LGBTQ+ Health in St. Louis: Free HIV Testing and PrEP
Revised October 1, 2026
Where can I get free HIV testing in St. Louis?
You can get free, confidential HIV and STI testing across the metro at Vivent Health (2653 Locust St), Project ARK (4169 Laclede Ave, which also offers free in-home testing), Williams and Associates (3737 N Kingshighway), and the St. Louis County Sexual Health Clinic in Pine Lawn, a walk-in site needing no appointment or insurance.
Keep reading ↓You made the appointment with yourself weeks ago, and today you finally typed the question into your phone. Where do I go, and will they be kind about it? That worry is real, and you are not overthinking it. Plenty of neighbors across St. Louis have sat exactly where you are, wanting a test, a prescription, or simply a doctor who won’t flinch. Here’s the good news: this metro has affirming, low-cost, and free places to get HIV and STI testing, PrEP, and welcoming care, and most of them will see you no matter your insurance or income.
This is the plain-language map. Where to get free testing this week, how the path to PrEP actually works, and which clinics treat LGBTQ+ patients with respect. We keep a wider guide to help and assistance across St. Louis, but your health comes first here. Everything below is information, not medical advice, so use it to find a provider and let them handle your care.
Where can I get free HIV testing in St. Louis?
You can get free, confidential HIV and STI testing across the metro. Vivent Health on Locust Street, Project ARK on Laclede Avenue (which also offers a free in-home test), Williams & Associates on North Kingshighway, and the St. Louis County Sexual Health Clinic in Pine Lawn all test at no cost. The county clinic is walk-in, with no appointment or insurance needed.
One habit saves a wasted trip: call before you go. Walk-in windows shift often, and a few sites ask you to book ahead. Every place below serves you regardless of income, and several ask for no ID or paperwork at all. Pick the one closest to you and start there.
Vivent Health (formerly Saint Louis Effort for AIDS)
Address: 2653 Locust St, St. Louis, MO 63103
Phone: (314) 645-6451
Website: viventhealth.org
Free, confidential HIV, STI, and Hepatitis C testing, plus an on-site pharmacy and dental care. Wednesday evening walk-in hours (4:00 to 7:00pm) are set aside for gay, bisexual, transgender, pansexual, and same-gender-loving men. Call to confirm current walk-in times.
Project ARK (Washington University)
Address: 4169 Laclede Ave, 2nd Floor, St. Louis, MO 63108
Phone: (314) 535-7275, Option 2; in-home testing (314) 282-1581
Website: projectark.wustl.edu/get-tested
Free HIV testing with weekday walk-in windows, plus free in-home HIV testing across the metro. Call to confirm the current walk-in hours before you head over.
Williams & Associates, Inc.
Address: 3737 N Kingshighway Blvd, Ste 204 & 206, St. Louis, MO 63115
Phone: (314) 385-1935
Free HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and STI testing, with no fees and no documentation required. Appointments are needed, Monday through Friday. Care is culturally specific for the Black community. No standalone website is confirmed, so call to book.
St. Louis County Sexual Health Clinic (North Central Community Health Center)
Address: 4000 Jennings Station Rd, Pine Lawn, MO 63121
Phone: (314) 615-9700
Website: stlouiscountymo.gov
Free HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and STI testing. Walk-in with no appointment, and everyone is welcome regardless of where you live or whether you have insurance. Call to confirm current walk-in hours.
Affinia Healthcare (community health centers)
Central appointments: (314) 814-8700
Website: affiniahealthcare.org/locations
A network of neighborhood clinics with dedicated HIV prevention and STI services, offered on a sliding scale and to patients regardless of their ability to pay. Sites include North Florissant Avenue, Lemp Avenue, Biddle Street, South Broadway, Page Avenue, and Ferguson.
How do I get PrEP in St. Louis?
Getting PrEP is more routine than it sounds. PrEP is medicine that prevents HIV, taken as a daily pill or an every-other-month shot, and several St. Louis clinics prescribe it, some the same day. WashU Medicine’s PrEP Program offers same-day prescriptions with no insurance required. Vivent Health, Planned Parenthood, and the St. Louis County clinic prescribe it too, including for uninsured patients.
