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 a way to lower the chance of getting HIV before any exposure happens. It is a prescription from a clinician, and it is one of several HIV prevention tools. In Atlanta, you can start the conversation at a county health center, a community nonprofit or a Planned Parenthood health center.

This guide covers who PrEP is for, the forms it comes in, what the first visit looks like and which Atlanta clinics list PrEP. It also explains what PrEP can cost and how to find help paying for it. Where a price is not published, we say so and point you to the clinic.

Key takeaways

PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is HIV prevention medicine that only a clinician can prescribe. The CDC says daily oral PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken as prescribed.
CDC clinical guidance covers daily oral PrEP and long-acting injectable PrEP. On-demand dosing, sometimes called 2-1-1, has been studied in a narrower group, and a clinician decides whether it fits.
The Fulton County Board of Health lists PrEP at 10 Park Place, Adamsville and Neighborhood Union health centers. AID Atlanta and Planned Parenthood East Atlanta list it too.
Starting PrEP includes an HIV test and other lab work. Follow-up visits with HIV and STI testing are part of staying on it.
Most insurance plans cover PrEP-related care under federal preventive-care rules. If you are uninsured, ask a clinic about sliding-scale fees and assistance programs.

In this guide

What PrEP is and how well it works
Who PrEP is for
Daily oral, on-demand and injectable PrEP
How to get PrEP: the visit and the lab tests
Where to get PrEP in Atlanta
What PrEP costs and how to pay for it
Staying on PrEP, and what else protects you
Sources

What PrEP is and how well it works

PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. It means taking HIV medicine before a possible exposure so the virus has a much harder time taking hold in the body. It is for people who do not have HIV. It is not a treatment for HIV, and it is not a cure.

How much protection does it give?

The CDC says daily oral PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when it is taken as prescribed. For people who inject drugs, the CDC says it reduces the risk by at least 74%. Protection depends on use. The CDC notes that PrEP works best when it is taken consistently, and that it is less effective when doses are missed.

PrEP does not take effect the moment you start. The CDC says daily oral PrEP reaches its highest protection after about 7 days for receptive anal sex and after about 21 days for receptive vaginal sex, insertive sex and injection drug use. A clinician can tell you what applies to your situation.

What PrEP does not do

PrEP protects against HIV only. It does not prevent chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, HPV or pregnancy. That is why PrEP care includes regular STI testing, and why many people pair it with condoms and vaccines. We come back to this in the last section.

PrEP and PEP are different

PEP is post-exposure prophylaxis. It is HIV medicine started after a possible exposure, and the CDC says it must be started within 72 hours. If you think you may have been exposed in the last few days, contact a clinic or urgent care right away and ask about PEP. PrEP is the plan for the time before an exposure.

Who PrEP is for

PrEP is meant for people who do not have HIV and who may be exposed to it. The CDC recommends that clinicians discuss PrEP with every sexually active adult and adolescent, and with people who inject drugs. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that clinicians offer PrEP to people at increased risk of getting HIV.

Whether PrEP is a good fit is a conversation, not a label. A clinician can talk through your situation with you, and you do not need to prove anything to ask.

Situations where the CDC says PrEP is worth discussing

You have a sex partner who has HIV, especially if that partner is not on treatment or has not had a consistently undetectable viral load.
You have had a bacterial STI, such as syphilis, gonorrhea or chlamydia, in the past six months.
You have sex without condoms with partners whose HIV status you do not know.
You inject drugs and share needles or other equipment.
You are thinking about pregnancy with a partner who has HIV and want to lower the chance of HIV transmission.
You simply want an added layer of protection and want to talk about it.

PrEP is for people of every gender and sexual orientation. Men who have sex with men, transgender and nonbinary people, women, heterosexual couples and people who inject drugs can all be good candidates. The CDC specifically notes that PrEP is underused among Black and Latino communities and among women, relative to HIV diagnoses.

Why this matters in Atlanta

The Georgia Department of Public Health reports that in 2023 the Fulton Public Health District had 466 new HIV diagnoses, a rate of 50.5 per 100,000 people aged 13 and older. DeKalb had 328, a rate of 51.4. The statewide table in the same fact sheet shows 26.4 per 100,000 for Georgia. Those numbers are why PrEP access in metro Atlanta is a public health priority. They are not a measure of any one person's chances.

