This page is general health information, not medical advice. It cannot tell you whether you have an infection. A clinician can, and the testing options on this site are a good place to start.

PrEP is medicine that people take before possible HIV exposure to lower their chance of getting HIV. In Las Vegas, several clinics offer it, and some of them set fees by income. This guide explains how PrEP works, who it is meant for, what the visits and lab tests involve, and how to get started in Southern Nevada.

You do not need to read it in order. Use the contents list to jump to the part you need.

In this guide

What PrEP is and how well it works
Who PrEP is for
Daily oral, event-driven and injectable PrEP
What happens at the first visit and the follow-ups
How to get PrEP in Las Vegas
What PrEP costs and how to pay less
Staying protected and well while on PrEP
Common questions
Sources

Key takeaways

The CDC says daily oral PrEP lowers the chance of getting HIV from sex by about 99 percent when it is taken as prescribed.
PrEP does not protect against other STIs, so regular testing is part of the care.
Getting PrEP starts with an HIV test and a conversation with a clinician. A clinician prescribes it.
The Southern Nevada Health District, The Center and Nevada Health Centers all list PrEP services in Las Vegas.
Fees at the health district are based on income and household size, and the district says no one is turned away on the day of the visit for inability to pay.
The USPSTF gives PrEP its top grade, and under the Affordable Care Act that usually means no cost sharing on many private plans. Check your own plan.

What PrEP is and how well it works

PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. In plain words, it is HIV prevention medicine taken before exposure. It is for people who do not have HIV. The CDC describes it as one of the most effective ways to prevent HIV from sex or from injection drug use.

The CDC reports that daily oral PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99 percent when it is taken as prescribed. For people who inject drugs, the CDC reports that it reduces the risk by at least 74 percent. The words "as prescribed" matter. The protection depends on taking the medicine the way your clinician explains.

PrEP works by keeping HIV from establishing itself in the body if the virus enters. It does not treat other infections. It does not prevent pregnancy. It does not protect against chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes or HPV. That is why PrEP care always includes STI testing along with HIV testing.

PrEP is also different from PEP. PEP is post-exposure prophylaxis, medicine started after a possible exposure. The CDC says PEP must be started within 72 hours of a possible exposure, and sooner is better. PrEP is the plan you make ahead of time. PEP is the emergency option. Both are available through Las Vegas clinics listed below.

Why this matters in Las Vegas

The Nevada Division of Public and Behavioral Health reports 552 new HIV diagnoses in Clark County in 2024, a rate of 22.6 per 100,000 people. The statewide rate that year was 18.2 per 100,000 (Nevada DPBH, 2024 HIV Fast Facts). The same agency's preliminary 2025 figures show 454 new diagnoses in Clark County, or 18.7 per 100,000. The agency notes that a decrease in new diagnoses does not necessarily mean transmission has gone down, and the 2025 numbers may change.

These numbers are not a reason to worry. They are a reason PrEP, testing and treatment are all offered locally, and a reminder that HIV prevention is routine health care here.

Who PrEP is for

PrEP is for people who do not have HIV and who may be exposed to it. The CDC's PrEP guidelines describe it as an option for sexually active adults and adolescents, and for people who inject drugs, who have a higher chance of exposure. The CDC lists situations where a clinician would want to talk about PrEP, including:

Having a sex partner who has HIV, especially when the partner is not on treatment or does not have a suppressed viral load.
Having had a bacterial STI, such as syphilis, gonorrhea or chlamydia, in the past six months.
Not using condoms consistently with partners whose HIV status is unknown.
Having more than one sex partner, or a partner who does.
Sharing needles, syringes or other injection equipment.

PrEP is not tied to a particular gender, orientation or relationship type. It is used by gay and bisexual men, straight people, transgender and nonbinary people, couples trying to conceive when one partner has HIV, and people who use drugs. What matters is exposure, not identity.

A list like this cannot tell you whether PrEP fits your life. A clinician can. A short, private conversation about your sex life, your partners and your goals is the standard first step, and clinicians who prescribe PrEP have these conversations every day.

Age and consent in Nevada

The CDC's PrEP guidelines include adolescents who meet weight and risk criteria. In Nevada, NRS 129.060 says a minor may give express consent to examination and treatment for any sexually transmitted disease and to STD prevention services. The statute names no minimum age. It also references pharmacist PrEP under NRS 639.28085. If you are under 18 and have questions about confidentiality, ask the clinic how billing and records are handled before you book.

Daily oral, event-driven and injectable PrEP

There is more than one way to take PrEP. Which one fits depends on your health, your exposure and your preferences. A clinician prescribes or administers each type, and the details below are general information only.