Here’s the path most people follow. First, book a visit at any clinic below. Second, you’ll get a quick HIV test and a short lab panel, because PrEP is for people who are HIV-negative. Third, the clinic writes the prescription and a navigator sorts out the cost. That last step is where the worry usually melts.
Is PrEP expensive? Usually not. Most private insurance and Missouri Medicaid cover PrEP at $0 out of pocket. If you’re uninsured, programs like Gilead’s Advancing Access and the federal Ready, Set, PrEP can bring the cost to zero, and the navigators at these clinics fill out that paperwork for you. Ask about it on your very first call.
WashU Medicine Infectious Diseases (PrEP Program)
Address: 620 S Taylor Ave, Suite 100, St. Louis, MO 63110
Phone: (314) 362-9098
Website: sites.wustl.edu/prep
The metro’s specialist PrEP program, offering same-day PrEP prescribing with no insurance required and patient-assistance help for the uninsured.
Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri
South Grand Health Center: 3401 S Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63118; (314) 865-1850
Central West End: 4251 Forest Park Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108; (314) 531-7526
North County: 2796 N Hwy 67, Florissant, MO 63033; (314) 921-4445
Website: plannedparenthood.org
PrEP navigation and STI testing, with insurance, Medicaid, and sliding-scale fees accepted.
Vivent Health (2653 Locust St, (314) 645-6451) also provides PrEP and PrEP navigation on site, with sliding-scale pricing. The St. Louis County Sexual Health Clinic prescribes PrEP as well, including for uninsured patients. Affinia Healthcare’s centers focus on HIV prevention and care; call (314) 814-8700 to confirm whether PrEP prescribing is available at your nearest site.
Where can I find affirming, LGBTQ+-friendly care in St. Louis?
Affirming care means a provider who uses your name and pronouns and treats you without judgment. Several St. Louis organizations are built around exactly that. Vivent Health centers LGBTQ+ patients, Planned Parenthood offers gender-affirming hormone care at some Missouri health centers, and the Metro Trans Umbrella Group helps trans and nonbinary neighbors find welcoming clinics. Start with whichever feels safest to call first.
Vivent Health’s Wednesday evening walk-in testing (4:00 to 7:00pm) is set aside for gay, bisexual, transgender, pansexual, and same-gender-loving men, which tells you plenty about the room you’ll walk into. Planned Parenthood provides gender-affirming hormone care at some Missouri locations, so call ahead to confirm the service by site. For a wider circle of community and support, see our guide to LGBTQ+ support organizations in St. Louis.
Metro Trans Umbrella Group (MTUG)
Website: stlmetrotrans.org
MTUG is not a clinic and does not offer HIV testing or PrEP directly. It’s an affirming community group that helps trans, nonbinary, and questioning people find welcoming testing, PrEP, and primary care, alongside support groups, a clothing closet, and name-change help. It’s a good first stop when you want a person, not a website, to guide you.
Can I get HIV and STI testing without insurance?
Yes, and it’s common. Every free-testing site above serves you with no insurance, and several ask for no ID or documentation at all. The St. Louis County Sexual Health Clinic and Williams & Associates require neither insurance nor proof of residence. Community health centers like Affinia Healthcare charge on a sliding scale, so your bill follows your income.
What should you bring? Not much. A phone number where a clinic can reach you privately helps, and a photo ID speeds some visits, though the free sites above won’t turn you away without one. If cost is your only worry, just say so when you call. For more options, see our guide to free and low-cost health clinics in St. Louis.
If a test comes back positive, that isn’t the end of anything. It’s the start of care that keeps people healthy for life. Ongoing HIV treatment, case management, and mental-health support are available through Vivent Health and the SLUCare / SSM Health Saint Louis University Infectious Diseases clinic. Emotional support matters too, so keep our guide to free and low-cost mental health help handy.
