Free STI Testing in Australia: A State-by-State Guide
September 29, 2026
How Private Is an STI Test? Medicare, My Health Record and Your Results
October 16, 2026
Pharmacies are often the first stop for anything health-related, and “can I just get an STI test at the chemist?” is a very common question. It’s a fair one: pharmacists in Australia can now do more than ever, from treating some urinary tract infections to resupplying the contraceptive pill. But STIs are one area where the pharmacy counter can only take you part of the way.
Here’s what an Australian pharmacy can and can’t do for your sexual health, and what needs a doctor.
Medically reviewed by Dr Vafa Derakshan (MBBS, FRACGP). Last reviewed 29 September 2026. Details checked against official sources in September 2026, including the TGA, healthdirect, NSW Health and HIV Self-Testing Australia. Pharmacy services differ between states and change often, so check with your local pharmacy.
The short version
- STI tests: you can buy an HIV self-test at many pharmacies. There’s currently no approved chlamydia or gonorrhoea self-test on sale (the only one was suspended by the TGA in 2026), and a pharmacy can’t order a full STI check.
- STI treatment: there is no over-the-counter treatment for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, Mycoplasma genitalium or genital herpes. They all need a doctor’s assessment and a prescription.
- What pharmacies can help with: emergency contraception without a prescription, thrush treatment (if you’ve had it before and are sure of the symptoms), UTI treatment for eligible women in several states, and, in some states, contraceptive pill resupply.
- PEP, PrEP and Doxy-PEP are all prescription-only. Once you have a script, a pharmacy dispenses them.
- If you may have been exposed to HIV, don’t wait: PEP must be started within 72 hours, and the sooner the better.
What a pharmacy can and can’t do: at a glance
| What you need | At a pharmacy? | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| HIV self-test | Yes, at many pharmacies | Finger-prick test for HIV only. May miss HIV picked up in the last 3 months. A reactive result needs a lab test to confirm it. |
| Chlamydia or gonorrhoea self-test | Not currently | The only approved kit was suspended by the TGA from 17 June to 17 December 2026. |
| Full STI check (urine, swabs, blood) | No | Needs a doctor’s pathology request. Samples are collected at a pathology collection centre. |
| STI treatment | No | Prescription-only. A doctor chooses treatment based on the test result. |
| Emergency contraception | Yes, no prescription needed | Works best the sooner it’s taken. It doesn’t protect against STIs. |
| Thrush treatment | Yes, most options | Only if you’ve had thrush before and are sure it’s thrush. |
| UTI treatment | In several states, for eligible women | Burning when you pee can also be an STI. |
| PEP, PrEP, Doxy-PEP | Dispensed with a prescription | A doctor must prescribe them first. Not every pharmacy keeps them in stock. |
STI tests you can buy at a pharmacy
HIV self-tests have been allowed in Australia since 2014, and an approved finger-prick test is sold by many pharmacies and pharmacy websites. It gives a result in about 15 minutes. Adults 18 and over can also order free HIV self-test kits by post from the national HIV Self-Testing Australia service (once every six months, under the service’s own terms), and in NSW free kits are available from MyTest vending machines.
Two limits matter: it only tests for HIV (not syphilis, hepatitis, chlamydia or gonorrhoea), and it may not detect HIV acquired in the last three months.
Chlamydia and gonorrhoea self-tests became legal to approve in Australia in 2020, and the first one (a vaginal swab kit) was sold in pharmacies from late 2024. In 2026 the TGA suspended it until 17 December 2026 after independent testing raised concerns about false negatives. The TGA’s advice is that a negative result from that device does not exclude infection. If you used one, a laboratory test is the reliable next step. There’s more on home kits in our guide to at-home STI tests in Australia.
Why a pharmacy can’t do a full STI check
A proper STI check usually combines a urine test or swabs (sometimes from the throat and anus as well as the genitals) with a blood test for HIV, syphilis and sometimes hepatitis. Those samples go to a pathology laboratory, and the lab needs a request from a doctor or nurse practitioner. Pharmacists can’t currently order STI pathology, and the pharmacy prescribing programs announced so far cover conditions such as UTIs and contraception, not STIs.
The good news is that the doctor’s part doesn’t have to mean a waiting room. With an online STI test, a doctor assesses you by phone or video (usually the same day), chooses the right tests for your situation, and sends an electronic pathology request. You then walk in to any collection centre. Our guide to what a full STI check includes explains which tests suit which situations.
Is there over-the-counter STI treatment?
No. In Australia, treatment for bacterial STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis, trichomoniasis and Mycoplasma genitalium is prescription-only, and so is treatment for genital herpes. There are good reasons for this:
- Different infections need different treatment, and symptoms overlap, so treatment depends on the test result.
- Antibiotic resistance. Gonorrhoea and Mycoplasma genitalium have become resistant to several antibiotics, which is why the Australian STI Management Guidelines set out specific treatments and follow-up.
- Partners need care too. Recent sexual partners usually need testing or treatment, or the infection comes straight back.
- Follow-up matters. For example, guidelines recommend a repeat test about three months after treatment for chlamydia and gonorrhoea, because reinfection is common.
