In Laurens County, new HIV diagnoses run about 37% higher than the US average. If you've had a recent risk or need regular testing in Waterloo, South Carolina, consider the trade-offs: clinics may bill insurance or offer flexible fees, while private labs typically charge a flat self-pay price. The options below can help you get tested.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Waterloo, SC. The nearest, Carolina Health Centers, is about 4.7 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.
Carolina Health Centers in Waterloo tests for HIV, hepatitis C, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia on a sliding scale open to everyone, with Medicaid accepted and free HIV and hepatitis C testing available. All services provided at no fee. Appointments are required.
A cost that turns a follow-up visit into a skipped one is the gap where an untreated bacterial STI quietly persists. Carolina Health Centers charges nothing for any service it provides (treatment, vaccines, counseling) so the bill never becomes the reason care stops.
For anyone without a regular provider or paying out of pocket, getting a rapid hepatitis C test at the same appointment as HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia means one visit covers what would otherwise require separate referrals. Carolina Health Centers holds on-site hepatitis C rapid testing as a standing part of its panel.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Oct 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Lakelands Family Practice and Pediatrics Center, in Waterloo, ties STI screening costs to what patients actually earn. Federal health center status backs that sliding-scale promise, ensuring no one is turned away for inability to pay. Walk-ins are welcome for syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia screening.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
South Carolina Department of Public Health in Laurens tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis A, B, and C, and TB, with same-visit treatment for bacterial STIs on a sliding-scale fee, and conducts care in Spanish.
Spanish is a working language of the clinic itself, not a supplemental accommodation. Every service (testing, counseling, treatment planning, DoxyPEP education) runs in Spanish without routing through a secondary channel, which means clinical nuance stays intact across the full appointment.
DoxyPEP, doxycycline taken after a potential bacterial STI exposure to reduce infection risk, remains outside the scope of many STI providers. South Carolina Department of Public Health in Laurens prescribes it directly, making an evidence-backed bacterial prevention tool available without seeking a separate prescriber.
Hepatitis C care at South Carolina Department of Public Health in Laurens extends through treatment, not only antibody detection. Antiviral therapy, the class of drugs responsible for sustained virologic response and functional cure, is managed at this clinic, keeping diagnosis and treatment within the same facility.
Languages
English, Spanish
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 5 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Waterloo, 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 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 Laurens 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.
23265 Highway 76 East, Clinton, SC 29325
CMS-certified lab
106 Parkview Drive, Laurens, SC 29360
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
Showing the nearest 2 CLIA-certified labs.
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Waterloo. 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, 202 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Waterloo. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 59 offer telehealth.
John Benson, MD
Family medicine · 17124 Hwy 72 West, Waterloo
Eustace Riley, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 3410 Cokesbury Road, Hodges
Rodrine Buffaloe, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 167 South Greenwood Avenue, Ware Shoals
Frances Yu
Family medicine · 22725 Hwy 76 East, Clinton
Neal Goodbar, MD
Family medicine · 22580 Hwy 76 East, Laurens
Mark Purcell, DO Telehealth
Internal medicine · 400 Plaza Circle, Clinton
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 Waterloo, 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.
Piggly Wiggly Pharmacy
7.2 miLaurens Drug Company
9.6 miAdair Apothecary
9.6 mi
10 mi Showing the 4 closest pharmacies to Waterloo, 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 Waterloo, 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
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
$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 Laurens County, the county that includes Waterloo, compare with South Carolina and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~22% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#31 of 46 South Carolina counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 33% of the state
| Infection | Laurens County | South Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 502.4 346 cases ▼ 18% | 612.1 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 198.9 137 cases ▼ 11% | 222.4 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 31.9 22 cases ▲ 84% | 17.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 21.8 15 cases ▲ 16% | 18.8 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 2.9 2 cases ▼ 75% | 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 Laurens County, chlamydia has fallen from 618.9 to 502.4 per 100,000 (19%), gonorrhea has fallen from 379 to 198.9 per 100,000 (48%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 14.8 to 31.9 per 100,000 (116%).
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 Laurens 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.
Laurens County HIV care continuum (2023)
Laurens County recorded 18.8 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 18.3 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Laurens County residents living with HIV, 88.7% are in care · 79.7% 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 Laurens County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Greenwood Highway threads through a Waterloo where most households own their homes, a stability that shapes daily life, but ownership doesn't insulate people from the quieter pressures of a local economy where only about half of working-age adults are in the labor force at all. For younger adults navigating early relationships and irregular schedules, that employment picture means free time isn't always free: a shift picked up, a side job, or simply the weight of an uncertain week can crowd out anything that feels optional. The community's makeup adds texture to that picture. With nearly a quarter of adults married and households averaging three people, plenty of residents are making health decisions that ripple through a family, not just their own calendar.
Rents that stay modest by any regional measure mean cost isn't the sharpest barrier, but distance is. That driving reality is what the options listed on this page are actually about. " For people in their late teens and twenties, having a specific address, confirmed hours, and a known cost ready is what turns that drive from a vague intention into something scheduled.
Getting there
At 2.96/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Waterloo 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 29384 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 29384 area around Waterloo: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Waterloo alone.
Waterloo sits in Laurens County, ZIP 29384. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Waterloo? 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 Laurens 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 a Waterloo-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 Waterloo 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 4 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.
Laurens County reported ~502 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, below the South Carolina average.
In South Carolina, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
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.
Chlamydia is checked with a simple urine sample or a swab; lab results usually come back in a day or two.
Most HIV tests detect infection about 2–6 weeks out depending on the test type; a later retest confirms a negative.
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.