Get a baseline test now, then retest on the window clock: chlamydia and gonorrhea by about two weeks, HIV reliable by about six weeks on a lab test, syphilis and older HIV tests up to ninety days.
Symptoms override the schedule - discharge, sores, burning, or pelvic pain mean go now. One clock outranks all: HIV PEP after a high-risk exposure must start within 72 hours - that is an ER or clinic today. The CDC treats STI testing as routine maintenance for anyone sexually active.
What to do
Common questions
How long after unprotected sex should I get tested for STIs?
Two answers at once: get a baseline test now, and plan the retest. "Now" matters because it establishes what you already had and catches the STIs that show quickly. The retest matters because of window periods - the lag between infection and a test turning positive. Rough working windows: chlamydia and gonorrhea are usually detectable by one to two weeks, so testing at two weeks is a solid first pass; HIV depends on the test type, with the standard lab antigen/antibody test reliable by about six weeks and final reassurance around ninety days for older antibody-only tests; syphilis can take up to ninety days; herpes blood tests are similarly delayed. Symptoms change the rule entirely - discharge, sores, burning, or pelvic pain mean go now, regardless of windows. And one urgent clock sits above all of this: HIV PEP, the prevention medication taken after a high-risk exposure, must start within 72 hours - if that is on the table, go to an ER or clinic today, not next week. The CDC treats STI testing as routine health maintenance for the sexually active. Pymander, a free AI doctor available 24/7 by text, can help you build your testing timeline.