Daily oral PrEP

This is the original form and the one the CDC's clinical guidelines describe in the most detail. It is a pill taken every day. The CDC says it takes time for protective levels of medicine to build up in the body, and that the time differs for different kinds of sex. Your clinician will tell you how long to wait before relying on it.

Oral PrEP has been used for many years. Most people have no serious side effects. Some people have mild stomach upset or headache in the first weeks. Because some oral PrEP medicine can affect the kidneys, clinicians check kidney function before starting and at follow-up visits.

Event-driven (on-demand) PrEP

Some people have heard of taking PrEP only around sex rather than every day. This is called event-driven or on-demand PrEP. The CDC notes that this approach has been studied in men who have sex with men, and that it is not an FDA-approved way to take PrEP in the United States. The CDC has not extended it to other groups, including people who inject drugs or people who have receptive vaginal sex.

Because of those limits, this is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a plan to start on your own. A clinician can explain whether it applies to you and what the CDC says about it. If it does not apply, daily oral and injectable options are available.

Injectable PrEP

The FDA has approved injectable PrEP options. A health care professional gives the injection at a clinic, so there is no daily pill. The time between injections is longer than a day and depends on the product. People who find it hard to take a daily pill, or who prefer a private option, often ask about injectables.

Injectables have their own testing and follow-up steps, and not every clinic stocks every option. None of the Las Vegas clinic listings used for this guide state which injectable products each site offers. Ask the clinic directly when you call.

Type	How it is taken	Worth asking your clinician
Daily oral	A pill by mouth, every day	How long until it is protective, and kidney and hepatitis B checks
Event-driven	Pills timed around sex, in a limited group studied by researchers	Whether it fits your situation; the CDC notes it is not FDA-approved for PrEP
Injectable	A shot given by a professional, less often than daily	Which products the clinic offers and how follow-up works

What happens at the first visit and the follow-ups

Many people feel nervous before a first PrEP visit. It helps to know the steps. The CDC's guidelines outline what a clinician checks before prescribing and while you are taking PrEP.

The conversation

The clinician asks about your health, your medicines, your partners and how you want to prevent HIV. You can ask anything. There are no wrong answers, and the questions are not a judgment. They help the clinician choose the right type for you.

The lab tests

Before you start, the CDC guidelines call for:

An HIV test. PrEP is for people who do not have HIV. Starting it requires a negative result first.
Kidney function testing for oral PrEP, because some of the medicine is processed by the kidneys.
Hepatitis B testing. The CDC says hepatitis B status matters because some PrEP medicines also act on that virus.
STI screening for the body sites involved, such as urine, throat, rectum or blood, depending on your sex life.
Hepatitis C testing for people at risk.
A pregnancy test when relevant, so the clinician can plan care.

Rapid HIV tests give results within the visit at some clinics. The Southern Nevada Health District lists rapid HIV testing at its Decatur and Fremont locations. Other tests go to a laboratory.

Why the HIV test timing matters

No HIV test detects the virus the moment someone is exposed. The CDC lists these approximate windows after a possible exposure:

A nucleic acid test (NAT) can usually detect HIV 10 to 33 days after exposure.
An antigen/antibody lab test on blood from a vein can usually detect HIV 18 to 45 days after exposure.
An antigen/antibody test using a fingerstick can take 18 to 90 days.
Antibody tests can take 23 to 90 days.

If you have had a recent possible exposure, tell the clinician. They may choose a different test, or discuss PEP. The CDC's page on HIV test types has the full detail.

Starting and following up

If your tests are suitable and you and the clinician agree, you get a prescription or, for injectables, an appointment for the first shot. Some clinics can start PrEP the same day. Others schedule it after labs come back.

PrEP comes with regular follow-up. At these visits the clinician repeats HIV testing and STI screening, checks for side effects, asks how taking the medicine is going, and refills the prescription. The CDC sets the schedule for follow-up, and your clinician will tell you when to return. Keeping those visits is what keeps PrEP safe and effective.

How to get PrEP in Las Vegas

If you are wondering how to get PrEP, the short answer is to book a visit with a clinician who prescribes it. In Las Vegas there are several routes. Each of the clinics below publishes PrEP or PrEP navigation services. Hours and walk-in rules change, so confirm by phone before you go.

Southern Nevada Health District Sexual Health Clinic

The Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) runs sexual health clinics in Las Vegas. Its sexual health clinic page says: "Call (702) 759-1700 to schedule HIV PrEP and HIV PEP services." The same page lists PrEP, PEP and doxy-PEP among the preventive sexual health services at its community health center.

