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How do I get free HIV testing in Miami-Dade?

Answered in plain language, anchored to CDC, HIV.gov, and NIH.

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Educational resource — General information for learning and support. Check the linked sources and organizations for current policies, services, and eligibility when relevant.
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Miami-Dade has free HIV testing through public-health and community programs, including home-test requests for county residents. Call the health department’s counseling and testing line at 786-792-5269 for current testing options. Confirm the specific test, eligibility and any appointment requirements before visiting; other services at the same clinic may have charges.[1][2][6]

Start with DOH-Miami-Dade

The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County runs the county's HIV program: surveillance, education, prevention, counseling, testing, care, and treatment. Its HIV/AIDS page lists testing, counseling, and referrals at locations near you, plus a PrEP and PEP locator[1].

DOH-Miami-Dade advertises free HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis testing at community events. Call 786-792-5269, its counseling and testing line, for current locations and schedules.[2]

Use DOH-Miami-Dade’s current HIV prevention page or call its counseling and testing line for event information. Verify a date and location before traveling, because mobile and community testing schedules can change.[1]

Free test kits mailed to you

DOH-Miami-Dade offers a free HIV home-test request for county residents and describes results in as little as 20 minutes. Follow the request form’s current eligibility and delivery instructions. A recent exposure may not yet show on a self-test; ask a health-care provider when and how to test.[12][1]

Care Resource mails a free HIV home test if you are 14 or older, live in Miami-Dade or Broward, have never tested positive, and have not tested in the last three months. Order online or call 305-576-1234 ext. 352[5].

Statewide: FL DOH directs Floridians to KnowYourHIVStatus.com to request a free OraQuick In-Home Rapid HIV Testing Kit, with the request survey available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole[4]. Supply of mailed kits can run out, so if the offer is unavailable when you look, fall back on a mobile unit or a walk-in clinic.

Community organizations that test for free

Empower U Community Health Center — a federally qualified health center in Liberty City. Free rapid and conventional HIV testing with counseling, plus PrEP for uninsured people and PrEP navigation. No appointment required; walk-ins welcome. 7900 NW 27th Ave., Suite E-12, Miami, FL 33147, in the Northside Shopping Center. 786-318-2337; Monday 8–5, Tuesday and Wednesday 8–7, Thursday and Friday 8–5[6][7].

Care Resource lists no-cost rapid HIV testing and wellness screenings at 3510 Biscayne Blvd. in Midtown and 1800 S.W. 1st St. in Little Havana, Monday–Friday, 8:15 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Its mobile-service page also says rapid testing will resume soon, so call 305-576-1234, extension 352, to confirm current service and scheduling before relying on mobile testing.[5]

Pridelines currently offers free, confidential HIV testing, STI screening and PrEP/PEP navigation at 1130 Washington Ave., first floor, Miami Beach, FL 33139, and through outreach. Contact 305-571-9601 to arrange testing. Its new Thrivelines clinics are planned for October 2026; that expansion should not be mistaken for clinics already open.[8][9]

IDEA Exchange Miami is listed in CDC’s directory for free HIV and hepatitis C testing and harm-reduction services at 1668 N.W. 7th Ave., Miami. The listing does not require an appointment. Contact the program to confirm current hours, eligibility and any mobile testing locations before traveling.[10]

What to expect, and what it costs

The programs identified above advertise free HIV testing, but that does not mean every visit, STI test or treatment at the same clinic is free. Ask specifically about the free HIV test, whether identification is needed and any costs for other services. Florida’s health department lists public-health and community testing options statewide; confirm the current offer with your chosen site.[3]

Rapid test results are generally available within 30 minutes; self-test timing depends on the product. A reactive screening or self-test needs follow-up testing to confirm HIV. Ask staff to arrange that testing and prompt linkage to care. A negative result during the window period may need repeat testing; a test immediately after exposure cannot rule out HIV.[12][1]

If you may have had an HIV exposure within the last 72 hours, seek urgent assessment for PEP immediately, ideally within 24 hours. An emergency department or another clinician able to provide PEP can assess you; do not wait for a community testing appointment or assume a testing-only site can prescribe it.[13][1]

Florida context: why Miami-Dade has extra resources

Miami-Dade is an Ending the HIV Epidemic priority county. The initial focus included 48 counties, Washington, D.C., San Juan and seven states with substantial rural HIV burden, based on 2016–2017 diagnoses. Florida’s seven priority counties are Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Orange, Palm Beach and Pinellas.[11]

DOH-Miami-Dade’s Miami Collaborative and PrEP Workgroup support prevention planning and connections among providers. Ask specifically for testing, PrEP/PEP navigation or HIV treatment linkage so staff can route you to the appropriate service; eligibility differs across programs.[2]

Related questions

Do I need insurance or ID for free HIV testing in Miami-Dade?