Bacterial STI numbers matter too, because a recent STI is one of the situations where PrEP is worth discussing. The Georgia DPH OASIS data tool shows 2023 rates of 978.7 chlamydia cases per 100,000 people in Fulton County and 569.4 gonorrhea cases per 100,000. The same source shows 854.9 and 430.8 for DeKalb County.

Who a clinician may take more care with

PrEP is not right for everyone, and some people need extra checks. The CDC guideline says PrEP is for people who test HIV-negative, so an HIV test comes first. People with kidney problems or hepatitis B need a clinician to plan their care. People who are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding should talk with a clinician about their options. None of these is an automatic no. They are reasons the first visit includes a conversation and lab work.

Daily oral, on-demand and injectable PrEP

There is more than one way to take PrEP. Which one fits depends on your health, your routine and what is available at your clinic. The clinician writes the prescription and sets the schedule. We do not list doses or schedules here, because they should come from the person caring for you.

Daily oral PrEP

This is the longest-established option. It is a pill that a clinician prescribes for daily use. The CDC lists it as an option for people at risk through sex or through injection drug use. It requires regular refills and regular follow-up visits.

Daily oral PrEP is a good fit for many people because it is widely available, many clinics are familiar with it, and most insurance plans cover it. The main challenge is remembering it. If that is hard, tell your clinician. Reminder routines or a different form of PrEP may help.

On-demand PrEP (sometimes called 2-1-1)

On-demand PrEP means taking oral PrEP around the time of sex rather than every day. It is sometimes called event-driven PrEP or 2-1-1. In the research the term comes from, it was studied in men who have sex with men. It is not described in the CDC's main clinical guidance as a standard option for everyone, and it is not meant for people who are exposed through vaginal sex or injection drug use.

If you are curious about on-demand dosing, ask a clinician directly. They can tell you whether it is appropriate for you, how it is prescribed and what the follow-up looks like. Do not start or change a PrEP routine on your own.

Injectable PrEP

Long-acting injectable PrEP is given by a clinician at a health care visit instead of taken as a daily pill. The CDC lists it as an HIV prevention option. It can suit people who find daily pills hard to keep up with, or who prefer fewer touchpoints with medication. It still requires an HIV test before each visit and regular follow-up.

Injectable PrEP is newer, and not every clinic offers it. The sources we reviewed for Atlanta clinics do not say which forms of PrEP each clinic provides. Call ahead and ask which options are available, and whether your insurance or a program covers the injection.

Quick comparison

Form	How you take it	Who it is described for	Ask the clinic
Daily oral	Pill, as prescribed by a clinician	Adults and adolescents at risk through sex or injection drug use, per the CDC	Refill process and follow-up visit timing
On-demand (2-1-1)	Oral PrEP timed around sex, as prescribed	Studied in men who have sex with men; a clinician decides if it fits	Whether they prescribe it and for whom
Injectable	Injection given at a clinic visit	Adults and adolescents at risk through sex, per CDC guidance	Whether it is stocked, and whether it is covered

How to get PrEP: the visit and the lab tests

If you have been wondering how to get PrEP, the path is shorter than most people expect. It is a prescription, so the steps are the same as for other preventive care.

Pick a clinic. The list in the next section includes county, nonprofit and Planned Parenthood options in Atlanta.
Call or walk in. Ask about PrEP appointments, what to bring and what it costs. Some sites accept walk-ins and some prefer appointments.
Have the first visit. A clinician talks with you and orders lab work.
Get your results and a prescription. If you are a good candidate, the clinician prescribes PrEP and explains how to take it.
Come back for follow-up. Visits include repeat HIV and STI testing.

What happens at the first visit

Expect a private conversation about your health, your sexual and drug-use history and your goals. This is not a judgment. Clinicians ask these questions to choose the right tests and the right form of PrEP. You can answer in your own words, and you can ask any question you like.

Many people leave their first visit with a prescription. Others need to wait a short time for lab results first. The clinic will tell you which applies.

