A federal program that provides free at-home COVID-19 tests, including tests with enhanced accessibility, has resumed.

Another round of free at-home COVID-19 tests is now available.

Starting in late September 2024, every U.S. household can order four free COVID-19 rapid tests.

Visit https://special.usps.com/testkits to place an order. (The website is available in Spanish and Chinese.) Here’s what you need to know:

• Each order includes four individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests.
• Orders will ship free starting Sept. 30, 2024.

If you need help placing an order, you can call (800) 232-0233 or (888) 720-7489 (TTY).

More accessible tests are also available for individuals who are blind or have low vision as well as people who have low manual dexterity. These tests are available while supplies last.

You can visit https://special.usps.com/testkits/accessible to order the accessible tests. Here is what you need to know:

• Each order includes one carton of four rapid antigen COVID-19 tests.
• Supplies are limited. Please do not order the accessible tests if you have options for using the standard tests.
• Orders will ship free starting the week of Sept. 30, 2024.

Visit the Administration for Community Living (ACL) Accessible Tests page fore more details about the features that make these tests more accessible.

Individuals with disabilities can also contact the Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) for help with available testing options, including ordering free at-home test kits.

Contact DIAL Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. through:

• Call, text or videophone at (888) 677-1199
• Email DIAL@usaginganddisability.org
• Start an online chat with an information specialist
• Connect to an agent in American Sign Language

For more information about COVID-19 test options, visit www.covidtests.gov/.

To learn more about how to access low- or no-cost COVID-19 tests from the federal government, you can contact any of these programs:

• A Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) health center
• A Test to Treat site
• An Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) location near you

Still have old COVID-19 tests at home? You can check the FDA’s website to see if your COVID-19 tests have extended expiration dates.

*Please see our updated news post, “New Round of Free At-Home COVID Tests Now Available,” for the most up-to-date information about free COVID-19 test availability. *

A federal program that provides free at-home COVID-19 tests is once again available.

Starting Sept. 25, 2023, every U.S. household can order four free COVID-19 rapid tests through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).

Visit www.covid.gov/tests to place an order. (The website is available in Spanish and Chinese.) Here’s what you need to know:

• There is a limit of one order per residential address.
• One order includes four individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests.
• Orders will ship free starting the week of Oct. 2, 2023.

If you need help placing an order, you can call (800) 232-0233 or (888) 720-7489 (TTY).

The USPS is also distributing more accessible tests for individuals who are blind or have low vision.

Starting Sept. 25, 2023, you can visit https://special.usps.com/testkits/accessible to order one set of 12 free at-home tests with enhanced accessibility (while supplies last). Here is what you need to know:

• There is a limit of one order per residential address.
• Each order includes 12 accessible rapid-antigen tests.
• Supplies are limited. Please do not order the more accessible tests if you have options for using the standard tests.
• The tests work with a compatible Bluetooth-enabled smartphone and a free app to provide users with audible instructions and audible test results.
• Orders will ship free starting the week of Oct. 2, 2023.

Individuals with disabilities can also contact the Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) for help with available testing options, including ordering free at-home test kits.

Contact DIAL Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. through:

• Call, text or videophone at (888) 677-1199
• Email DIAL@usaginganddisability.org
• Start an online chat with an information specialist
• Connect to an agent in American Sign Language

The U.S. government will also continue to make COVID-19 tests available to uninsured individuals and underserved communities through its existing outreach programs.

To learn how to access low- or no-cost COVID-19 tests from the federal government, you can contact any of these programs:

• A Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) health center
• A Test to Treat site
• An Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) location near you

Still have old COVID-19 tests at home? You can check the FDA’s website to see if your COVID-19 tests have extended expiration dates.

You can also visit www.covid.gov/tests for more details about free testing sites by state, frequently asked questions about at-home tests and more.

* Please see our updated news post, “New Round of Free At-Home COVID Tests Now Available,” for the most up-to-date information about free COVID-19 test availability. *

If you need a COVID-19 test, there are many ways you can test at home for free.

COVID-19 home test kits are available at no cost by mail or pick-up at specified locations.

You may also be eligible for insurance reimbursement or Medicaid coverage at participating pharmacies. Here is a summary of the current options:

• Every home in the United States is eligible to order another round of free at-home tests through the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) at https://special.usps.com/testkits. Please note:
  • Limit of one order per residential address.
  • Your order will include four individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests.
  • Orders will ship free.
  • For those who cannot access the internet or need help placing an order:
    • Call (800) 232-0233 or the TTY line at (888) 720-7489 to get help in English, Spanish and more than 150 other languages.
      
• USPS is also distributing more accessible tests for individuals who are blind or have low vision. The tests work with a compatible Bluetooth-enabled smartphone and a free app to provide users with audible instructions and audible test results. You can order these accessible tests at https://special.usps.com/testkits/accessible or by calling (800) 232-0233. Please note:
  • There is a limit of one order per residential address.
  • Each order includes 12 accessible rapid-antigen tests.
  • Supplies are limited. Please do not order the more accessible tests if you have options for using the standard tests.
  • Orders ship free while supplies last.
    
• Free COVID-19 rapid tests are available for vulnerable Illinoisans. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is distributing at-home, over-the-counter COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to economically disadvantaged Illinois families in zip codes outside the city of Chicago. Tests are available on a first-come, first-served basis and will be delivered to your home address. To learn if your household is eligible for one package of five tests visit the Project Act website.
  • Note you can find free COVID-19 testing locations on IDPH’s testing locator page.
    
• If you have health insurance through an employer or Marketplace, your insurance will pay you back for eight at-home tests each month for each person on your plan.
  • Learn more about insurance reimbursement for at-home tests on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website.

• The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS) will allow Medicaid-participating pharmacies to prescribe and bill for COVID-19 home test kits.
  • This coverage went into effect on Jan. 1, 2022, and applies to Medicaid fee-for-service and HealthChoice Illinois managed care plans.

• Individuals with disabilities can also contact the Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL) for help with available testing options, including ordering free at-home test kits.
  • Contact DIAL Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. at (888) 677-1199 or email DIAL@usaginganddisability.org.
  • Individuals who are deaf and hard of hearing can reach DIAL using the 711/Video Relay Service (VRS).

You may also visit www.covidtests.gov/ to see where at-home tests are available for sale. The website includes a list of free testing sites available by state. It also provides information about other testing resources.

If you have questions about testing your child, this article from HealthyChildren.org gives a helpful overview of the different types of COVID-19 tests available and what parents need to know.

Your child’s pediatrician can help you determine when testing is a good idea and which type of test would be best. Please contact their office with any questions.

For more information on testing options, assistance programs and caregiver support, visit the Division of Specialized Care for Children’s COVID-19 Resource Directory.