This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

Waiting for results can feel longer than the wait actually is. That is normal, and you are not alone in it.

This guide covers the practical side of the wait in Orlando. It explains how long it can take to get STD test results, what to set up before the call or text arrives, and how to look after yourself in the meantime.

You do not need to do anything complicated. A few small steps can make the wait calmer and make the next step easier.

How long does it take to get STD test results?

The honest answer is that it depends on the test and on the clinic. Some tests give a result during the visit. Others are sent to a lab.

Here is what the local sources say:

The Florida Department of Health in Orange County says results from its STD clinic take about one week. They are given in person, or by coded text if you have signed a consent form.
The department lists rapid HIV testing at its Central Health Center. A rapid test is designed to give a result during the same visit, but ask the clinic how it handles a rapid result that needs follow-up.
Other Orlando-area clinics do not publish a turnaround time. If a clinic's page does not list one, ask the front desk before you leave.

The best time to ask about timing is at the visit itself. Ask three things: how long, how you will be told, and who to call if you have not heard back.

What you need for the wait

Gather these things before you leave the clinic, or as soon as you get home:

The clinic's name and phone number, saved in your phone.
The date you were tested and the tests you had.
Any paperwork, visit number or login for the clinic's portal.
A photo ID, if the clinic gives results in person. The county STD clinic requires a picture ID.
A phone number you can answer or text safely, with voicemail set up the way you want it.
A notepad or notes app for questions you want to ask.
A trusted person to talk to, if you want one.

Step-by-step: what to do while you wait

Step 1: Confirm how you will get your results

Before you leave, ask whether results come by phone, by text, through a portal or in person. This matters more than it sounds. A missed call is the most common reason people wait longer than they need to.

At the Florida Department of Health in Orange County STD clinic, you can get results in person or by coded text. The text option needs signed consent. If you want it, ask for the form at your visit.

Step 2: Write down the follow-up plan

Note the date the clinic gave you, the number to call and the hours. The county STD clinic's page lists Monday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a lunch closure from 12 to 1 p.m. Other county pages and directories list different hours, so call 407-858-1400 to confirm before you go.

If the clinic you used is not on that list, check its own page or call. Do not guess at hours.

Step 3: Ask your clinician about the next few days

Different infections come with different advice during the wait. The CDC STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) explain that this advice depends on the infection and on whether treatment has started.

Questions worth asking:

Should I avoid sex until my results are back?
If I do have sex, what lowers the chance of passing something on? The CDC notes that condoms, used consistently and correctly, reduce the risk of many STIs.
Was a test done too early to be fully informative? If so, when should I be retested?

Your clinician can answer these for your situation. The CDC sets the window periods for each infection, and a clinician can tell you how they apply to you.

Step 4: Pay attention to how you feel, without trying to diagnose yourself

Many infections cause no symptoms, so how you feel cannot tell you what the test will show. A symptom does not confirm anything, and a lack of symptoms does not rule anything out.

If something new or worrying appears, such as pain, unusual discharge, sores or a rash, call the clinic rather than waiting for the result. For a list of signs worth raising with a clinician, see our guide to STD symptoms in women, signs, when to test and where.

Go to urgent care or an emergency room for severe pain or a high fever.

Step 5: Think about recent exposures to HIV

If you had a possible HIV exposure in the last few days, tell the clinic. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a medicine a clinician prescribes, and it is time sensitive. Miracle of Love's Test and Treat page says PEP must start within 72 hours of exposure.

Do not wait for your test results before asking. Call a clinic that offers PEP. In Orlando, Miracle of Love at (407) 843-1760 and Hope & Help Center of Central Florida at (407) 645-2577 both list it. The Florida Department of Health in Orange County also links a PrEP and PEP locator from its Area 7 HIV/AIDS Program page.

Step 6: Plan for what comes next, whatever the result

Decide ahead of time who you might tell and what you might ask. Having a plan can take some of the dread out of the wait.

It helps to know a few things in advance:

Bacterial STIs and trichomoniasis are curable with treatment from a clinician.
HIV and herpes are not curable, but they are treatable and manageable. The same is true of HPV.
Many clinics can start care quickly. The county STD clinic and several Orlando nonprofits list treatment among their services.

