Men’s Health · San Diego · Checked November 2, 2026

Free HIV & STI testing + PrEP in San Diego. No insurance, no judgment.

Short answer: yes, you can get tested for free in San Diego. The County’s walk-in Sexual Health Clinics charge nothing if you’re only there for an HIV test, and the full $40 STI visit can be waived if you can’t pay. In Hillcrest, The Center offers free HIV tests and STI screenings with weekday drop-ins. No insurance for PrEP? California’s PrEP Assistance Program can help.

Hillcrest has rainbow crosswalks, brunch lines and, conveniently, three places to get tested in the same ZIP code. Chula Vista and Oceanside have county clinics too. Here’s where to go, what it costs and what to ask—so the only thing you’re overthinking this weekend is the taco order.

$0
HIV-only visit at County Sexual Health Clinics; free tests at The Center
72h
PEP window after a possible exposure. Sooner is better
500%
of poverty level: income limit for California’s PrEP Assistance Program

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. Go to an emergency room or urgent care, or walk into a County Sexual Health Clinic during open hours—they offer nPEP medication or a referral. PEP is for emergencies; if you’d need it more than once, ask about PrEP.

Call (619) 293-4700

At a glance

Compare clinics in 10 seconds

From each clinic’s official page or CDC GetTested listing, checked November 2, 2026. Hours and fees change, so call first.

San Diego HIV, STI, PrEP and PEP clinics compared
ClinicCostWalk-inHIV testSTI testPrEPPEP
County Sexual Health ClinicsCounty of San Diego$40 (waivable); HIV-only freeYes, onlyYesYesYesYes
The CenterSan Diego LGBT Community CenterFreeWeekdaysYesYesNavigation—
Hillcrest ClinicFamily Health Centers of San DiegoFree HIV; low-cost STIYesYesYesYes—
AHF Wellness CenterAIDS Healthcare FoundationFree HIV + STIListed, call firstYesYesYes—

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

Where to go

Testing, PrEP and PEP in San Diego County

Hours, fees and requirements change. Each listing links to the source we checked on November 2, 2026—call or check before you go.

County of San Diego HHSA

County Sexual Health Clinics

  • Free HIV-only visit
  • Walk-in only
  • PrEP
  • PEP
  • STI
  • DoxyPEP

STI testing, diagnosis and treatment, HIV testing and linkage to care, PrEP evaluation and linkage, nPEP medication or referral, doxyPEP, plus hep A/B, HPV and mpox vaccines.

Cost
$40 per visit; no fee if you’re only getting an HIV test. The $40 covers follow-ups within 30 days and may be waived if you can’t pay. Cash-based: the clinics don’t take insurance or Medi-Cal. Photo ID required at check-in.
Hours
Central (Market St.): Tue, Wed & Fri · 9 AM–4 PM Chula Vista: Mon, Tue, Wed & Fri 10 AM–4 PM, Thu 12–5 PM. Oceanside: Wed 10 AM–5:30 PM. Hours change; registration stops when the day’s capacity is reached.
How
Walk in. No appointments. First come, first served, so earlier in the day is the safer bet.
Where
5101 Market St., Suite 2000, San Diego, CA 92114
  • 690 Oxford St., Suite B, Chula Vista, CA 91911
  • 1701 Mission Ave., Suite 210, Oceanside, CA 92058
Call (619) 293-4700Directions Source: County of San Diego — clinic locations & hours

The San Diego LGBT Community Center

The Center · Sexual Health & Wellness

  • Free HIV + STI
  • Drop-in weekdays
  • PrEP navigation

Free HIV testing, STI screening and PrEP navigation in Hillcrest.

Cost
Free HIV test or STI screening.
How
Mon–Fri: drop in or book. Saturdays are by appointment only (since Aug. 1, 2026). Book at thecentersd.org or bethegeneration@thecentersd.org.
Where
3909 Centre St., San Diego, CA 92103
Call (619) 692-2077Directions Source: The Center — testing update (July 20, 2026)

Family Health Centers of San Diego

Hillcrest Clinic

  • Free HIV test
  • Walk-ins accepted
  • PrEP
  • STI

STI testing and treatment, HIV prevention medication (PrEP), HIV and hepatitis care, counseling.

