Men’s Health · Long Beach, CA · Checked November 7, 2026

Free HIV & STI testing + PrEP in Long Beach. No insurance, no judgment.

Short answer: yes, you can get tested for free in Long Beach. The LGBTQ Center Long Beach on 4th Street does free HIV and STI testing on weekdays—book at (562) 434-4455 ext. 500. CDC also lists free tests at AHF on PCH and the CARE Center downtown. The city’s Sexual Health Clinic on Grand Avenue offers testing, PrEP and PEP on a sliding scale.

Long Beach has its own health department, a proudly queer streak running down 4th Street and Broadway, and—since federal cuts in 2025—one fewer testing van. So the old advice floating around online is half wrong. Here’s what’s actually open, what it costs and what to ask.

$0: HIV + STI tests at The LGBTQ Center Long Beach, per its own page
72h: PEP window after a possible exposure. Sooner is better
$25–$90: per visit for STI testing and treatment at the city clinic, sliding scale

Possible exposure? Ask for PEP. Today, not tomorrow.

PEP is a 28-day course of HIV medicine that must be started within 72 hours of a possible exposure, according to NIH and CDC. Sooner is better. The city’s Sexual Health Clinic at 2525 Grand Ave. offers PEP—call (562) 570-4315 on weekdays—and The LGBTQ Center Long Beach helps people start PEP at (562) 434-4455 ext. 500. CDC’s directory also lists PEP at the CARE Center. If no one can see you that day, or it’s a night or weekend, go to an emergency room or urgent care. PEP is for emergencies; if you’d need it more than once, ask about PrEP.

Call (562) 570-4315

At a glance

Compare clinics in 10 seconds

From each clinic’s official page, the City of Long Beach testing list or CDC’s directory, checked November 7, 2026. Hours and fees change, so call first.

Long Beach HIV, STI, PrEP and PEP clinics compared
Clinic	Cost	Walk-in	HIV test	STI test	PrEP	PEP
The LGBTQ Center Long Beach4th Street	Free	Walk-up if open	Yes	Yes	Helps start	Helps start
Sexual Health ClinicCity of Long Beach	$25–$90 sliding scale	First come	Yes	Yes + treatment	$100–$165/visit	Yes
AHF Wellness CenterPacific Coast Hwy.	Free tests	No appt. (CDC)	Yes	Yes + treatment	If uninsured	—
The CARE CenterDignity Health St. Mary	Free tests	No appt. (CDC)	Yes	Yes + treatment	Yes	Yes

“—” means the source we checked does not list it, not that the clinic never offers it.

Where to go

Testing, PrEP and PEP in Long Beach

Hours, fees and requirements change. Each listing links to the source we checked on November 7, 2026—call or check before you go.

Community center

The LGBTQ Center Long Beach

Free HIV + STI test
PrEP + PEP help
Walk-ups if open
Thursday evenings

Free rapid HIV tests plus syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia screening on Retro Row—with throat, rectal and genital swabs you collect yourself, so nothing gets missed. The Center also helps you start PrEP or PEP.

Cost: Free—the Center’s page is titled “Free HIV Testing & STI Screening,” and CDC lists “No Fee.” The same page says it will “transition to a billing model or sliding fee scale” starting July 1 without naming the year, and that STI treatment is available at no cost if needed. Ask what you’ll pay when you book.
Hours: Testing: Mon–Wed & Fri 10 AM–5 PM · Thu 10 AM–7 PM Per the Center’s health-services page. “No Testing available on Weekends.”
How: Book at (562) 434-4455 ext. 500—appointments recommended. Rapid HIV testing “may be available on a walk-up basis,” and same-day appointments may be available. CDC lists English and Spanish, with interpretation for other languages.
Where: 2017 E. 4th St., Long Beach, CA 90814

Call (562) 434-4455 ext. 500 Directions Source: The LGBTQ Center Long Beach — Health Services

Long Beach Health & Human Services

Sexual Health Clinic (2525 Grand Ave.)

Sliding scale
PrEP + PEP
Walk-ins (first come)
Free HIV test (CDC listing)
Medi-Cal accepted

The city’s own clinic on Grand Avenue: STI testing and treatment, confidential HIV testing, PrEP and PEP. Long Beach runs its own health department, separate from LA County.