Main facility (Decatur): 280 S. Decatur Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107. The SNHD sexual health clinic page lists Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Tuesday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
Fremont Public Health Center: 2830 E. Fremont St., Las Vegas, NV 89104. The page lists Tuesday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM. It asks people to arrive by 5:30 PM to allow time for processing.
Phone for both: (702) 759-1700.

SNHD's own pages show different hours in some places, and its free Express Testing has narrower hours. Call to confirm before you travel. See the Southern Nevada Health District sexual health clinic page for current details.

The Center: Arlene Cooper Community Health Center

The LGBTQ Community Center of Southern Nevada runs the Arlene Cooper Community Health Center at 401 S. Maryland Parkway, Las Vegas, NV 89101. Its page says the center offers HIV testing, STI screening and treatment, PrEP and PEP. It also lists in-person and online PrEP navigation, with the online option through a partnership with Mistr, and says there are low-cost and no-cost options.

For appointments, call 702-802-5432. The Center's main line is (702) 733-9800. The page says appointments are highly encouraged and that walk-in services are available for a limited number of patients daily. It lists hours of Monday to Friday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Saturday 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM, with Sunday closed, but also notes that the site footer shows different hours, so call first. Details are on The Center's health center page.

Nevada Health Centers

Nevada Health Centers is a federally qualified health center network. Its HIV care and prevention page lists assistance with PrEP and PEP and names a PrEP Navigator at 702-563-4618. It also lists a sliding-fee discount program based on family size and income. Two Las Vegas sites appear on its pages:

Martin Luther King Family Health Center: 1799 Mount Mariah Dr., Las Vegas, NV 89106. Phone 702.383.1961 or 800.787.2568.
Nellis Family Medical Center: 691 N. Nellis Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89110. Phone 702.563.4662 or 800.787.2568.

Nevada Health Centers lists its PrEP and PEP services for the organization as a whole, not site by site, and the pages do not say whether walk-ins are accepted. Call the site or the PrEP Navigator to ask what is offered where. More information is at Nevada Health Centers HIV care and prevention.

Pharmacists

Nevada law, NRS 639.28085, lets qualifying pharmacists order PrEP labs and prescribe, dispense and administer PrEP under a Board of Pharmacy protocol. Not every pharmacy takes part. If you would like this route, ask your pharmacy whether it participates.

Your own doctor, and UNLV students

Your primary care clinician or a specialist can prescribe PrEP too. If yours is not comfortable doing so, ask for a referral. The UNLV Student Health Center, at 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy. (702-895-3370), lists STI and HIV testing for students. Its page does not list PrEP, so students can ask the center whether it provides PrEP or refers elsewhere.

For a wider list of testing locations in the city, including prices and hours, see our guide to STD testing in Las Vegas.

What PrEP costs and how to pay less

People often ask about HIV PrEP cost before anything else. The honest answer is that it depends on your insurance, your income and where you go. None of the Las Vegas clinic pages used for this guide publish a price for PrEP medicine or for a PrEP visit, so no dollar amount is given here. Ask each clinic what you would pay before you book.

If you have health insurance

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends PrEP for people at increased risk of HIV and gives that recommendation an A grade. Under the Affordable Care Act, most private insurance plans must cover services with an A or B grade without charging a copay or deductible. That is the rule that usually applies to PrEP. Federal guidance has also said that this includes related lab tests and clinic visits tied to the recommendation.

There are exceptions, such as grandfathered plans and some short-term plans. Medicaid and Medicare have their own rules. The details that affect you, including which drug your plan covers and which clinics are in network, are in your plan documents. Call the number on your insurance card and ask about PrEP coverage, labs and visits.

If you are uninsured or underinsured

Southern Nevada Health District. The district says charges are based on income and the number of people in your household. It says you will not be turned away on the day of your visit because you cannot pay. Bring proof of income and a photo ID.
The Center. HIV testing is free. STI screening is low cost. The Center says it bills certain insurance and lists low-cost and no-cost PrEP navigation.
Nevada Health Centers. It lists a sliding-fee discount program based on family size and income, a PrEP Navigator, and co-pay assistance. It also describes the federal Ready, Set, PrEP program, which provides PrEP medicine at no cost to people who test HIV-negative, have a prescription and lack prescription drug coverage. The description comes from Nevada Health Centers. Ask whether the program is currently available before counting on it.