SLUCare / SSM Health Saint Louis University Infectious Diseases
Center for Specialized Medicine, 1225 S Grand Blvd, 2nd Floor, St. Louis, MO 63104
Phone: (314) 977-9050
HIV medical care, case management, mental-health support, and peer coaching. Call to confirm the current clinic location, hours, and whether PrEP is offered before your visit.
Here’s the last thing, and we mean it kindly. Wanting a test, a pill, or a doctor who respects you is not a big ask, and needing help to afford it is not a flaw. These clinics exist for exactly this, staffed by people who want you to walk in. Being found, and finding care, is how a scary week becomes just a week. Save one phone number from this page, make the call, and let a navigator carry the rest. The whole St. Louis help and assistance network is behind you.
Frequently asked questions
How much does PrEP usually cost?
For most people, PrEP costs little or nothing. Private insurance and Missouri Medicaid typically cover it at $0 out of pocket. If you’re uninsured, Gilead’s Advancing Access program and the federal Ready, Set, PrEP program can bring the cost to zero. Navigators at clinics like WashU’s PrEP Program handle that paperwork for you.
Where can I get free STD testing in St. Louis County?
In St. Louis County, the St. Louis County Sexual Health Clinic in Pine Lawn (4000 Jennings Station Rd) offers free, walk-in HIV and STI testing with no appointment or insurance needed. Affinia Healthcare’s neighborhood centers, including its Ferguson site, also test on a sliding scale. Call first to confirm current walk-in hours.
How do I qualify for PrEP?
PrEP is for people who are HIV-negative, so qualifying is straightforward. At your visit, the clinic gives a quick HIV test and a short lab panel to confirm you’re negative and can take it safely. Then a provider writes the prescription and a navigator sorts out the cost, often the same day.
Can I get PrEP without seeing a doctor?
You’ll need a brief clinical visit, since PrEP requires a quick HIV test and short lab panel before a provider can prescribe it. The good news: it’s routine, and WashU Medicine’s PrEP Program offers same-day prescribing with no insurance required. Call (314) 362-9098 to book, and a navigator handles the cost.
Can I do an HIV test for free?
Yes. Several St. Louis sites test for free with no insurance needed. The St. Louis County Sexual Health Clinic (walk-in, Pine Lawn) and Williams & Associates ask for no insurance or documentation. Vivent Health and Project ARK also test at no cost, and Project ARK offers a free in-home HIV test.
Does Planned Parenthood in St. Louis do PrEP and STI testing?
Yes. Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region provides PrEP navigation and STI testing at its South Grand, Central West End, and North County health centers. It accepts insurance, Medicaid, and sliding-scale fees. Call the South Grand Health Center at (314) 865-1850 to book or ask about current services.
How to tell if a doctor is LGBT friendly?
An affirming provider uses your name and pronouns and treats you without judgment, which is the clearest sign. Vivent Health, for example, sets aside Wednesday evening walk-in hours for LGBTQ+ men. Groups like the Metro Trans Umbrella Group (stlmetrotrans.org) can also point you to welcoming clinics before you book.
Can I get an at-home or in-home HIV test in St. Louis?
Yes. Project ARK offers free in-home HIV testing across the metro; call (314) 282-1581 to arrange it. This is a good option if getting to a clinic is hard or you’d simply rather test privately. Project ARK also runs free walk-in HIV testing at 4169 Laclede Ave.
| ★ | Help us keep this help coming. We work hard to pull this together and keep it in one place - but we’re only as current as the community that helps us. If one of these organizations helped you, tell them we’d love to list them so more neighbors can find them. Help us share the help that’s available here - share this now on Facebook and other social media. If you run a local service or nonprofit like these, add it free on St Louis Near Me Directory - that’s how we keep this list fresh, accurate, and in front of the people who need it most. |
Written by a dedicated team of St. Louis locals who live, work, and play right here in the St. Louis metro. Founder Lane Forman and team are committed to building the region’s most trusted directory by verifying listings and connecting local businesses with loyal customers across Missouri and Illinois.