Free, confidential COVID-19 testing is available to every Californian that needs it. Appointments are required.
On this page you will find:
Types of tests
Two types of COVID-19 tests are available: Diagnostic tests and antibody tests.
A diagnostic test can show if you have an active coronavirus infection. Currently there are two types of diagnostic tests: viral PCR tests that detect the virus’s genetic material, and antigen tests that detect specific proteins on the surface of the virus. Testing sites listed on this page use viral PCR tests.
Antigen tests usually provide results faster than viral PCR tests at lower cost, but have a higher chance of missing an active infection. Antigen tests are used on people suspected of having COVID-19 within 5-12 days of symptoms appearing.
What is an antibody test? Where can I get an antibody test?
Antibody tests detect past infections. They can determine if you are a good candidate to donate blood plasma. It can take 1-3 weeks after infection for your body to make antibodies.
You can find locations for both viral PCR and antibody tests on the COVID-19 Testing Sites in California map.
Cost for testing
There are no out-of-pocket costs for medically-necessary testing. If you have medical insurance, Verily or OptumServe will bill your insurance company. If you’re uninsured, the government pays for your test.
Who can get tested
California’s testing capacity and turnaround time have improved. As a result, until further notice, all testing requests will have equal priority.
When demand for tests exceed capacity, CDPH will prioritize testing based on risk, as follows:
First priority
- Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 symptoms
- Those identified through an outbreak or contact tracing investigation
Second priority
- All other individuals with COVID-19 symptoms
- Close contacts of confirmed cases
- People without symptoms, but who are:
- Residents in group living facilities
- Healthcare workers who care for COVID-19 patients
- Workers in group living facilities and in-home support services
- Workers in the emergency service sector who have frequent interactions with the public or people with COVID-19. This includes first responders and other public service departments.
- Workers in correctional facilities
- Hospital admission and discharge patients
Third priority
- People without symptoms, but who are:
- Essential workers
- Education workers who have frequent interactions with students or the public
Fourth priority
- People without symptoms, but who are:
- At risk of infection
- Being tested by their employer
The COVID-19 Testing Task Force is working to ensure that Californians have access to tests, and laboratories have capacity to meet demand.
How to get tested
California has partnered with Verily and OptumServe to provide free, confidential testing statewide. Tests are available for everyone, including underserved communities and individuals who are at high risk.
Testing with Verily
Verily provides drive-through testing. To find a Verily testing site near you and make an appointment:
Complete the screener
You will need a Google account.
Verily testing sites are now open in the following areas:
- Alturas (Modoc County)
- American Canyon (Napa County)
- Antioch (Contra Costa County)
- Atascadero (San Luis Obispo County)
- Bear Valley (Alpine County)
- Bishop (Inyo County)
- Calistoga (Napa County)
- Calpine (Sierra County)
- Ceres (Stanislaus County)
- Chowchilla (Madera County)
- Clearlake (Lake County)
- Coleville (Mono County)
- Corcoran (King County)
- Corona (King County)
- Crescent City (Del Norte County)
- Daly City (San Mateo County)
- Dinuba (Tulare County)
- Downieville (Sierra County)
- Earlimart (Tulare County)
- East Palo Alto (San Mateo County)
- Elk Grove (Sacramento County)
- Escalon (San Joaquin County)
- Exeter (Tulare County)
- Farmersville (Tulare County)
- French Camp (San Joaquin County)
- Fresno (Fresno County)
- Gridley (Butte County)
- Half Moon Bay (San Mateo County)
- Hanford (King County)
- Hayfork (Trinity County)
- Jackson (Amador County)
- Kerman (Fresno County)
- Klamath (Del Norte County)
- Lakeport (Lake County)
- Lee Vining (Mono County)
- Lemoore (King County)
- Lewiston (Trinity County)
- Livingston (Merced County)
- Lone Pine (Inyo County)
- Los Baños (Merced County)
- Loyalton (Sierra County)
- Magalia (Butte County)
- Mammoth Lakes (Mono County)
- Mariposa (Mariposa County)
- Markleeville (Alpine County)
- Merced (Merced County)
- Mount Shasta (Siskiyou County)
- Napa (Napa County)
- Olivehurst (Yuba County)
- Pescadero (San Mateo County)
- Placerville (El Dorado County)
- Porterville (Tulare County)
- Redding (Shasta County)
- Redwood City (San Mateo County)
- Reedley (Fresno County)
- Rio Linda (Sacramento County)
- Sacramento (Sacramento County)
- Salida (Stanislaus County)
- San Bruno (San Mateo County)
- San Jose (Santa Clara County)
- San Mateo (San Mateo County)
- San Rafael (Marin County)
- Santa Rosa (Sonoma County)
- Selma (Fresno County)
- South San Francisco (San Mateo County)
- St. Helena (Napa County)
- Stockton (San Joaquin County)
- Susanville (Lassen County)
- Tracy (San Joaquin County)
- Tulare (Tulare County)
- Turlock (Stanislaus County)
- Ukiah (Mendocino County)
- Upper Lake (Lake County)
- Vallejo (Solano County)
- Visalia (Tulare County)
- Wawona (Mariposa County)
- Weaverville (Trinity County)
- Woodlake (Tulare County)
- Woodland (Yolo County)
- Yosemite Valley (Mariposa County)