Cost: STI testing and treatment: $25–$90 per visit. PrEP: $100–$165 per visit. Sliding fees based on income, per the city, for people who are uninsured, underinsured or would rather not use insurance for privacy. CDC’s directory lists a free HIV test. Medi-Cal, Health Net, L.A. Care and Medicare (non-HMO) accepted.
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–5 PM Per the clinic page. The city’s testing page lists 8 AM–4:30 PM for HIV testing and STI screening—arrive early.
How: Appointments encouraged: (562) 570-4315. Walk-ins are first come, first served, “subject to provider availability.” The city’s testing page lists (562) 570-4180. CDC lists English and Spanish.
Where: 2525 Grand Ave., Long Beach, CA 90815

Call (562) 570-4315 Directions Source: City of Long Beach — Sexual Health (STD) Clinic

AIDS Healthcare Foundation

AHF Long Beach Wellness Center

Free HIV + STI test
PrEP for uninsured
No appointment (CDC)
Evenings

HIV testing, STI screening and treatment, HIV care and PrEP on Pacific Coast Highway, per the city’s testing list. CDC’s directory lists free HIV and STI tests and PrEP for uninsured patients.

Cost: Free HIV and STI tests, per CDC’s directory. CDC also lists “PrEP for uninsured,” insurance and Medi-Cal. Ask what PrEP will cost you.
Hours: Mon, Wed & Fri 11 AM–7 PM Per the City of Long Beach testing list. CDC says hours may change.
How: CDC lists “Appointment required: No.” Call (562) 494-4983 first to confirm today’s testing hours.
Where: 3500 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., Long Beach, CA 90804

Call (562) 494-4983 Directions Source: CDC GetTested — AHF Long Beach

Dignity Health – St. Mary Medical Center

The CARE Center

Free HIV + STI test
PrEP
PEP
DoxyPEP
No appointment (CDC)

St. Mary’s HIV and sexual-health center downtown: free HIV, STI and hepatitis B/C tests, STI treatment, PrEP, PEP and DoxyPEP, per CDC’s directory.

Cost: Free HIV and STI tests; “PrEP for uninsured,” per CDC’s directory. Insurance and Medi-Cal accepted. CDC says to contact the clinic about eligibility, so ask before you go.
Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4:30 PM (CDC) The city’s testing list says 8:30 AM–3:30 PM. Go earlier rather than later.
How: CDC lists “Appointment Required: No.” CDC lists 1040 Elm Ave., Ste. 200; the city’s list says 1043 Elm Ave., Ste. 300. Same block—confirm the suite when you call. CDC lists English.
Where: 1040 Elm Ave., Ste. 200, Long Beach, CA 90813

Call (562) 624-4999 Directions Source: CDC NPIN — The CARE Center, Dignity Health St. Mary

What changed

The testing van is gone. Old listings didn’t get the memo.

In July 2025 the Long Beach Health Department said it lost $1.3 million in federal funding. It ended the Mobile Testing Unit’s free HIV/STI testing, testing and treatment at the Ron Arias Health Equity Center on Myrtle Avenue, and its PrEP navigation outreach. The Sexual Health Clinic at 2525 Grand Ave. stayed open for STI testing, PrEP, PEP and treatment for a sliding fee. If a site sends you to the van or to Myrtle Avenue for a test, it’s out of date.

Not ready to walk into a clinic?

Free HIV self-tests by mail

The City of Long Beach’s own testing page points to TakeMeHome for free HIV self-test kits for LA County residents, Long Beach included, age 18 and up. You order online and it arrives discreetly. Check current eligibility on Together TakeMeHome’s site. A self-test checks HIV only, and a positive result needs a follow-up test at a clinic.

Search by ZIP code

Find more testing and PrEP near you

The federal HIV.gov locator covers places beyond this guide, from Bixby Knolls to North Long Beach and the rest of the South Bay.

Search HIV.gov’s official federal locator for HIV and STI testing, PrEP, Ryan White HIV care and low-cost health centers near any ZIP code in or around Long Beach.

Loads from HIV.gov only when you tap the button. NOCTI doesn’t see or save what you search; HIV.gov’s privacy policy applies. Source: locator.hiv.gov.