Costs for the tests

Lab tests and the visit are separate from the medicine. SNHD's Express Testing is free for people without symptoms, and it includes walk-in rapid HIV testing at its Decatur site on Monday to Thursday and its Fremont site on Fridays. Hours are narrower than regular clinic hours, so call (702) 759-1700 to confirm. SNHD also offers Express Testing on Tuesdays at its Henderson public health center and on the fourth Monday of each month in Mesquite, both outside Las Vegas city limits.

For testing at home, SNHD's Collect2Protect program serves Nevada residents with at-home HIV self-test kits and mail-in kits for gonorrhea and chlamydia. SNHD's 2020 announcement said HIV kits were free and that the gonorrhea and chlamydia kits have a fee. The current program page does not list prices, and it says it does not accept insurance or Medicaid. It also says results can be ready 7 to 10 business days after the lab receives the specimen. Separately, the Together TakeMeHome program lists free mailed HIV self-tests for anyone 17 or older in the U.S., up to two every 90 days. A home self-test is a way to check status. It does not replace the clinical visit for starting PrEP.

Staying protected and well while on PrEP

PrEP is one part of sexual health. A few other pieces work well alongside it.

Regular STI testing

PrEP does not prevent other infections, and some are common in Clark County. The Nevada Office of State Epidemiology reported 12,563 chlamydia cases (525.2 per 100,000) and 5,768 gonorrhea cases (241.1 per 100,000) in Clark County in 2023. It also reported 554 primary and secondary syphilis cases (23.2 per 100,000). Most bacterial STIs are curable with treatment from a clinician, and they are easier to treat when found early. This is why PrEP follow-up visits include screening.

Nevada requires health care providers to report cases or suspected cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, HIV and syphilis to the local health authority (NAC 441A.040 and NAC 441A.230). That is a public health requirement that applies to the provider. It lets the health district support care and partner services.

Condoms and other tools

Condoms lower the risk of many STIs that PrEP does not address. Many people combine them with PrEP. The choice is yours. A clinician can talk through your options without judgment.

Doxy-PEP

In 2024 the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline taken after sex to lower the chance of certain bacterial STIs for some groups of people. A clinician prescribes it, and the CDC guidance describes who it was studied in. SNHD's community health center lists doxy-PEP among its services. If you are interested, bring it up at a PrEP visit.

PEP after a possible exposure

If a possible HIV exposure has just happened, PEP is time-sensitive. The CDC says to start it within 72 hours. Call the SNHD clinic, The Center or a Nevada Health Centers site, or go to an emergency department if clinics are closed. The SNHD page lists PEP at its clinic by appointment through (702) 759-1700.

If HIV testing finds HIV

If a test shows that a person has HIV, a clinician confirms it and discusses treatment. HIV is not curable, but it is treatable. The CDC says people who take HIV treatment as prescribed and reach an undetectable viral load do not transmit HIV to sex partners. Clinics listed above also provide linkage to care, and SNHD lists Ryan White services on Fridays at its Fremont site, with hours of 8 AM to 12 PM.

Nevada law and privacy

Nevada does not have an HIV-specific criminal statute in the current Nevada Revised Statutes. NRS 441A.180 covers exposure to or transmission of any communicable disease, with affirmative defenses that include a partner's informed consent and the use of means to prevent transmission. If you have legal questions, an attorney or the health district can explain how the law applies to your situation.

Common questions

Do I need to be in a certain group to qualify?

No. The CDC describes situations where PrEP is recommended for discussion, but clinicians prescribe PrEP based on your exposure and your goals. Describing your situation honestly helps the clinician help you.

Can I take PrEP and also use condoms?

Yes. Many people do. Condoms add protection against STIs that PrEP does not cover.

How long do I stay on PrEP?

People use PrEP for as long as they are at risk and want the protection. Some use it for a season of life. Others use it for years. You and your clinician decide together, and you can stop and restart. Tell your clinician before you stop, because there are steps to take if you have hepatitis B.

Will my employer or family find out?

Clinic visits are covered by health privacy rules. Insurance statements may list services, so ask your plan how statements are sent if that is a concern, and ask the clinic about its billing options for private care.

Can I get PrEP if I am pregnant or planning a pregnancy?

PrEP is used by some people who are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive. This is a decision to make with a clinician who can weigh your health and your partner's.

What is the first step?

Get an HIV test and call a clinic. SNHD at (702) 759-1700 can schedule PrEP visits and offers free Express Testing for people without symptoms. You can also find a testing site through the CDC's GetTested locator, which lets you enter a ZIP code to see HIV and STI testing options nearby.

PrEP in Las Vegas: How to Get It, What It Costs and Who It Is For