Testing

a completed covid rapid test sits on a counterShould I get tested?

  • Regardless of your vaccination status, if you’ve been around someone who has COVID-19, you should get tested at least 5 days after your exposure, if possible.
  • Regardless of your vaccination status, if you have symptoms, you should get tested.

Testing Options & More Information

As of April 14, 2023, we have closed our COVID testing clinic on South Park Street. Find other testing options below:

At-Home Testing

  • Via Your Mailbox. 

    • People who live in Wisconsin can go to the Say Yes! COVID Test website and place an order for two packages of five rapid antigen COVID-19 tests at no cost. Each household can place one order each month. The tests will arrive in 1-2 weeks.
    • You can order free at-home tests for your household from the United States Post Office. 
  • At-home testing. You can get at-home tests in stores, pharmacies, and online.
    • Insurance companies, Medicaid (BadgerCare), and Medicare are required to reimburse up to eight tests per month, per member. Learn more from your insurance provider. 
    • If you receive a negative home test result, consider taking another home test at least 48 hours later (our blog explains more on why). You could also seek out confirmatory point-of-care testing from a clinic, pharmacy, or one of our community testing sites.
    • Negative at-home tests may not be accepted for travel purposes, check with your destination and carrier. Anyone with symptoms and/or a positive at-home test should isolate.
    • If you or your child has a positive at-home test, you can report your result to help us better understand the level of COVID in our community. Please enter separate surveys for each individual who tested positive via a home test.

  • Authorized At-Home Test Kits and Expiration Dates. Your expired tests may still be good!

    • The FDA has a searchable list of authorized at-home test kits.
    • Many have had their expiration dates extended if the manufacturer provided data showing that the shelf-life is longer than was known when the test was first authorized. You can search the list for the test you have and see if the expiration date has been extended.

COVID Testing by Location

The below list has testing sites from our partners by municipality; more places may offer testing, like CVS and Walgreens. The names of testing sites with weekend hours are bolded below.

COVID Testing in Madison
COVID Testing in Dane County Outside Madison
COVID Testing in Surrounding Counties

Testing in Madison

  • Madison (East Side): Community Pharmacy (130 S. Fair Oaks Avenue): Wednesday -- Thursday, 10:00am to 2:00pm. Call 608-251-4454 to make an appointment. Pre-register. 
  • Madison (East Side): Summit Clinical Laboratories (232 E Towne Way - Food Court Entrance): Monday – Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm, Saturday 8:00am to 11:00am. No appointment necessary. No out of pocket costs for symptomatic or exposed individuals. Lab will bill insurance if available, but there is never a copay or other charge for COVID testing. Lab will test those without insurance at no cost. Expedited PCR testing for travel is $100. Pre-register. 
  • Madison (West Side): GoDX (510 Charmany Drive): Monday - Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm, Saturday 9:00am to 2:00pm. Please note this site specializes in urgent tests for travel since turnaround times for lab reports are guaranteed. PCR test costs $250 for lab report within 24 hours; PCR test costs $350 for lab report within 2 hours.
  • Madison (West Side): Summit Clinical Laboratories (6602 Odana Rd, Located in Market Square across from Russ Darrow Kia dealership): Monday – Friday 8:00 to 4:00 pm. Saturday 8:00 am to 11:00 am. No appointment necessary. No out of pocket costs for symptomatic or exposed individuals. Lab will bill insurance if available, but there is never a copay or other charge for COVID testing. Lab will test those without insurance at no cost. Expedited PCR testing for travel is $100. Pre-register.
  • Madison (West Side): JP Hair Design, Inc. (584 Grand Canyon Drive): Monday – Thursday, 7:00am to 6:00pm and Friday, 7:00am to 4:00pm. By appointment only (call (608) 400-0175). Pre-register to make an appointment.

Testing in Dane County Outside of Madison

  • Cambridge: Forward Pharmacy (109 W Main Street): Monday - Friday, 9:00am to 6:00pm. Only offer rapid antigen (15 min results). If you are symptomatic and test comes back negative, you can return for an additional free PCR test (24-48 hour results). Tests are free to everyone. Make an appointment.

  • Cottage Grove: Forward Pharmacy of Cottage Grove (429 W Cottage Grove Rd): Monday - Friday, 9:00am to 6:30pm. Only offer rapid antigen (15 min results). If you are symptomatic and test comes back negative, you can return for an additional free PCR test (24-48 hour results). Can schedule appointments up to 1 month out. Call for an appointment at (608) 839-3335 and pre-register. 
  • Deerfield: Forward Pharmacy (10 Liberty Street): Monday - Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm. Only offer rapid antigen (15 min results). If you are symptomatic and test comes back negative, you can return for an additional free PCR test (24-48 hour results). Can make an appointment 1 week out. Make an appointment. 
  • DeForest: Hometown Pharmacy (645 S. Main Street): Monday – Friday, 10:00am to 4:00pm and Saturday, 9:00am to 12:00pm. Only offer rapid antigen (15 min results). If you are symptomatic and test comes back negative, you can return for an additional free PCR test (24-48 hour results). Can schedule appointments for any future time. Can come in without an appointment if availability permits. Make an appointment online or call (608) 846-4736 and pre-register.
  • Fitchburg: JangoDx in Upper Lot (2997 Yarmouth Greenway Drive): Monday – Saturday, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm (subject to change). Please note this is a self-swabbing location, where you take your own sample. Pre-register online.
  • Fitchburg: Fitchburg Family Pharmacy (3050 Cahill Main, Suite 6): Monday – Friday, 9:00am to 5:30pm, Saturday 9:00am to 12:30pm. Free and no appointment needed. Antigen results 30 minutes. PCR results 36 hours.
  • McFarland: Medicine Shoppe (5700 US Hwy 51): Monday – Friday, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm and Saturday, 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. No appointment necessary but you must pre-register. Please note this is a self-swabbing location, where you take your own sample. 
  • McFarland: Forward Pharmacy (4880 Larson Beach Road): Monday - Friday, 9:00am to 6:00pm, Saturday, 9:00am to 3:00pm. Make an appointment.
  • Monona: Medicine Shoppe (4205 Monona Drive): Monday – Friday, 9:00 am to 5:30 pm and Saturday, 9:00am to 12:30pm. Please note this is a self-swabbing location, where you take your own sample. Only offer rapid antigen (15 min results). If you are symptomatic and test comes back negative, you can return for an additional free PCR test (24-48 hour results). Drive up for testing, no appointment necessary, but pre-registration required.
  • Sun Prairie: Hometown Pharmacy (13 N. Bird Street): Monday – Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm. Only offer rapid antigen (15 min results). If you are symptomatic and test comes back negative, you can return for an additional free PCR test (24-48 hour results). Will accept walk-ins if availability permits. Call for an appointment at (608) 825-7530 and pre-register. 