No insurance

PrEP without insurance: what still works

City Sexual Health ClinicPrEP visits run $100–$165 on an income-based sliding scale, with follow-up every 3 months, per the city. That’s the visit—ask what labs and the prescription itself will cost.
California PrEP-APThe state’s PrEP Assistance Program is for California residents 18+ with a recent negative HIV test, income up to 500% of the federal poverty level, and no full coverage from Medi-Cal or other insurance. Uninsured people can also get temporary coverage at participating pharmacies (CDPH). Ask any clinic above to help you enroll.
AHF and the CARE CenterBoth are listed in CDC’s directory with “PrEP for uninsured.” Call and ask exactly what you’ll pay.
Manufacturer assistanceCDC lists drug-maker programs for uninsured U.S. residents under an income limit. PrEP-AP asks you to enroll in one if you’re eligible.
Heads upThe federal Ready, Set, PrEP program stopped taking new enrollees on July 30, 2024 (KFF Health News). Old articles still recommend it.

Worried about papers or ID?

What we can—and can’t—tell you

We won’t promise anything an official source doesn’t, and here the sources are quiet. None of the City of Long Beach pages, LGBTQ Center pages or CDC listings we checked say anything about immigration status or list an ID requirement. What they do say: the city clinic offers sliding fees for people who are uninsured, underinsured or don’t want to use insurance for confidentiality reasons, and The LGBTQ Center says it will work with people without insurance to find an affordable option. Federal law has long kept public-health programs for treating communicable-disease symptoms open regardless of immigration status (National Immigration Law Center), but federal rules have shifted in 2025–2026.

Practical move: call first and ask what you’ll need before you give your name. CDC lists English and Spanish at the city clinic and at The LGBTQ Center, which also lists interpretation for other languages. A self-test by mail skips the front desk entirely.

Questions men actually ask

FAQ

Where can I get a free HIV or STI test in Long Beach?

The LGBTQ Center Long Beach at 2017 E. 4th St. offers free HIV testing and STI screening Monday through Friday, until 7 PM on Thursdays; book at (562) 434-4455 ext. 500. CDC’s directory also lists free HIV and STI tests at the AHF Long Beach Wellness Center, 3500 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., and at the CARE Center at Dignity Health St. Mary on Elm Avenue. The city’s own Sexual Health Clinic charges $25 to $90 per visit on a sliding scale.

Can I get PrEP in Long Beach without insurance?

Yes, there are options. The city’s Sexual Health Clinic at 2525 Grand Ave. offers PrEP with sliding fees of $100 to $165 per visit, and CDC’s directory lists PrEP for uninsured patients at AHF and the CARE Center. The LGBTQ Center Long Beach helps people start PrEP. California’s PrEP Assistance Program (PrEP-AP) helps California residents 18 and older with income up to 500% of the federal poverty level who aren’t fully covered by Medi-Cal or other insurance. The federal Ready, Set, PrEP program stopped taking new enrollees on July 30, 2024.

What if I think I was exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours?

Ask for PEP right away. NIH and CDC say PEP must be started within 72 hours of a possible exposure and is taken daily for 28 days. In Long Beach, the city’s Sexual Health Clinic offers PEP (call (562) 570-4315), The LGBTQ Center helps people start PEP (ext. 500), and CDC’s directory lists PEP at the CARE Center. If you can’t be seen that day, or it’s night or the weekend, go to an emergency room or urgent care. Sooner is better.

Does the Long Beach mobile testing van still exist?

No. In July 2025 the Long Beach Health Department said it lost $1.3 million in federal funding and ended its Mobile Testing Unit, HIV and STI testing at the Ron Arias Health Equity Center on Myrtle Avenue, and its PrEP navigation outreach. The Sexual Health Clinic at 2525 Grand Ave. still offers STI testing, PrEP and PEP for a sliding fee. Older listings may still mention the van.

Do I need papers or ID to get tested in Long Beach?

None of the City of Long Beach pages, LGBTQ Center pages or CDC listings we checked say anything about immigration status or list an ID requirement. The city’s clinic offers income-based sliding fees for people who are uninsured or don’t want to use insurance. NOCTI can’t promise how any clinic handles ID, so call first and ask what you’ll need. A free HIV self-test by mail is another option.

Keep learning

Men’s Health resources Testing & PrEP in Orange County Testing & PrEP in San Diego How to get PrEP and keep it private

Sources

Listings checked November 7, 2026. NOCTI is not a clinic and is not affiliated with any organization listed. This guide is general information and isn’t medical or legal advice. In an emergency, call 911.