If you want to compare options, our list of Orlando testing locations shows where to get follow-up care, retesting or treatment.

Step 7: Look after yourself

Waiting is stressful, and that is a reasonable response. Keep your routine. Sleep, eat and move your body. Limit late-night searching, because online lists of symptoms tend to raise worry without giving answers.

Talking to a friend or partner you trust can help. So can writing down your questions. If worry starts to affect your sleep or work, a primary care clinician can point you to support.

If you are under 18

Florida law protects your privacy. Florida Statute section 384.30 says a parent or guardian's consent is not a prerequisite for a minor's examination or treatment for a sexually transmissible disease. The statute states no minimum age.

The same statute says the fact of a minor's consultation, examination and treatment is confidential. It may not be shared directly or indirectly, such as by sending a bill to a parent or guardian, except as section 384.29 allows. Ask the clinic how it will contact you about results so that the call or text goes where you want it.

Tips that make the wait easier

Keep your phone on and charged. Clinics may call from a number you do not recognize.
Save the clinic's number now. A saved contact is easier to spot and easier to call back.
Check your voicemail settings. A full mailbox can delay your results.
Ask for the result in writing or by portal if you can. Hearing it twice helps you remember it.
Bring someone with you for in-person results. Some people find it easier.
Plan some time for yourself afterward. Avoid scheduling something demanding right after the call.

Common mistakes to avoid

Assuming no news is good news. A lack of a call does not tell you anything about the result. It could mean a lab delay or a wrong number on file. Call the clinic if the expected time passes.
Treating symptoms or the lack of them as an answer. Neither one can tell you what a test would show.
Taking leftover or borrowed medicine. Only a clinician can decide which treatment fits, and the wrong one can hide or delay a diagnosis.
Skipping the retest question. If you were tested soon after a possible exposure, ask whether a repeat test makes sense.
Not telling partners when a clinician advises it. This can feel hard, but your clinician or the health department can help you plan the conversation. For some infections, Florida law (Fla. Stat. section 384.27, as summarized by the CDC) allows expedited partner therapy. That means a clinician may give treatment for a partner who cannot easily get to a clinic. The CDC lists the conditions on its Florida page.
Waiting to ask about PEP. It is time sensitive, so ask early.

What to expect when results arrive

Results can come back in a few ways. Many people find that the process is more routine than they feared, though everyone's experience differs.

A negative result may mean the test did not detect that infection. Your clinician can tell you whether testing too soon after exposure affects how to read it, and whether to retest.
A positive result is information a clinician can act on. Many infections can be treated, and a clinician can explain the options. Bacterial STIs and trichomoniasis are curable with treatment from a clinician. HIV and herpes are treatable and manageable.
An unclear or incomplete result sometimes happens. The clinic may ask you to come back for a repeat sample.

Some infections are reported to the health department. Florida Statute section 381.0031 requires practitioners, hospitals and certified laboratories to report diseases of public health significance. Florida Administrative Code Rule 64D-3.029 lists chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV among them. This is a routine public health step. The Florida Department of Health in Orange County handles STD surveillance for county residents.

Ask your clinician about doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (doxy-PEP) if it applies to you. The CDC issued guidance on it in 2024. It is a prescription decision that a clinician makes with you, so ask about it at a follow-up visit.

When to call the clinic instead of waiting

The date you were given has passed and you have not heard anything.
You have new symptoms or they are getting worse.
You think you were exposed to HIV in the past few days.
You are pregnant. Florida Administrative Code Rule 64D-3.042 sets testing for sexually transmissible diseases at the first prenatal exam and again at 28 to 32 weeks, so your prenatal clinician can review the timing with you.
You are unsure whether a test was done correctly or the sample was received.

Bottom line

How long it takes to get STD test results depends on the test and on where you went. In Orlando, the county STD clinic says about one week. Rapid HIV tests can return a result during the visit.

While you wait, make sure the clinic can reach you, ask your clinician about any steps for the next few days, and ask early about PEP if it applies. Whatever the result, a clinician can explain the next step.

What to Do While You Wait for STD Test Results