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Full STD Panel: What It Tests For (and What It Misses)

By Richard D. Porter, Patient Advocate Updated

Quick answer

There's no standard definition of a full STD panel, so always check the list. STDCheck's 10-test panel covers HIV 1 and 2, herpes 1 and 2, hepatitis A, B and C, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, using urine and blood samples. Panels like this don't test for HPV, and STDCheck's panel pages don't mention throat or rectal swabs. If you may have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours, go to urgent care or an ER now and ask about PEP before ordering any test.

The test you need

Test
10-test STD panel (example: STDCheck)
Sample
Small urine and blood sample. STDCheck's panel page doesn't mention throat or rectal swabs.
When
Differs by infection. HIV lab antigen/antibody test: 18 to 45 days after exposure. A herpes blood test taken too soon can be wrong, and it can take up to 16 weeks or more for current tests to detect infection (CDC).
Results
STDCheck says results are ready in 1 to 2 days

A full STD panel sounds like it covers everything. It doesn’t, and the name isn’t regulated. What matters is the actual list of tests on the order page.

What does a full STD panel test for?

Providers choose their own bundles. Here is one example. STDCheck’s 10-test panel includes:

  • HIV 1 and 2
  • Herpes 1 and 2
  • Hepatitis A, B and C
  • Chlamydia
  • Gonorrhea
  • Syphilis

Its 13-test panel adds trichomoniasis, mycoplasma genitalium and a wellness panel. STDCheck describes the wellness panel as checking blood, kidney and liver health. An HIV RNA early-detection test is sold as an add-on.

STDCheck says the 10-test panel needs a small urine and blood sample. It describes chlamydia and gonorrhea as urine tests and the HIV, herpes and hepatitis tests as blood tests, and doesn’t state a sample for syphilis.

What does a full STD panel miss?

Three common gaps:

  • HPV. The CDC says HPV tests are FDA cleared only for cervical specimens, and that Pap tests and HPV tests shouldn’t be considered screening tests for STIs. Sex partners don’t need HPV tests, the CDC adds.
  • Throat and rectal infections. STDCheck’s panel pages don’t mention throat or rectal swabs. The CDC says people who have had oral or anal sex should talk with their healthcare provider about throat and rectal testing options.
  • Anything with symptoms. A panel samples urine and blood. It can’t examine a sore or swab it.

Conditions outside the list aren’t tested at all. If a particular infection worries you, check that it’s named.

Does a full panel include herpes?

Sometimes. The CDC says herpes blood tests “may or may not be part of the tests your healthcare provider gives you.” It also says it does not recommend herpes testing for people without symptoms in most situations, and that a blood test taken too soon after infection can be wrong. That’s worth knowing if a herpes test is bundled in without you asking for it. The CDC suggests asking which infections you are and aren’t being tested for, and why.

Does timing affect a full panel?

Yes, and it’s the biggest catch. One blood draw covers infections with different windows. For HIV, the CDC gives these ranges after exposure:

  • Nucleic acid test (NAT): 10 to 33 days
  • Antigen/antibody lab test: 18 to 45 days
  • Antibody test: 23 to 90 days

Herpes blood tests can take up to 16 weeks or more to detect infection. A panel taken a week after exposure may be too early for several of its tests. If you test early, plan to repeat. STDCheck’s panel page lists its own suggested waiting times for each infection.

Should I get a panel or individual tests?

A panel makes sense when several infections on the list are plausible for you and you want one visit. Individual tests make sense when only one or two are. STDCheck sells both, and its pricing page lists a separate price for each single test, so compare the total before choosing. Match the list to your own exposure: what happened, which body sites were involved, and how many days ago. The test finder can help with that.

How much does a full STD panel cost?

Prices are set by each provider and change. On October 26, 2026, STDCheck’s pricing page listed $139 for its 10 test panel and $259 for its 13 test panel. STDCheck says it doesn’t accept health insurance. For free or low-cost testing, the CDC’s GetTested site can help you find clinics.

Who needs a full panel?

It’s one option, not a rule. The CDC says everyone aged 13 to 64 should get at least one HIV test, and its screening tables set the schedule for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis based on age, partners and sexual practices. The CDC also recommends hepatitis B and C screening at least once for adults 18 and older. If you want only the tests that fit your situation, the test finder can narrow them down.

Get care now if

  • You may have been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours: go to an ER or urgent care now and ask about PEP
  • You have new sores, unusual discharge, pain or a fever: see a clinician or urgent care, who can examine you and test the affected area
  • You are pregnant: tell your prenatal clinician. The CDC says pregnant people should be screened for syphilis, HIV and hepatitis B early in pregnancy.

Call 911 for a medical emergency. Otherwise, an urgent care clinic, sexual health clinic or your doctor can see you.

When to test

  1. Within 72 hours of a possible HIV exposureGo to an emergency room or urgent care now and ask about PEP. The CDC says PEP must be started within 72 hours and is for emergencies only. Test later.
  2. A few weeks after a new exposureA panel taken too early can miss infections that take longer to show. Check the window-period calculator, and plan a repeat for the slower ones.
  3. Routine screeningA panel doesn't replace the CDC's screening schedule, which depends on age, partners and sexual practices. A clinician can help you match the two.

Common questions

What is in a 10-panel STD test?

At STDCheck, the 10-test panel lists HIV Type 1, HIV Type 2, herpes 1, herpes 2, hepatitis A, B and C, chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. Other providers may build their 10-panel differently, so compare the list.

Does a full panel include HPV?

Not on STDCheck's 10-test panel. The CDC says HPV tests are FDA cleared only for cervical specimens, and that Pap tests and HPV tests should not be considered screening tests for STIs.

Does a full panel include herpes?

Not always. The CDC says herpes blood tests may or may not be part of the tests a provider gives you, and does not recommend herpes testing for people without symptoms in most situations. Ask which infections you are and aren't being tested for.

Is a full panel worth it?

It can be convenient if several infections are on your mind. It can't see what it doesn't test for, and testing too early can give a false all clear, so match the panel to your exposure and timing.

Next: 10-test STD panel (example: STDCheck).

Small urine and blood sample. STDCheck's panel page doesn't mention throat or rectal swabs.. Differs by infection. HIV lab antigen/antibody test: 18 to 45 days after exposure. A herpes blood test taken too soon can be wrong, and it can take up to 16 weeks or more for current tests to detect infection (CDC).

Read next

Sources

This guide is general information written by a patient advocate using public health sources. It is not a diagnosis. Only a clinician or a lab test can tell you whether you have an infection. Read how we write and check our guides.