Appointments Required for COVID-19 Testing
For COVID-19 self-testing or other COVID-19 testing at University of Utah Health, you must schedule an appointment.
COVID-19 Testing Available at Self-Serve Testing Kiosks
Self-Serve Kiosk Hours
Mon-Fri: 7:30am to 6pm
Closed on holidays
Hours and available appointments will vary based on location.
University of Utah Health now offers convenient, self-serve testing kiosks outside of our community health center locations:
- Farmington Health Center,
- Greenwood Health Center,
- Redwood Health Center,
- South Jordan Health Center,
- Stansbury Health Center,
- Sugar House Health Center, and
- Westridge Health Center.
Our self-serve kiosks offer kits for saliva PCR tests and nasal swab PCR tests—the gold standard for detecting COVID-19. Please take only one test. Saliva tests are preferred; however, you may choose a nasal swab test instead if you have trouble producing enough saliva. We do not offer rapid tests.
All tests and test samples are kept safe and secure inside our locked, temperature-controlled kiosks. Our staff retrieves test samples from the kiosks multiple times each day to ensure no sample is left overnight.
Self-Serve Testing Requirements
Our self-serve COVID-19 tests are for people who:
- have symptoms of COVID-19 or
- have been exposed to someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
COVID-19 testing is recommended at least three to five days after exposure.
We are currently not testing asymptomatic patients unless they have had a high-risk exposure or they have an order from a U of U Health provider. This includes employment “return to work” testing or any test orders written by non-U of U Health providers.
COVID-19 Testing Costs
All patients will be billed for COVID-19 testing. If you are insured, U of U Health will send the bill to your insurance provider. Please contact your insurance provider for more information on coverage for COVID-19 testing.
Patients with no insurance will be billed $100 for COVID-19 testing. However, uninsured individuals may qualify for COVID-19 testing coverage through Medicaid for medically necessary tests if they are a US citizen and a Utah resident.
Financial assistance options may also be available to cover COVID-19 testing costs.
If your provider requires you to take a COVID-19 test before a procedure at one of our hospitals or clinics, you will not be billed for the test.
You can also order four free at-home rapid antigen COVID-19 tests from USPS.
Schedule Your Self-Serve Testing Appointment
All self-serve tests are available by appointment only. You will NOT receive a test result if you drop off a sample without an appointment.
As we work to meet the testing needs of our community, please keep in mind that we have limited appointment slots. If you can't get a testing appointment at U of U Health, find another testing location near you.
How to Complete Your Self-Serve COVID-19 Test
Please read all instructions carefully. Failure to do so could lead to an invalid result or no result at all.
How to Prepare
- Schedule your testing appointment first before arriving to take the test.
- Do not eat or drink for 30 minutes before your saliva test.
Self-Serve COVID-19 Test Instructions
- Follow the signs to locate the self-serve testing kiosk in the health center parking lot.
- Take only ONE kit (either saliva or nasal swab), label sticker, and instructions sheet from the "Test Kit Pick-Up" door of the kiosk. (Only take a nasal swab kit if you were advised to do so during scheduling.)
- Return to your vehicle.
- Follow the written instructions for saliva or nasal swab tests—see below for details.
- Return your test sample to the designated "Drop Box" door of the kiosk on the same day as your appointment.
Saliva Test Instructions
- Unscrew the test tube found in your kit.
- Insert the thin end of the plastic funnel (also found in your kit) into the top of the test tube.
- Fill the test tube with spit.
- Collect saliva in your mouth.
- Gently drool into the center of the funnel until your saliva (without bubbles) has reached the fill line of the test tube (see illustrations below).
- Please do not overfill, underfill, or pour out the saliva or you may need to repeat the test.
- Securely screw the cap onto the test tube.
- Label your test sample and place the label lengthwise onto the test tube. (See picture for proper label placement.)
- On the test tube label, clearly write:
- your name,
- date of birth,
- phone number, and
- date and time you collected your sample.
- NOTE: You will not receive a test result if the information you provide is unreadable or not labeled properly.
- On the test tube label, clearly write:
- Discard the funnel.
- Place your test tube in the provided plastic bag.
- Return your test sample to the designated "Drop Box" door of the kiosk.
If you do not return your test sample on the same day as your appointment or properly complete the collection, our testing team will call you to make another appointment.
Acceptable Collection
- Bring saliva volume to the "Fill" line.
- It's okay to see froth bubbles above the "Fill" line.
Unacceptable Collection
- An underfilled saliva collection can generate poor results such as false negatives.
- You should not see froth bubbles below the "Fill" line.
Unacceptable Collection
- An overfilled saliva collection (even a small amount) can generate invalid results.
Saliva Test Tutorial
Nasal Swab Test Instructions
(Follow the steps and illustrations below.)
- Open the nasal swab.
- Remove the nasal swab from the wrapper by pulling the two ends of the wrapper apart (like opening a band-aid). Do not touch the soft tip of the nasal swab.
- Swab your nose.
- Tilt your head back and gently insert the soft tip of the swab—less than one inch—inside your nostril until you feel resistance.
- Rotate the nasal swab in a circle three times inside your nostril and leave the swab in place for several seconds.
- Remove the swab from your nostril without touching the soft tip.
- Using the same swab, repeat the process in your other nostril.
- Place the swab in the test tube.
- Carefully unscrew the lid from the test tube and insert the swab (tip down) into the bottom of the tube. Make sure you don't spill the liquid inside the tube.
- Break the swab handle at the top of the test tube by bending the handle back and forth.
- Label your test sample and place the label lengthwise onto the test tube. (See picture for proper label placement.)
- On the test tube label, clearly write:
- your name,
- date of birth,
- phone number, and
- date and time you collected your sample.
- NOTE: You will not receive a test result if the information you provide is unreadable or not labeled properly.
- On the test tube label, clearly write:
- Place your test tube in the provided plastic bag.
- Return your test sample to the designated "Drop Box" door of the kiosk.
If you do not return your test sample on the same day as your appointment or properly complete the collection, our testing team will call you to make another appointment.
What to Expect after You Submit Your Sample
Test samples are picked up multiple times each day by our staff and sent to a lab for processing. No samples will be left in the kiosk overnight. Your sample will be matched to the information you provided when you scheduled your testing appointment.
You'll get your test results in MyChart within 48-96 hours of submitting your test sample.
