How often should you get tested for STIs?

There is no single schedule that fits everyone. The right one depends on you, and a clinician is the person to set it. What follows is the general picture and a way to keep track.

This is general information from a public health source. It is no substitute for advice from a healthcare provider who knows your situation.

What the CDC says

The CDC, the public health agency in the United States, says that what you should be tested for and how often can depend on several things: where you live, your age, your sexual history, your current sexual practices and any symptoms. It says a healthcare provider can help you decide which tests you need.

Among its general guidelines:

• Everyone aged 13 to 64 should be tested at least once for HIV.
• Most sexually active adults should be tested for syphilis, based on where they live.
• Some people need repeat testing, and testing for chlamydia and gonorrhoea as well.

The CDC's page lists who those groups are. Guidance in other countries differs, so check your own health service too.

Why a record helps

A clinic will ask when you were last tested and for what. Most people guess. A dated note answers the question and makes the next appointment shorter.

It also answers the question a partner may ask, and the one you may want to ask them.

What to write down

1. The date of the test.
2. What you were tested for, by name. A screen does not always cover the same infections.
3. The result, when it arrives.
4. When you intend to test next.

Talking about it

Asking a partner when they were last tested is easier as a routine than as a suspicion. Say when yours was first, then ask.

In Silk

Protection, STI tests and medications sit next to your moments, so what happened before and after a test is in one place. A partner's page keeps when they were last tested. The log stays on your phone.

Updated 11 November 2026.