Cost
Free, confidential HIV testing; low-cost STI tests. FHCSD says that if you’re unable to pay, it may be able to waive fees or help you enroll in insurance.
Hours
Mon–Fri · 8 AM–5 PM Free parking after 4 PM.
How
Walk-ins accepted. Appointments: (619) 515-2300. PrEP navigator or testing times: (619) 906-4660.
Where
4094 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92103
Call (619) 515-2300Directions Source: FHCSD — Hillcrest Clinic

AIDS Healthcare Foundation

AHF Wellness Center – San Diego

  • Free HIV + STI
  • No appointment listed
  • PrEP for uninsured

Free HIV and STI tests, PrEP navigation, drug purchasing assistance (ADAP) and Ryan White services.

Cost
Free HIV and STI tests. Insurance, Medi-Cal and Medicare accepted; PrEP for uninsured listed.
How
Listed as no appointment required. Hours aren’t on the listing—call first.
Where
3580 5th Ave., 2nd Fl., San Diego, CA 92103
Call (619) 837-2100Directions Source: CDC GetTested listing

Not ready to walk into a clinic?

Free HIV self-tests by mail

Together TakeMeHome mails free HIV self-tests anywhere in the U.S.—up to two every 90 days, either an oral swab or a drop of blood. Results take minutes and only you see them. Check eligibility on its 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, including low-cost health centers that see people without insurance.

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 San Diego.

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

  • 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.
  • Clinics aboveThe County clinics evaluate and link you to PrEP; FHCSD offers PrEP and may waive fees; AHF lists PrEP for uninsured.
  • 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. The County’s Sexual Health Clinics ask for a photo ID at check-in and say nothing about immigration status. The San Diego LGBT Community Center’s website states that its services are provided to all, regardless of immigration status. 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. Home self-tests arrive by mail.

Questions men actually ask

FAQ

Where can I get a free HIV test in San Diego?

The County of San Diego’s walk-in Sexual Health Clinics charge no fee if you’re only getting an HIV test. In Hillcrest, The San Diego LGBT Community Center offers free HIV tests and STI screenings, Family Health Centers of San Diego offers free HIV testing, and AHF’s Wellness Center lists free HIV and STI tests. Hours change, so check the source or call first.

Can I get PrEP in San Diego without insurance?

Yes, there are options. The County Sexual Health Clinics do PrEP evaluation and link you to medication, and AHF lists PrEP for people without insurance. 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. Go to an emergency room or urgent care, or walk into a County Sexual Health Clinic during open hours. Sooner is better.

How much does the county STD clinic cost in San Diego?

The County says its sexual health clinic fee is $40 per visit, covering follow-ups within 30 days, and there’s no fee if you’re only getting an HIV test. If you can’t pay the $40, it may be waived. The clinics don’t accept insurance or Medi-Cal.

Do I need papers or ID to get tested in San Diego?

The County Sexual Health Clinics require a photo ID at check-in and their pages say nothing about immigration status. The San Diego LGBT Community Center’s site says its services are provided to all, regardless of immigration status. NOCTI can’t promise how any clinic handles ID, so call first and ask what you’ll need.

Keep learning

Men’s Health resourcesTesting & PrEP in Las VegasHow to get PrEP and keep it private

Sources

  1. County of San Diego HHSA — Sexual Health Clinical Services and Fees (last updated Jan. 21, 2026)
  2. County of San Diego HHSA — Sexual Health Clinic locations and hours (last updated July 28, 2026)
  3. The San Diego LGBT Community Center — HIV/STI testing weekdays and Saturdays by appointment (July 20, 2026)
  4. Family Health Centers of San Diego — Hillcrest Clinic
  5. Family Health Centers of San Diego — Gay Men’s Health
  6. CDC GetTested — AHF Wellness Center San Diego
  7. California Department of Public Health — PrEP-AP eligibility
  8. California Department of Public Health — Quick, easy access to PrEP and PEP
  9. NIH HIVinfo — Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (last reviewed July 10, 2026)
  10. CDC — PEP
  11. CDC — Paying for PrEP fact sheet
  12. KFF Health News — Ready, Set, PrEP stops new enrollment (July 24, 2024)
  13. Together TakeMeHome — About (updated July 2026)
  14. National Immigration Law Center — Immigrant eligibility for federal programs (May 2024)

Listings checked November 2, 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.