The programs on this page advertise free HIV testing, but eligibility and identification rules vary. Confirm that the specific test is free and ask about appointments and any separate visit or other-service charges. CDC lists Empower U as welcoming walk-ins.[2][5][6]

Can I get a free HIV test kit mailed to me in Miami-Dade?

DOH-Miami-Dade offers free home-test requests for county residents. Care Resource lists eligibility as age 14 or older, living in Miami-Dade or Broward, never having tested positive and not having tested in the previous three months. Confirm current availability and follow the kit instructions; recent exposure may need clinical testing.[1][5][12]

Where is the Test Miami mobile unit today?

Call DOH-Miami-Dade’s counseling and testing line at 786-792-5269 or use its current HIV prevention page to check community testing locations and schedules before you travel.[2]

What happens if my rapid HIV test is reactive?

A reactive rapid or home test needs follow-up testing to confirm HIV. Contact a health-care provider or testing program promptly to arrange confirmation and linkage to care. Treatment should start as soon as possible after diagnosis; the clinic can explain the next steps.[12][14]

Find HIV care and services near you
Search Florida clinics, lead agencies, and testing sites by location.
Where can I get an HIV test in Florida?
Statewide testing options, from county clinics to mailed self-test kits.
Where can I get free HIV testing?
National options for testing that costs you nothing.
Where can I get PrEP in Florida?
County health departments, clinics, and manufacturer programs after Ready, Set, PrEP.
HIV testing hub
Test types, window periods, and what your result means.
Last reviewed: September 2026 by the RiseUpToHIV team. Educational content only — not medical advice.

References & Sources

  1. DOH-Miami-Dade — HIV/AIDS program. County HIV program scope, free HIV HOME test kit for Miami-Dade residents, testing and counseling locations, and the PrEP and PEP locator. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩
  2. DOH-Miami-Dade — HIV Prevention; community testing, home-test requests and counseling/testing line. Source. ↩↩↩ ↩ ↩ ↩
  3. Florida Department of Health — HIV prevention and testing options. Source. ↩
  4. Florida Department of Health — HIV/AIDS Prevention. Directs Floridians to KnowYourHIVStatus.com for a free OraQuick In-Home Rapid HIV Testing Kit, with a request survey in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole. ↩
  5. Care Resource — Testing hours, locations, mobile-service notice and home-test eligibility. Source. ↩↩ ↩ ↩
  6. CDC NPIN — Empower U Community Health Center. Free rapid and conventional HIV testing with counseling, walk-ins welcome, PrEP for uninsured people, and PrEP navigation. ↩ ↩ ↩
  7. Empower U Community Health Center. Address, hours, and 786-318-2337 contact line for the Liberty City health center. ↩
  8. Pridelines — Thrivelines; current testing/navigation and planned October 2026 clinics. Source. ↩
  9. CDC NPIN — Pridelines. Miami Beach address and the appointment-required note for Pridelines testing. ↩
  10. CDC NPIN — IDEA Exchange (Miami). Listing for the University of Miami syringe services program, including no-appointment-required access and site information. ↩
  11. CDC — Ending the HIV Epidemic: jurisdictions and plans. The 50 EHE priority jurisdictions and Florida's seven priority counties, including Miami-Dade. ↩
  12. CDC — Getting Tested for HIV; test timing, window periods and follow-up. Source. Checked September 21, 2026. ↩ ↩ ↩ ↩
  13. CDC — Clinical Guidance for PEP; urgent assessment within 72 hours. Source. Checked September 21, 2026. ↩
  14. CDC — Treating HIV; start treatment promptly after diagnosis. Source. Checked September 21, 2026. ↩

Community publications like POZ, Positively Aware, and TheBody inform framing and lived-experience context on RiseUpToHIV. Every clinical, epidemiological, or public-health claim above is anchored to a primary source.

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