  • Sun Prairie: Safeguard Covid Testing (1632 W Main St Unit 170, Sun Prairie, at the Sunshine Place) Flexible hours Monday - Sunday, call (608) 571-3885 to set up an appointment. Only offer rapid antigen (15 min results). If you are symptomatic and test comes back negative, you can return for an additional free PCR test (24-48 hour results). Pre-register.

  • Waunakee:  Hometown Pharmacy (223 S. Century Ave): Monday – Friday, 12:00pm to 6:00pm. Only offer rapid antigen (15 min results). If you are symptomatic and test comes back negative, you can return for an additional free PCR test (24-48 hour results). Once registered, you can drive up and get tested anytime, no appointment necessary. Pre-register. 

Testing in Surrounding Counties

  • Beaver Dam: Hometown Pharmacy (609 N. Spring Street): Monday - Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm. Call for an appointment at (608) 742-3545 and pre-register.
  • Beloit: Hometown Pharmacy (1006 Woodward Avenue): Tuesday - Friday, 8:30am to 11:30am. Make an appointment online or call (608) 362-1234 and pre-register. 
  • Beloit: Summit Clinical Laboratories (61 Eclipse Blvd): Monday – Friday, 8am to 4pm. No appointment necessary. Pre-register.
  • Brodhead: Pinnow Hometown Pharmacy (1028 1st Center Avenue): Monday - Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm. Call for an appointment at (608) 897-2595 and pre-register. 
  • Columbus: Forward Pharmacy (100 S Luddington Street): Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm, Tuesday and Thursday, 10:00am to 6:00pm. Make an appointment. 
  • Dodgeville: Hometown Pharmacy (316 W Spring Street): Monday -- Thursday, 9:00am to 5:00pm. Call for an appointment at (608) 935-3661. 
  • Janesville: Summit Clinical Laboratories (3530 N County Rd F): Monday – Friday 8am to 4pm. Saturday 8am-11am. No appointment necessary. No out of pocket costs for symptomatic or exposed individuals. Lab will bill insurance if available, but there is never a copay or other charge for COVID testing. Lab will test those without insurance at no cost. Expedited PCR testing for travel is $100. Pre-register.
  • Lodi: Hometown Pharmacy (801 North Main Street, Suite A): Monday – Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm. Call for an appointment at (608) 592-0662 and pre-register. 
  • Mayville: Hometown Pharmacy (1448 Horicon Street): Monday – Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm. Call for an appointment at (920) 644-2080 and pre-register. 
  • Monroe:  Hometown Pharmacy (131 W. 7th Street Unit B): Monday – Friday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Call for an appointment at (608) 426-6540 and pre-register.  
  • Monroe:  Schultz Hometown Pharmacy (1008 17th Avenue): Monday – Friday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Call for an appointment at (608) 325-2151 and pre-register. 
  • New Glarus:  Hometown Pharmacy (1101 WI-69, #7): Monday – Friday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Call for an appointment at (608) 527-2517 and pre-register. 
  • Pardeeville:  Hometown Pharmacy (117 North Main Street): Monday – Friday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Call for an appointment at (608) 429-2325 and pre-register. 
  • Poynette:  Hometown Pharmacy (317 US-51): Monday – Thursday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and Friday, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. Call for an appointment at (608) 635-9456 and pre-register. 
  • Portage:  Wilz Drug Inc. (140 East Cook Street): Monday – Friday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Call for an appointment at (608) 742-3545 and pre-register. 
  • Randolph:  Hometown Pharmacy (107 N. High Street): Monday - Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm. Call for an appointment at (920) 326-5242 and pre-register. 
  • Rio:  Hometown Pharmacy (208 Lincoln Ave): Monday - Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm. Call for an appointment at (920) 992-3369 and pre-register. 
  • Waterloo:  Hometown Pharmacy (806 North Monroe Street): Monday – Friday, 10:00am to 5:00pm. Call for an appointment at (920) 478-8273 and pre-register. 
  • Watertown: Hometown Pharmacy (204 E. Main Street): Monday - Friday 9:00am to 5:30pm, Saturday 9:00am to 12:30pm. Call for an appointment at (920) 261-1900 and pre-register. 

What should I do if I test positive? 

Testing and Travel

Check your destination’s COVID-19 requirements and restrictions frequently, as many countries change their requirements often with no advance notice.