- Yuba City (Sutter County)
- Alpine (San Diego County)
- Anaheim (Orange County)
- Apple Valley (San Bernardino County)
- Bakersfield (Kern County)
- Banning (Riverside County)
- Barstow (San Bernardino County)
- Beaumont (Riverside County)
- Bell (Los Angeles County)
- Blythe (Riverside County)
- Brawley (Imperial County)
- Calexico (Imperial County)
- Coachella (Riverside County)
- Compton (Los Angeles County)
- Costa Mesa (Orange County)
- Delano (Kern County)
- Desert Hot Springs (Riverside County)
- El Centro (Imperial County)
- Fallbrook (San Diego)
- Fontana (San Bernardino County)
- Fullerton (Orange County)
- Gardena (Los Angeles County)
- Hemet (Riverside County)
- Hesperia (San Bernardino County)
- Indio (Riverside County)
- La Habra (Orange County)
- Lake Elsinore (Riverside County)
- Lamont (Kern County)
- Lancaster (Los Angeles County)
- Lemon Grove (San Diego County)
- Los Angeles (Los Angeles County)
- McFarland (Kern County)
- Oceanside (San Diego)
- Ontario (San Bernardino County)
- Palm Springs (Riverside County)
- Palmdale (Los Angeles County)
- Paramount (Los Angeles County)
- Pasadena (Los Angeles County)
- Perris (Riverside County)
- Phelan (San Bernardino County)
- Pico Rivera (Los Angeles County)
- Pomona (Los Angeles County)
- Port Hueneme (Ventura County)
- Riverside (Riverside County)
- Rosamond (Kern County)
- San Jacinto (Riverside County)
- San Juan Capistrano (Orange County)
- Santa Maria (Santa Barbara County)
- Santa Paula (Ventura County)
- Seal Beach (Orange County)
- Shafter (Kern County)
- Twentynine Palms (San Bernardino County)
- Valley Center (San Diego County)
- Victorville (San Bernardino County)
- Wasco (Kern County)
- Yucca Valley (San Bernardino County)
Testing with OptumServe
Tests are by appointment only. Find a location near you and make an appointment at:
Register to be tested for COVID-19
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.
Questions and answers
Yes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for an over-the-counter fully at-home diagnostic test for COVID-19. The test is authorized for individuals two years of age or older, including those not showing symptoms.
The home test is a rapid, lateral flow antigen test, a type of test that runs a liquid sample along a surface with reactive molecules. The FDA allows it to be sold in places like drug stores, where a patient can buy it, swab their nose, run the test and find out their results in as little as 20 minutes.
Individuals with positive results should:
- Self-isolate
- Seek additional care from their health care provider
Individuals who test negative and experience COVID-like symptoms should follow up with their health care provider. It is possible to get a negative test result and still be infected with coronavirus.
For more information, see the FDA news release.
Yes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for an at-home COVID-19 diagnostic self-test. The authorization is for home use with self-collected nasal swab samples in individuals aged 14 and older. This test is currently authorized for prescription use only.
The test works by swirling the self-collected sample swab in a vial that is then placed in the test unit. In 30 minutes or less, the results can be read directly from the test unit’s light-up display.
Individuals with positive results should:
- Self-isolate
- Seek additional care from their health care provider
Individuals who test negative and experience COVID-like symptoms should follow up with their health care provider. It is possible to get a negative test result and still be infected with coronavirus.
For more information, see the FDA news release.
Turnaround time for coronavirus test results is usually less than two days. Approximately two-thirds are returned within a day and more than 85% are available within two days.
This turnaround time includes shipping time. So for labs that process home testing kits, turnaround time may depend on when an individual mails back their 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.
Read more at California’s COVID-19 Testing Task Force.
You should get tested if you:
- Had close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19
- Have COVID-19 symptoms
- Get a call from a contact tracer
- Are at high risk
If you think you may have been exposed, call your doctor.
If you continue to have no symptoms, you can be with others after 10 days have passed since your test.
The CDC has detailed recommendations for people who test positive but have no symptoms.
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. Symptoms can develop even after testing negative within 14 days after exposure. Multiple people in the same household should not quarantine in the same room, since some may be infected.
There are two steps to this process: screening and testing. First, you will create an account and take the online screener. If you are eligible, you will get details on how and where to get tested. Once tested, you’ll get an email or phone call with your COVID-19 test results.
Verily needs a way to authenticate and protect user information. They turned to Google for this service, because Google accounts have best-in-class authentication. Simply link to an existing Google account or create a new one (which you can do with any email address). Then Verily can contact you securely during the screening and testing process. All data collected by Verily is kept private and is not linked to a user’s Google account.
Stay informed