STI Test Costs in Germany

How Much Does an STI Test Cost in Germany? Your Overview

June 23, 2026 · 9 min read

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Sexual health is an important part of your wellbeing. Getting tested regularly means taking responsibility for yourself and for others. Still, many people are unsure how much a test for sexually transmitted infections costs in Germany, when health insurance pays for it, and where they can get tested.

The answer is: it depends. Some tests are free, others cost between €10 and €30, while comprehensive test packages can cost more than €100. The deciding factors are whether there is a medical reason, where you get tested, and which infections are being checked.

Costs for tests for sexually transmitted infections at a glance

Test or service	Typical costs
HIV test at a public health office or checkpoint	€0 to €25
HIV self-test from a pharmacy	approx. €15 to €30
Syphilis test at a checkpoint	approx. €5 to €25
Chlamydia or gonorrhea test at a checkpoint	approx. €10 to €25
Combined test package at a checkpoint	approx. €25 to €75
At-home test with laboratory analysis	from €60 upwards
Self-pay medical test package	from €100 upwards

The prices are guidelines. They may vary depending on the city, testing site, laboratory, and scope of the test.

What is a test for sexually transmitted infections?

Sexually transmitted infections are infections that can mainly be transmitted during sex. They include, for example, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, HPV, herpes, and trichomoniasis.

A test for sexually transmitted infections is not one single standard test. Depending on the infection, different samples may be needed: urine, blood, swabs from the vagina, penis, throat, or anal area, or a medical examination if visible skin changes are present.

That is why it is important to know exactly what is being tested. An HIV test, for example, does not tell you anything about chlamydia. A urine test alone can miss infections in the throat or anal area. If you have had oral or anal sex, you should therefore check whether swabs from the relevant body sites are also possible.

When does health insurance pay for tests for sexually transmitted infections?

Statutory health insurance usually pays for tests for sexually transmitted infections if there is a medical reason. Without symptoms or a specific suspicion, many tests are considered self-pay services.

If you have symptoms or a justified suspicion

If you have symptoms, a test is usually billed via your health insurance card. Typical symptoms can include:

Burning when urinating
Unusual discharge
Itching or pain in the genital area
Skin changes, blisters, or warts
Pain during sex
Pain in the lower abdomen or testicular area

If a sexual partner has tested positive or your doctor has a specific suspicion, the test may also be covered by health insurance.

Chlamydia screening for women up to age 25

Women with statutory health insurance are entitled to one free chlamydia screening per year up to their 25th birthday. The test is usually done using a urine sample.

This is important because chlamydia often causes no symptoms but can have long-term consequences if left untreated.

Tests during pregnancy

Certain infections are routinely checked as part of prenatal care. These include syphilis, HIV counseling with a test offer, and hepatitis B screening. These examinations are covered by statutory health insurance.

PrEP follow-up tests

For people at increased risk of HIV, HIV PrEP has been covered by statutory health insurance since 2019. This also includes medical consultation and necessary follow-up examinations, including regular tests for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.

Testing by choice without symptoms

If you do not have symptoms and simply want to get tested regularly, the test is often considered an individual health service, known in Germany as an IGeL service. This means you pay for it yourself.

This may be the case after a new sexual contact, before a new relationship, after a potential risk contact, or as a regular check-up for your own peace of mind.

Where can you get tested for sexually transmitted infections?

Doctor’s office

If you have symptoms, a doctor’s office is usually the right first step. Depending on your symptoms, you can go to a general practitioner, gynecologist, urologist, or dermatologist. If there is a medical suspicion, health insurance usually covers the costs.

Without symptoms, the test may be billed as a self-pay service. It is therefore best to ask in advance which tests will be done and what they cost.

Public health office

Many public health offices offer HIV testing and counseling on sexually transmitted infections. Depending on the city, tests may be free, anonymous, or available for a small fee. However, the services vary significantly. Some public health offices only test for HIV, while others also test for syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, or hepatitis.

It is worth checking your local public health office’s website or calling ahead.

Checkpoints and Aidshilfe services

Checkpoints and Aidshilfe testing sites are low-threshold services, often available without a health insurance card and with counseling. Many are especially aimed at people with an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections, such as gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men, trans* people, and queer people.

The costs are often lower than self-pay testing at a doctor’s office. Depending on the city, individual tests often cost around €5 to €25, while combined test packages cost around €25 to €75.

Specialized clinics and HIV specialist practices

In larger cities, there are specialized practices, outpatient clinics, and centers for sexual health. They have extensive experience with HIV, PrEP, and diagnostics for sexually transmitted infections. Depending on the situation, the test may be covered by health insurance or billed as a self-pay service.

