Reported gonorrhea in Lincoln County is about 91% lower than the US average. If you're considering starting a new relationship in South Bristol, Maine, or need testing as part of ongoing care, you have local clinics and private labs to choose from: clinics are often low-cost or free, while labs tend to offer faster results and more flexible scheduling. Compare your options below.
Available testing centers
3 testing options are listed for South Bristol, ME. The nearest, Mainehealth, is about 6.3 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.
A safety-net rural health clinic about 6 miles from South Bristol. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Maine Family Planning in Damariscotta runs on scheduled appointments, so a single visit can cover the full panel (chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, herpes, hepatitis B and C) plus same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, on a sliding-scale fee open to everyone.
For anyone without a regular primary care provider, or paying cash and wanting answers in one visit, Maine Family Planning's panel covers herpes simplex and both hepatitis B and C alongside HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. That range eliminates the need to schedule separately with another provider for infections that a narrower clinic simply doesn't test for.
Maine Family Planning in Damariscotta prescribes both PrEP and PEP directly, with the monitoring appointments (baseline labs, follow-up HIV tests, kidney function checks for PrEP) handled in-house rather than handed off. Uninsured patients have a dedicated cost pathway for PrEP so the medication itself doesn't become the barrier after the prescription is written.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Mar 2026 · 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 6 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to South Bristol, 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 for simplicity & support
$89 & up
Best value: single tests
$49 & 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 Lincoln 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.
35 Miles Street, Damariscotta, ME 04543
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near South Bristol. 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, 193 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of South Bristol. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 54 offer telehealth.
Robert Hunold, DO
Family medicine · 5 Miles Ctr Way, Damariscotta
Hans Ruehsen, MD
Internal medicine · 35 Mile Street, Damariscotta
Cortney Linville, DO
Family medicine · 35 Water Street, Wiscasset
Daniel Friedland, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 49 Hooper Street, Wiscasset
Michael Romac, MD
Family medicine · 24 Miles Ctr Way, Damariscotta
Michael Clark, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 80 River Road, Newcastle
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 South Bristol, ME 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.
5.3 mi 
5.3 mi Nathan's Wellness Pharmacy and Apothecary
5.4 miHannaford Food and Drug
8.3 mi
14 mi Showing the 5 closest pharmacies to South Bristol, ME.
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 South Bristol, 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 $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
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
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 Lincoln County, the county that includes South Bristol, compare with Maine and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~15% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#15 of 16 Maine counties for chlamydia, among the lowest in the state
| Infection | Lincoln County | Maine | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 131.5 48 cases ▼ 40% | 217.4 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 16.4 6 cases ▼ 63% | 44.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | — no data | 5.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | — no data | 2.1 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 2.7 1 cases ▼ 40% | 4.5 | 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 Lincoln County, chlamydia has fallen from 187.3 to 131.5 per 100,000 (30%), gonorrhea has risen from 2.8 to 16.4 per 100,000 (486%), and P&S syphilis has held roughly steady from 5.5 to 5.5 per 100,000.
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 Lincoln County.
Local HIV snapshot
Lincoln County HIV care continuum (2022)
Lincoln County recorded 0 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2022), against 2.9 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Lincoln County residents living with HIV, 91.4% are in care · 82.9% 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 Lincoln County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
South Bristol skews heavily toward homeowners, about four in five households here own their homes, which tells you something about who's putting down roots along ME 27 versus who's passing through or renting short-term near Pemaquid Harbor. That renting minority, often younger adults still figuring out where they'll land, tends to carry more of the housing-cost pressure that competes with discretionary healthcare spending, and typical rents here aren't trivial. When money is already allocated tightly, a screening appointment can feel like a luxury rather than a baseline. The workforce picture adds another layer: a labor-force participation rate well below most Maine communities means a significant share of residents aren't on employer schedules at all: retired, seasonal, or otherwise outside the nine-to-five pattern.
That cuts both ways. Some people have flexible days; others lack the employer-based insurance that makes a clinic visit feel automatic. For younger adults in their late teens and twenties (the years when new relationships, new living situations, and first encounters with the healthcare system all converge) testing is most useful when it requires the least navigation.
Getting there
At 6.33/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in South Bristol 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 04573 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 04573 area around South Bristol: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not South Bristol alone.
South Bristol sits in Lincoln County, ZIP 04573. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside South Bristol? 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 Lincoln County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Maine 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 South Bristol-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 South Bristol 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 Maine 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 Maine, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Maine 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 MaineSource: 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 3 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.
Lincoln County reported ~132 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the Maine average.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
In Maine, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
At-home kits mail to 04573: self-collect, send to the lab, results in ~2–5 days.
Negative is good news, just retest later if the test was soon after a possible exposure.
Your results are part of your HIPAA-protected medical record; you can ask any clinic about its own privacy practices.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.