At-home and self-collected HPV tests
You can now collect your own sample for an HPV test, one of the cervical cancer screening options from age 30, instead of having a clinician collect it during a pelvic exam. Here is what is approved, where you can do it, and what the guidelines and coverage rules say so far.
What is approved
- In a health care setting (2024). The FDA approved two HPV tests, BD Onclarity and Roche cobas, for samples you collect yourself with a swab or brush, in a health care setting such as a primary care office, urgent care, pharmacy or mobile clinic. (NCI, 2024)
- At home. By December 2025 the American Cancer Society said self-collection can be done privately in a clinic or at home, using only FDA-approved tests and devices, which are available only through your health care provider. A provider still has to order the test. (ACS, 2025)
- Not covered by this: HPV tests you order yourself online. The ACS says they may not be good quality. (ACS, 2025)
What the guidelines say
| Guideline | Self-collected HPV test |
|---|---|
| USPSTF final (2018) | Not included: for 30 to 65, a Pap test every 3 years, an HPV test every 5 years, or both every 5 years, collected by a clinician (USPSTF, 2018) |
| USPSTF draft (December 2024, not final) | From 30 to 65, a clinician- or patient-collected HPV test every 5 years is the main option (USPSTF draft, 2024) |
| American Cancer Society | From 25, a self-collected HPV test every 3 years is an option, with an FDA-approved kit your provider orders (ACS, 2025) |
| WPSI (women's guidelines behind ACA coverage) | Self-collected HPV testing is an appropriate method (WPSI, 2022) |
What is and is not settled on coverage
Under the Affordable Care Act, most private plans must cover USPSTF grade A and B services and the women's preventive guidelines supported by HRSA without cost sharing. (42 U.S.C. 300gg-13) Cervical screening is covered, and the WPSI guideline lists self-collection as appropriate. (WPSI, 2022) The USPSTF language on self-collection is still a draft. Ask your plan whether a self-collected or at-home kit is covered before you order one. More: women's preventive services guidelines (WPSI) vs USPSTF.
Questions people ask
Can I do an HPV test at home?
The American Cancer Society says you can collect your own vaginal sample privately in a clinic or at home, using only an FDA-approved test and collection device that your health care provider orders. Tests you order yourself online may not be good quality. (ACS, 2025)
Is a self-collected HPV test as good as one done by a clinician?
The USPSTF draft update (not final) treats self-collected and clinician-collected HPV tests alike for women 30 to 65, every 5 years. The final 2018 statement did not include self-collection. (USPSTF draft, 2024) (USPSTF, 2018)
What if my self-collected test is positive?
The American Cancer Society says you will need to see a health care provider, who will collect a new sample from your cervix for more testing. (ACS, 2025)
How often should a self-collected HPV test be repeated?
The American Cancer Society says every 3 years for a self-collected test, compared with every 5 years for a clinician-collected HPV test. The USPSTF draft says every 5 years for either. (ACS, 2025) (USPSTF draft, 2024)