At-Home Testing | CDC

With Home Tests and Collections, you can collect a sample at home and either send it to a testing facility or take the test at home.

You and your doctor could either do one Collection set for the home or a Test at home if you have signs and symptoms of COVID-19 or if you cannot be tested at a local health facility.

Collection kits for the home

A home collection kit can be used by individuals to collect a sample (nasal swab, saliva) at home and then send it to a testing facility.

Several tests have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that people can use to collect samples (nasal swabs or saliva) at home or in a private location. The sample is then sent to a laboratory for testing. Most home collection kits require only a prescription, but some can be purchased without a prescription.

Testing at home

A home test allows a person to collect their own sample and then run the test on the sample in their home or private location to see if they have COVID-19.

In November and December 2020, the first at-home tests were approved by the FDA. For these tests, the sampling and testing can take place in a private location such as a personal residence. A laboratory does not run the tests. The home tests are available either with a prescription or over the counter (no prescription required).

Get a home test

Contact your doctor to find out if a home specimen collection kit or home test is suitable for you and available in your area. Some of these tests require a prescription from your doctor, while others require a health evaluation and a laboratory order. Others do not require a prescription, health assessment, or laboratory order.

Collect samples

Follow the instructions in the test kit to collect your own nasal or saliva sample. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to ensure proper nasal specimen collection and the accuracy of test results. Some tests require a front nasal swabpdf icon

Report results

Share your results with your health care provider, who will be responsible for reporting your test results to the state health department. If the home test has an app that you can use to report your results to the state health department, let your doctor know if you used that app for results reporting.

If your test is negative

A negative result means that COVID-19 was not found in your sample. If you took the test while you were having symptoms and carefully followed all of the directions, a negative result usually means your current illness is not COVID-19.

However, it is possible that a test could give a negative result (i.e., a false negative) in some people with COVID-19. Discuss your symptoms and test results with your doctor to determine if you need follow-up tests.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, especially if you've been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, you should quarantine as per CDC recommendations.

If your test is positive

Let your doctor know about your positive test result and stay in touch with them throughout your illness. Follow CDC recommendations to avoid spreading the virus to others. These recommendations include isolation for at least 10 days from the onset of symptoms and until you have no fever for at least 24 hours. During the 24 hours, you should monitor your temperature without taking any medication that will lower your fever (e.g. paracetamol, ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, aspirin). See CDC's instructions on Isolating If You Are Sick.

If your result is invalid or incorrect

The test did not work properly. If your test shows an invalid result or a test failure, please refer to the instructions for use in the package insert and contact the manufacturer for assistance.