Be wary of websites offering STI “treatment” without a prescription. The TGA says prescription-only medicines imported for personal use need a valid Australian prescription, and warns that medicines sold online may not meet Australian standards for safety and quality. A telehealth doctor can prescribe STI treatment online if it’s clinically appropriate, and you collect it from your usual pharmacy.
“I think it’s a UTI”: when a pharmacy UTI service isn’t the right fit
Several states now let trained pharmacists treat uncomplicated urinary tract infections. In NSW, for example, the service is for women aged 18 to 65, and pharmacies don’t charge a consultation fee for it (you pay for the medicine). It’s a useful service, but a stinging or burning feeling when you pee isn’t always a UTI. Chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis and Mycoplasma genitalium can cause similar symptoms, and so can thrush.
It’s worth seeing a doctor and asking about an STI test if:
- you’ve had a new sexual partner, or a partner has an STI
- you have unusual discharge, bleeding between periods or after sex, or pain during sex
- symptoms come back soon after UTI treatment
- you’re a man with burning when you pee (pharmacy UTI services don’t treat men)
Emergency contraception after unprotected sex
Emergency contraceptive pills are available from pharmacies without a prescription. Depending on the type, they work up to 3 days or up to 5 days after unprotected sex, and work better the sooner they’re taken. A copper IUD fitted within 5 days is the most effective emergency contraception, but it needs a trained clinician.
Emergency contraception doesn’t protect against STIs. If the sex that led to it also carries an STI risk, plan a test: chlamydia and gonorrhoea can usually be tested about 2 weeks after sex, and HIV and syphilis need longer. See how long after unprotected sex you can test. If there’s any chance of HIV exposure, speak to a doctor about PEP straight away rather than waiting to test.
Thrush and BV: what you can and can’t self-treat
Most thrush creams and pessaries can be bought over the counter. healthdirect says self-treatment is generally reasonable if you’ve had thrush before, treated it successfully and are sure of the symptoms. See a doctor instead if it’s your first time, you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, you get thrush 4 or more times a year, pharmacy treatment hasn’t worked, or you think it could be an STI.
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is different: it’s usually treated with prescription medicine, and a doctor can confirm it isn’t something else first. We can help with thrush and BV by telehealth.
PEP, PrEP and Doxy-PEP: what the pharmacy does
All three need a prescription first. Once a doctor has prescribed them, a pharmacy dispenses them, but not every pharmacy keeps them in stock.
- PEP is emergency medicine after a possible HIV exposure. It must be started within 72 hours, ideally much sooner. If it’s after hours, a hospital emergency department is often the fastest place to start it. If you get a prescription, call the pharmacy first to check they have it. Your state’s PEP hotline, listed on Get PEP, can tell you where to go.
- PrEP is ongoing HIV prevention for people at higher risk. It’s PBS-subsidised, and you’ll need regular HIV and STI tests while you take it. See how to get PrEP in Australia.
- Doxy-PEP is an antibiotic taken after sex to lower the risk of syphilis and chlamydia, for people at higher risk. It needs a doctor’s assessment.
If your usual pharmacy has run out of PrEP, try another pharmacy (suppliers differ). In NSW, Sexual Health Infolink (1800 451 624) can help you find one with stock.
Frequently asked questions
Can I buy an STI test at a chemist in Australia?
You can buy an HIV self-test at many pharmacies. The only approved chlamydia and gonorrhoea self-test is suspended until 17 December 2026, and pharmacies can’t order a full STI check, which needs a doctor’s pathology request.
Can a pharmacist treat chlamydia or gonorrhoea?
Not in Australia. Treatment is prescription-only and depends on a confirmed diagnosis. A doctor, including a telehealth doctor, can prescribe it and send the script to your pharmacy.
Can I get PEP from a pharmacy without a prescription?
No. PEP needs a prescription from a doctor, sexual health clinic or emergency department. It must be started within 72 hours of a possible HIV exposure, so seek care straight away, and call ahead to check the pharmacy has it in stock.
Does the morning-after pill protect against STIs?
No. It only lowers the chance of pregnancy. If you’re worried about an STI, book a test for the right time after sex, and ask about PEP urgently if HIV exposure is possible.
Is an online STI consult cheaper than buying a test kit?
STI Doctor consults are bulk billed for eligible Medicare card holders, and standard STI tests are usually covered by Medicare at the collection centre. Without Medicare, see our fees. Public sexual health clinics are another option: see our state-by-state guide.
Skip the guesswork: speak to a doctor today
A pharmacy is great for some things, but an STI check and STI treatment need a doctor. With STI Doctor you can speak to an Australian doctor by phone or video, usually the same day, 7 days from 9am to 7pm Sydney time. Book your online STI test, bulk billed for eligible Medicare card holders.
Sources: newsGP, TGA suspends chlamydia and gonorrhoea self-test (15 July 2026); TGA, rules for chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis self-tests; TGA, Can I import a medicine for personal use?; HIV Self-Testing Australia; healthdirect, morning after pill; healthdirect, vaginal thrush; NSW Health, UTI pharmacy service FAQs; Better Health Channel, PEP; Get PEP, PEP hotlines; Ending HIV, My pharmacy is out of PrEP; Australian STI Management Guidelines, chlamydia; Australian STI Management Guidelines, gonorrhoea. This article is general information, not personal medical advice.
