. Bacterial infections confirmed at that visit are treated the same day.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Apr 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Valley Health Center - North County in Palo Alto welcomes walk-in visits for STI screening, covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia without requiring an appointment. Federal qualification backs its sliding-scale fees, meaning costs adjust to income for anyone who comes through the door.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
El Camino Health in Mountain View tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV on a fee-based scale that accepts Medicare and most insurance, with coverage for PrEP for uninsured patients. Walk-ins welcome, no appointment required.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Oct 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Peninsula Healthcare Connection in Palo Alto earned its federally qualified designation by committing to serve anyone regardless of insurance status or income, making it a real option for people paying out of pocket or between providers. Sliding-scale fees apply to syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening, with no appointment required.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Sutter Health in Palo Alto pairs same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis) with testing for herpes, hepatitis B and C, TB, and rapid or conventional HIV; appointments are required, and fees are charged with insurance accepted.
Sutter Health carries both PrEP and PEP directly within its sexual health services. That means ongoing PrEP prescriptions and PEP management stay with the same clinical team, keeping prevention continuous rather than split across separate providers.
For anyone without a regular primary-care provider, Sutter Health's panel covers herpes, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C alongside the core bacterial and HIV tests. Meaning a single appointment can surface infections that a narrower panel would leave undetected and unaddressed.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Mar 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis A, B, and C, and tuberculosis, with fees adjusted on a sliding scale and insurance or Medicare accepted; appointments are required, and bacterial STIs are treated the same visit, with Spanish-language care available.
Testing at Stanford covers herpes and hepatitis A, B, and C alongside the core bacterial infections, which means a single visit can surface conditions that a narrower panel would simply miss, avoiding a separate specialist appointment to fill the gap.
Stanford carries both PrEP and PEP as standing clinical services: meaning anyone without a regular prescriber, or whose current provider doesn't manage HIV prevention medications, can initiate, continue, or adjust either regimen here rather than hunting down a separate specialist.
Spanish-language care at Stanford is embedded in the clinical staff itself: appointments, medical histories, prescription instructions, and follow-up counseling are conducted directly in Spanish by providers, so nothing passes through a secondary layer before reaching the patient.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Nov 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
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 Palo Alto, 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 value: single tests
$49 & up
Best range: couples & full panels
$79 & 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 Santa Clara 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.
1810 Embarcadero Rd Suite 100, Palo Alto, CA 94303
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
3100 Hanover Street, Palo Alto, CA 94304
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
4756 El Camino Real, Los Altos, CA 94022
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
770 Welch Rd Clinic A, Palo Alto, CA 94304
CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission
3520 West Bayshore Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303
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 Palo Alto. 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, 3,994 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Palo Alto. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 1,597 offer telehealth.
Jeffrey Pollard, MD
General practice · 110 Skyline Rdg, Los Gatos
Larry Freeman, MD
Family medicine · 4161 El Camino Way, Palo Alto
Francis Lastufka, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 2350 West El Camino Real, Mountain View
Elena Vendrame, MD Telehealth
Infectious disease · 2350 West El Camino Real 2nd Floor, Mountain View
Virginia Heese, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 2515 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
Irena Ilic, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 370 Distel Circle, Los Altos
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 Palo Alto, 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.
1.7 mi 
1.8 mi 
1.9 mi Los Altos Pharmacy
1.9 miShowing the 4 closest pharmacies to Palo Alto, 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 Palo Alto, 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.
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
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
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 Santa Clara County, the county that includes Palo Alto, compare with California and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~23% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#36 of 58 California counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 38% of the state
| Infection | Santa Clara County | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 301.8 5,666 cases ▼ 39% | 491.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 110.9 2,083 cases ▼ 42% | 190.2 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 8.4 157 cases ▼ 48% | 16.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 10.4 196 cases ▼ 46% | 19.1 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 29.1 546 cases ▼ 38% | 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 Santa Clara County, chlamydia has risen from 229.4 to 301.8 per 100,000 (32%), gonorrhea has fallen from 117.7 to 110.9 per 100,000 (6%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 18.3 to 8.4 per 100,000 (54%).
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 Santa Clara County.
Local HIV snapshot
Santa Clara County HIV care continuum (2023)
Santa Clara County recorded 10.3 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 14.9 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Santa Clara County residents living with HIV, 77.4% are in care · 70.1% 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 Santa Clara County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
College Terrace sits close enough to Stanford's edge that its streets fill with residents who keep research-lab hours, startup schedules, and the kind of packed calendars where a midday appointment is genuinely hard to carve out. That workforce reality shapes how Palo Alto approaches most things, and STI screening is no exception. Nearly half of residents here rent, at monthly costs that leave little room for surprise medical bills, which makes the fee range across the options listed on this page more consequential than it might look at first glance.
At the same time, the majority of households earn well into six figures, so the population skews toward people with insurance and established doctors, yet still regularly skips routine screening simply because time is the scarcer resource. " Getting to any of the listed options typically means a drive, whether that's heading out on Page Mill Road toward the county's western clinics or joining the commute pattern already familiar from Foothill Expressway.
Getting there
Palo Alto scores 12.28/20 on the EPA walkability index, so many trips are walkable or a short ride, though a car still gives you the widest choice of testing centers.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 94303 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 94303 area around Palo Alto: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Palo Alto alone.
Palo Alto sits in Santa Clara County, ZIP 94303. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Palo Alto? 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 Santa Clara 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 Palo Alto-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 Palo Alto 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 12 options within a 30-mile drive.
Yes, Medicaid typically covers it, and public clinics are free either way.
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.
Santa Clara County reported ~302 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the California average.
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.
Reputable kits use the same lab methods as clinics; any positive should be confirmed and treated by a provider.
Chlamydia is checked with a simple urine sample or a swab; lab results usually come back in a day or two.
Go to an ER or call RAINN (800-656-4673); they provide testing, PEP, and support right away.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.