Testing

Last updated October 11, 2021 at 11:40 AM

Free, confidential COVID-19 testing is available to every Californian. Get vaccinated to reduce the need for testing.

On this page:

How to get tested
When to get tested
Cost for testing
Testing at work
Questions and answers

How to get tested

Find testing near you

See a map of testing sites near you:

Find a testing location

More testing sites may be available at your area’s COVID-19 website.

Use an at-home test

Many drug stores now carry at-home kits. These let you test yourself and get results within minutes. They are available over the counter, without a prescription. Check with your local pharmacy or retail store.

Read more about at-home tests at the CDC’s Self-Testing page.

Get tested with OptumServe

California has partnered with OptumServe to provide free, confidential testing statewide. Tests are available for everyone, including:

Underserved communities
Individuals who are at high risk

Tests are by appointment only. Find a location near you and make an appointment at:

If you do not have internet access, call 1-888-634-1123.

OptumServe community testing sites serve all individuals who qualify for a test. This includes uninsured, underinsured, undocumented and homeless individuals. You do not need a driver’s license to get this test.

When to get tested

If you have symptoms

No matter your vaccination status, get tested immediately if you’re feeling any COVID-19 symptoms.

If you were exposed

Vaccinated people should get tested within 3-5 days of close contact with an infected person.

Unvaccinated people should test immediately, and again 5-7 days after.

If you go to a high-risk event

Unvaccinated people should test before and 3-5 days after.

If you travel

Unvaccinated people should test 1-3 days before travel, and 3-5 days after.

Read more in CDPH’s testing fact sheet and travel guidelines.

Cost for testing

There are no out-of-pocket costs for COVID-19 testing at a testing site. An insured person can get a COVID-19 test when needed by any provider, in or out of their health plan network, at no cost. If you’re uninsured, the government pays for your test.

However, there are some COVID-19 tests you do have to pay for:

At-home test kits
Some rapid result tests

Testing at work

Screening tests are recurring tests of people without symptoms in certain high-risk workplaces. They are meant to detect COVID-19 early and stop transmission.

In general,

Fully-vaccinated individuals do not need screening tests in non-healthcare settings.
Asymptomatic employees in healthcare settings should still get screening tests. This is true no matter their vaccination status. There are a few exceptions:
- Facilities may stop routine testing of asymptomatic staff who are fully vaccinated where:
  - More than 70% of residents and more than 70% staff are fully vaccinated in a long-term care facility, or
  - More than 70% of staff are fully vaccinated in an acute health care facility.
- Facilities may continue routine testing for fully-vaccinated staff with compromised immune systems. Examples are those who have undergone organ transplantation or cancer treatment. These conditions might impact the level of protection provided by COVID-19 vaccine.

Read CDPH’s Updated Testing Guidance for details on how employers should implement workplace screening tests.

Questions and answers

What should I do if I may have been exposed to COVID-19?

Does my health plan have to cover my COVID-19 test at a testing site?

Yes. Federal guidance requires health plans to provide testing at no cost to everyone. You do not need to have symptoms or to have been exposed to COVID-19. You do not need to be an “essential worker” to get tested.

To get tested you can go to any COVID-19 testing provider authorized or licensed by the state. You do not need to go to a provider that is in your health plan’s or health insurer’s provider network. You do not need to get permission from your health plan or health insurer before going to get a COVID-19 test. And you do not need to pay a co-payment for a COVID-19 test.

What if I don’t have health insurance and I need COVID-19 testing or care?

How long does it take for coronavirus test results to come back?

Turnaround time for coronavirus test results is usually less than two days. About two-thirds come back within a day, and more than 85% are available within two days.

This turnaround time includes shipping time. For labs that process home testing kits, turnaround time depends on when you mail back your kit.

If you haven’t received your test results and it’s been several days, contact:

Your healthcare provider,
Testing service, or
Local health department.

What is acceptable as proof of a negative COVID-19 test result?

The following are accepted:

Printed document from your test provider or laboratory
An email or text message displayed on your phone from your test provider or laboratory

Results should include name of person tested, type of test, and date of negative test result. For PCR, the date of negative result must be within the prior 72 hours. For antigen, the date of negative result must be within the prior 24 hours.

When can I be around other people after I tested positive for COVID-19 but had no symptoms?

If I test positive for COVID-19 in a viral test, what should I do to protect others in my household?

You should self-isolate from others in your household who have not tested positive. Sleep and stay in a separate room from them, and use a separate bathroom, if possible. Multiple infected people in the same household can use the same room for isolation.

Members of your household should get tested right away. They should quarantine for at least 14 days:

Close contacts who never showed symptoms may discontinue quarantine after Day 10 from the date of last exposure without testing.
If you are released from quarantine before Day 14 after exposure, you must:
- Watch yourself daily for COVID-19 symptoms through Day 14. If symptoms occur, immediately self-isolate and get tested.
- Wear a mask around others, wash your hands frequently, and stay at least 6 feet from others through Day 14.

You do not have to quarantine if:

You recovered from COVID-19 within the past 3 months and have no new symptoms.
You are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and show no symptoms.

What support does California provide during COVID isolation or quarantine?

If you can’t work due to having COVID-19 or being near someone with the illness, you can file a Disability Insurance (DI) claim.

If you can’t work because you are caring for an ill or quarantined family member with COVID-19, you can file a Paid Family Leave (PFL) claim to help with lost wages.

In both these cases, you must have a note from a healthcare worker.