The lab tests

The CDC's PrEP guideline calls for specific tests before starting. Your clinician decides exactly which ones you need, but the usual list includes:

An HIV test. PrEP is only for people who test HIV-negative. If a recent exposure is possible, the clinician may order a more extensive test and will explain the CDC's testing guidance.
Kidney function. Some oral PrEP medicines are processed by the kidneys, so the CDC guideline includes a kidney check.
Hepatitis B status. This guides both PrEP planning and vaccination.
STI screening. Depending on your exposures, this can include syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia at the relevant body sites.
A pregnancy test, if relevant. This helps the clinician plan your care.

For anyone who wants help finding a testing site before a PrEP visit, the CDC runs a lookup at gettested.cdc.gov. You can also use our local testing list for free and low-cost options in the city.

Follow-up visits

PrEP is not a one-time prescription. AID Atlanta's PrEP page states that its program requires check-ins at least every 3 months with HIV and STD testing. The CDC guideline also calls for regular follow-up with repeat HIV testing. Your clinic will set the schedule that applies to your form of PrEP.

Privacy and reporting

Georgia law requires physicians, laboratories and other providers to report notifiable conditions, according to the Georgia DPH. The DPH lists HIV as reportable within 7 days, and this applies to a diagnosis of HIV. It does not apply to someone taking PrEP who tests HIV-negative. If you have questions about how a clinic handles your records, ask at check-in. They are used to the question.

Where to get PrEP in Atlanta

These are the Atlanta sites that publish PrEP services. Clinics change hours and programs, so call before you go.

Clinic	Address	Phone	What the source says
10 Park Place Health Center (Fulton County Board of Health)	10 Park Place S.E., 5th floor, Atlanta, GA 30303	(770) 520-7500	Lists STI screening and treatment, HIV testing, PrEP and doxy-PEP. Sliding-scale fees for people without insurance.
Adamsville Regional Health Center (Fulton County Board of Health)	3700 MLK Jr. Drive S.W., Atlanta, GA 30331	(770) 520-7323	Lists STI screening and treatment, HIV testing and PrEP. Appointments recommended.
Neighborhood Union Health Center (Fulton County Board of Health)	186 Sunset Avenue N.W., Atlanta, GA 30314	(770) 520-7351	Lists STI screening and treatment and PrEP.
AID Atlanta Wellness Center	1438 W Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30309	PrEP coordinator: 404-870-7721	PrEP program with check-ins at least every 3 months. Free HIV tests and free STI screening for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis.
Planned Parenthood East Atlanta Health Center	440 Moreland Avenue SE, Atlanta, GA 30316	404-688-9300	Lists HIV testing and PrEP. Insurance is not required.

Fulton County Board of Health

The Fulton County Board of Health HIV Testing and Prevention page lists a PrEP Clinic at 404-613-4708 and says PrEP is offered at the 10 Park Place, Adamsville and Neighborhood Union health centers. The Board of Health's Sexual Health page says its sexual health clinics serve Fulton County residents ages 14 and up.

Hours, as the Board of Health posts them:

10 Park Place: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The last walk-in appointment is at 3:00 p.m.
Adamsville: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Sexual Health page says services may be walk-in or by appointment, and recommends appointments.
Neighborhood Union: The Locations page lists Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Sexual Health page lists Wednesday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The two pages disagree, so call (770) 520-7351 to confirm.

AID Atlanta

AID Atlanta's testing page lists testing Monday to Friday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, with last check-in at 5:30. The organization says walk-ins are welcome with no appointment necessary. The PrEP coordinator line is 404-870-7721. For STI testing questions, the testing line is (404) 870-7741.

Planned Parenthood East Atlanta

Planned Parenthood Southeast's page lists HIV testing and PrEP at its East Atlanta center. It says insurance is not required and that it accepts listed insurers as well as cash and major credit or debit cards. A snapshot of the page from April 2026 shows Monday, Wednesday and Friday hours of 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and Tuesday and Thursday hours of 10 am to 6 pm, with weekends closed. The page welcomes walk-ins but says only appointments secure a visit, so booking ahead is the safer choice. Check the current hours with the center.