At-home tests

At-home tests are a discreet option if you do not want to make an appointment at a doctor’s office or if regular testing fits better into your daily life this way. You order a test kit, collect the samples yourself, and send them to a laboratory. Depending on the provider, you receive your result online, by message, or through a secure portal.

What matters is that a reputable at-home test should not simply replace a rapid test, but should include professional laboratory analysis. It should also be clear which infections are being tested, which samples are needed, and what happens after an abnormal result.

One example is the Reality Check by Every Health. The test kit is designed for use at home and tests for five common sexually transmitted infections: HIV, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and hepatitis C. It combines different sample types, including a urine sample, a dried blood spot test, and swabs. The swabs are especially important because infections do not only occur in the genital area. Depending on your sexual practices, throat or anal swabs may also be useful so that relevant body sites are not missed.

The main advantage of this type of at-home test is that you can collect the samples discreetly at home and then have them analyzed in a laboratory. This can be particularly helpful if you do not have acute symptoms but want regular peace of mind, for example after new sexual contacts, with changing partners, or simply as part of your sexual health routine.

If you have severe symptoms, pain, fever, or visible skin changes, a doctor’s office is still the better choice. An at-home test can make regular screening easier, but it does not replace a medical examination in every situation.

Rapid tests from the pharmacy

Pharmacies mainly offer HIV self-tests. These provide a result within a few minutes. Important: An HIV infection can only be reliably ruled out with a self-test around 12 weeks after a possible exposure.

For other sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, or syphilis, laboratory tests are usually more appropriate.

How much does each test cost approximately?

HIV

HIV tests are often free or low-cost at public health offices or checkpoints. At a doctor’s office, they may be covered by health insurance if there is a medical suspicion, but without a specific reason they may be billed as a self-pay service.

HIV self-tests from pharmacies usually cost around €15 to €30. They are low-threshold, but have a longer diagnostic window than laboratory tests.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea

Chlamydia and gonorrhea are usually tested using urine or swabs. The relevant body site matters. If you have had oral or anal sex, throat or anal swabs may also be useful.

At checkpoints, these tests are often cheaper than self-pay testing at a doctor’s office. In medical practices, the costs depend on the laboratory, consultation, sample collection, and number of swab sites.

Syphilis

Syphilis is tested through a blood sample. Public health offices and checkpoints often offer the test for free or for a small fee. If you have symptoms or a specific suspicion, the test is usually covered by health insurance at a doctor’s office.

Hepatitis B and C

Hepatitis tests may be useful if there has been a risk, if you use PrEP, if you have frequently changing partners, or if you want to know your vaccination status. Hepatitis B can also be prevented through vaccination.

The costs vary depending on the testing site and the scope of the test package.

HPV, herpes, and genital warts

HPV and herpes are not always routinely included in test packages for sexually transmitted infections. Genital warts are often diagnosed by a doctor through a visual examination. Herpes is usually tested when symptoms or visible blisters are present.

Which testing option is right for me?

If you have symptoms, it is best to go directly to a doctor’s office. This makes medical sense and is usually covered by health insurance if there is a justified suspicion.

If you do not have symptoms but want to get tested regularly, public health offices, checkpoints, at-home tests, or a doctor’s office as a self-pay option may be suitable.

If you want to test anonymously, public health offices, checkpoints, and Aidshilfe services are often good places to go. Check in advance whether the tests are truly anonymous and which infections are offered.

If you want to test at home, an at-home test with laboratory analysis can be a discreet option. Make sure that, where needed, the test includes not only urine or blood but also swabs. This is especially relevant if you want to rule out infections at different body sites.

If you receive a positive result, it should also be clear how you can access medical advice and treatment.

Conclusion: How much does a test for sexually transmitted infections cost in Germany?

A test for sexually transmitted infections in Germany can be free, cost €10, or cost more than €100. The key factors are whether there is a medical reason, where you get tested, and which infections are being checked.

If you have symptoms or a specific suspicion, health insurance usually pays. The annual chlamydia screening for women up to age 25, certain tests during pregnancy, and PrEP follow-up examinations are also covered by statutory health insurance.

Without symptoms, you pay for many tests yourself. Public health offices and checkpoints are often low-cost or free options. At-home tests are discreet and convenient, but usually cost more than public testing services. At doctor’s offices, self-pay test packages can quickly cost €100 or more.

The most important thing is: get tested if you have had a risk, notice symptoms, or simply want regular peace of mind. Sexual health is nothing to be ashamed of.

Your body. Your health. Your decision.