Starting in late September, a set of four free Covid-19 test kits can once again be ordered online from the U.S. government with just a few clicks and mailed directly to your home. This kit can be sent to every household in the United States, as well as to U.S. territories and military addresses. Even if you’ve been vaccinated against the current variants, you can still get and spread the virus, so it’s a good idea to have a test on hand to see if you’re infected.
If you need a test now, here’s a guide to finding the best home test and an overview of the process for ordering and taking a test. Also check out our guide to the best N95 masks and other reusable masks.
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How to order a test
Go directly to the U.S. Postal Service’s Covid-19 page. When you visit Covid.gov, you should see “Order a Free Home Test” in a blue bubble on the home page. Clicking on it will redirect you to the USPS order page. Fill in your name and address there. Please enter your email address so you can receive shipping notifications. Once you have entered your address, click the “Check out now” button on the right. The test is completely free, including shipping. Applications are limited to one person per household.
If you know someone who doesn’t have internet access, the easiest way is to fill out this form on their behalf. You can also try calling the Covid.gov helpline at 1-877-696-6775, but you may be put on hold for a while. Please do not call USPS as no one can order for you.
Your test should arrive within a few days. There are no guarantees or a choice as to which brands will be offered, but the site says these are Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved home rapid antigen tests. You may receive an iHealth test that we recommend.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you should get tested as soon as you start noticing symptoms or within five days of exposure. If you are asymptomatic and your first test is negative, get another test according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This usually occurs within two days of the initial test. For this reason, most tests include two tests per box. If your test result is positive, take another test to confirm and quarantine for 5 days.
Have your old tests expired?
You may already have some tests on hand that were shipped by the government in the past or that you purchased separately. You can probably use it without any problems. Check out the list of FDA-approved at-home tests. If the expiration date has been extended, it means the manufacturer has provided data to the FDA that shows the expiration date is longer than thought when the test was first approved.
Need a test now?
If you need a test as soon as possible, check out our guide to rapid home coronavirus disease (Covid-19) tests and where to get them. It also includes detailed information about accuracy. Rapid tests typically provide results in about 15 minutes and are about 85% accurate.
Tests we recommend (see guide for other retailers).
