In Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, reported syphilis runs about 60% higher than the US average. Whether you have symptoms or just want peace of mind, you can choose between community and public clinics, which are often low-cost or free, and private labs, which tend to offer faster results and more flexible scheduling. We list your options below.
Available testing centers
10 testing options are listed for Tuscaloosa, AL. The nearest, Whatley Health Services, is about 2.9 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.
Whatley Health Services in Tuscaloosa covers gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, rapid and conventional HIV, and hepatitis A, B, and C testing, with same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs: all on a sliding scale, appointments required, and HIV and hepatitis C tests at no charge.
Fee-free STI care usually means one or two tests covered, with treatment billed separately. At Whatley Health Services, the no-cost structure extends across the full visit (testing, treatment, PrEP, and hepatitis care alike) so nothing is carved out once you're through the door.
When a clinic lacks on-site language support, the missed nuance isn't abstract. A misunderstood dosing instruction or an uncommunicated symptom can leave treatment incomplete. Whatley Health Services provides Spanish-language care and interpretation for other languages directly within the clinical encounter, not as an afterthought.
Whatley Health Services manages PrEP in-clinic: providers prescribe the medication, schedule the required follow-up labs (HIV testing every three months, kidney function and STI screening as indicated) and adjust the regimen based on results. PEP is also available for prevention, with coverage extended to uninsured patients.
Languages
English, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Five Horizons Health Services in Tuscaloosa schedules appointments for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, and hepatitis A, B, and C testing, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, sliding-scale fees, and Spanish-language care woven throughout.
Many testing-only clinics hand off prevention medication to a prescriber elsewhere, leaving patients to navigate a second appointment. Five Horizons writes PrEP and PEP prescriptions directly, so ongoing HIV prevention is managed at the same clinic handling the testing.
Without Ryan White backing, a positive HIV result can stall into uncoordinated follow-up and mounting costs. Five Horizons carries Ryan White funding to bridge testing through sustained HIV/AIDS medical treatment and medication adherence counseling, the care continuum held at one address.
Spanish-language services at Five Horizons run through staff capacity: counseling, treatment planning, and medication adherence education conducted in Spanish by the people actually managing care, not routed through an add-on service layer.
Languages
English, Spanish
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Mar 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
Whatley Health Services, Inc. Annex in Tuscaloosa welcomes walk-ins for STI screening, no appointment needed. Backed by federal FQHC standing, the clinic ties fees to income on a sliding scale. A single visit can cover syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing in one stop.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
A safety-net federally qualified health center about 21 miles from Tuscaloosa. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
Pickens County Family Practice Center in Gordo meets residents who are paying out of pocket, between providers, or working without insurance through its federally qualified standing. Meaning fees scale with income. STI screening here covers syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, with no appointment required to get started.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
A community safety-net rural health clinic about 23 miles from Tuscaloosa. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
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 3 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Tuscaloosa, 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 Tuscaloosa 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.
809 University Blvd East, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
3701 Loop Rd East Building 135 1st Floor, Tuscaloosa, AL 35404
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
809 University Blvd East, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
2700 Hospital Drive, Northport, AL 35476
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
850 Peter Bryce Boulevard, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
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 Tuscaloosa. 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, 220 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Tuscaloosa. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 13 offer telehealth.
Mark Woods, MD
Family medicine · 1651 Ruby Tyler Parkway, Tuscaloosa
Monica Bui, DO
Family medicine · 850 Peter Bryce Boulevard, Tuscaloosa
Connie Richardson, MD
Family medicine · 9070 Hwy 69 South, Tuscaloosa
Jennifer Burdette, MD
Family medicine · 7700 Hwy 69 South, Tuscaloosa
Charles Abney, MD
Family medicine · 2700 Hospital Drive, Tuscaloosa
Steven Coppock, MD
Family medicine · 2231 Trenton Drive, Tuscaloosa
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 Tuscaloosa, AL 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.
Riverwood Pharmacy
0.6 miTuscaloosa Drug Capstone
0.6 mi
0.6 mi Alcc Retail Pharmacy
0.6 miJann's Pharmacy
1.4 mi
1.8 mi Showing the 6 closest pharmacies to Tuscaloosa, AL.
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 Tuscaloosa, 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
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
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
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 Tuscaloosa County, the county that includes Tuscaloosa, compare with Alabama and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~44% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#17 of 67 Alabama counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 75% of the state
| Infection | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 794.5 1,886 cases ▲ 22% | 651.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 339.1 805 cases ▲ 49% | 226.9 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 25.3 60 cases ▼ 12% | 28.6 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 35.8 85 cases ▲ 75% | 20.4 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 24 57 cases ▼ 2% | 24.5 | 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 Tuscaloosa County, chlamydia has risen from 654.1 to 794.5 per 100,000 (21%), gonorrhea has fallen from 368.2 to 339.1 per 100,000 (8%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 15.9 to 25.3 per 100,000 (59%).
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 Tuscaloosa County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: Alabama 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.
Tuscaloosa County HIV care continuum (2023)
Tuscaloosa County recorded 30.5 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 16.5 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Tuscaloosa County residents living with HIV, 74.6% are in care · 60% 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 Tuscaloosa County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Buena Vista draws a mix of long-term families and younger renters, and that tenure split shapes daily life in ways that matter for health care access: with just over half of residents renting rather than owning, household budgets tend to run tighter, and a typical monthly rent leaves little cushion for medical costs that feel optional until they aren't. Add a labor-force participation rate that leaves a meaningful share of adults outside standard nine-to-five schedules, whether through caregiving, gig work, or unemployment, and the practical window for a clinic visit can be narrower than it looks on a calendar. That reality lands hardest on the people in their late teens and twenties who make up an outsized share of Tuscaloosa's population.
For that group, STI screening isn't about crisis; it's routine upkeep during the years when new relationships are most common and infections most likely to go unnoticed. With fewer than one in five households clearing six figures, the cost of an unplanned office visit carries real weight, which is exactly why the fee information already visible on this page is worth reading before you go. For residents of Green Hills or Lynwood Park, that range of locations means finding an appointment that fits a budget and a schedule is genuinely less complicated than it might be somewhere with a single distant option.
Getting there
At 4.91/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Tuscaloosa 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.
Tuscaloosa sits in Tuscaloosa County. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Neighborhoods & communities
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Tuscaloosa? 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 Tuscaloosa County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Alabama 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 Tuscaloosa-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 Tuscaloosa 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 Alabama 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 Alabama, a minor aged 12 or older can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Alabama 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 AlabamaSource: 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.
Possibly, Northport, AL is close; compare it by distance against Whatley Health Services.
Public clinics are free; private labs ~$24–$139, at-home kits $49+.
Yes, community and public clinics test the uninsured, with sliding-scale fees.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 795 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), above the Alabama average.
PrEP (HIV-prevention medicine for HIV-negative people) is available locally, any provider can prescribe it.
In Alabama, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Public health clinics, family-planning clinics, and many school or campus health centers test teens and young adults, often free.
Community health centers and family-planning clinics serve all patients, and many offer LGBTQ-affirming care, ask the site directly.
That's a myth; STIs need sexual contact to spread, not surfaces.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.