Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order free at-?home COVID-?19 tests. The tests are completely free and there are no shipping charges.
Order your tests now by visiting https://www.covidtests.gov/. Orders are fulfilled by the U.S. Postal Service. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. 1 order per household is allowed, and each order includes four at-home tests.
The tests available for order:
- Are rapid antigen at-home tests, not PCR
- Can be taken anywhere
- Give results within 30 minutes (no lab drop-off required)
- Work whether or not you have COVID-?19 symptoms
- Work whether or not you are up to date on your COVID-?19 vaccines
- Are also referred to self-tests or over-the-counter (OTC) tests
FAQs About Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests
Who can order tests as part of this program?
Tests are available for every residential address in the U.S., including U.S. Territories and overseas military and diplomatic addresses (APO/FPO/DPO).
How can I order tests and when?
Tests can be ordered online at COVIDtests.gov. Tests will usually ship within 7-12 days of ordering.
To place an order, all you need is your name and residential address. No ID, credit card, or health insurance information is required. You may also share your email address to get updates on your order.
Is there a limit to how many tests I can order?
Yes. To promote broad access, the initial program will only allow #44 free individual tests per residential address.
Can I order more tests if I live in a large or multigenerational household?
No. To promote broad access, the initial program will only allow #44 free individual tests per residential address.
When should I use my tests?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you take an at-home test:
- If you begin having COVID-?19 symptoms like fever, sore throat, runny nose, or loss of taste or smell, or
- At least 5 days after you come into close contact with someone with COVID-?19, or
- When you’re going to gather with a group of people, especially those who are at risk of severe disease or may not be up to date on their COVID-?19 vaccines.
Need extra COVID-19 tests?
Beginning January 15, 2022, individuals with private health insurance coverage or covered by a group health plan who purchase an over-the-counter COVID-19 diagnostic test authorized, cleared, or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be able to have those test costs covered by their plan or insurance. Insurance companies and health plans are required to cover 8 free over-the-counter at-home tests per covered individual per month. That means a family of four, all on the same plan, would be able to get up to 32 of these tests covered by their health plan per month.