If you live in DeKalb County

The part of Atlanta that lies in DeKalb County is served by DeKalb Public Health. We could not confirm its PrEP services, so check with DeKalb Public Health directly. The clinics above are within Atlanta city limits and may still be an option.

If you are under 21

The Fulton County Teen Health Clinic serves people ages 12 to 21 at the Adamsville center, with phone 770-520-7323. Its page lists STI examinations and HIV counseling and testing, and says no teen is turned away for inability to pay. The page we reviewed does not list PrEP for the teen clinic, so ask when you call.

On consent, Georgia law at O.C.G.A. 31-17-7 lets a minor consent to care for a venereal disease without a parent's consent. The statute defines that term as syphilis, gonorrhea and chancroid, and says a provider may, but need not, tell a parent. The Guttmacher Institute summarizes Georgia as allowing minors to consent to STI testing and treatment. We did not find a source that settles whether a minor can consent to PrEP on their own, so ask the clinic before your visit. Statute text can change, so confirm against the current Georgia code.

What PrEP costs and how to pay for it

People searching for HIV PrEP cost information usually find a wide range, because the answer depends on your coverage, the clinic and the form of PrEP. We cannot quote a single price, and none of the Atlanta clinics we reviewed publish a PrEP price list. Here is what is published, and where to ask for the rest.

If you have health insurance

Under the Affordable Care Act, most private plans must cover preventive services that the USPSTF rates A or B, with no copay or coinsurance when you use an in-network provider. The USPSTF recommends that clinicians offer PrEP to people at increased risk of HIV, and federal guidance extends the no-cost coverage to the related services. Those services include HIV testing and, in HHS guidance, the baseline and follow-up tests tied to PrEP. HealthCare.gov's preventive care list shows how the rules apply to marketplace plans.

Coverage details still vary. Employer plans that keep older "grandfathered" status, short-term plans and some other plans may follow different rules. Before your first visit, call the number on your insurance card and ask: "Is PrEP covered as preventive care, and is the clinic in network?"

If you do not have insurance

The Fulton County Board of Health says that if you do not have insurance, fees for services can be charged on a sliding scale. The Board of Health's pages do not list the amounts, so ask the clinic what you would pay at 10 Park Place, Adamsville or Neighborhood Union.

AID Atlanta says its HIV tests and its STI screenings for chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are free. Its page does not say what the PrEP program costs, so ask the PrEP coordinator at 404-870-7721.

Planned Parenthood East Atlanta says insurance is not required and lists cash and card payment. The page does not mention a sliding scale. Call 404-688-9300 and ask what the visit and the lab work cost before you go.

Help finding assistance programs

The Georgia DPH HIV Prevention Program provides PrEP and PEP information and runs the Georgia AIDS and STI InfoLine at 1-800-551-2728. That line is a good place to ask what assistance exists for your situation. Also ask each clinic whether it has a patient assistance or benefits navigator, because many PrEP clinics help with enrollment. The sources we reviewed do not describe a specific Georgia program that pays for PrEP, so rely on the clinic or the InfoLine for current options rather than a third-party list.

Questions to ask about cost

What is the visit fee, and does it change with income?
Are the lab tests included, or billed separately?
Is the medicine filled at the clinic or at an outside pharmacy, and what will the pharmacy charge?
What happens if my coverage changes?
Can someone help me apply for assistance?

Asking about cost does not commit you to anything. Clinics hear these questions every day.

Staying on PrEP, and what else protects you

Taking PrEP consistently

The CDC stresses that PrEP works best when you take it as prescribed. If you miss doses, run low on medicine or want to stop, call your clinic. Do not stop or restart on your own. People stop PrEP for many reasons, including side effects, a change in relationships or a change in insurance. A clinician can help you make a plan that fits your life, and can help you restart later if you want to.

Side effects

Some people have mild side effects, such as stomach upset or headache, when starting oral PrEP. The CDC says these often ease over time. Tell your clinician about any symptoms, especially ones that worry you. They can check whether they relate to PrEP.

Regular STI testing

PrEP does not protect against other STIs, so the CDC's STI Treatment Guidelines (2021) and PrEP guidance both support routine screening for sexually active people. Chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis are bacterial STIs. A clinician can treat them with medicine they prescribe, and they are curable. HIV, herpes and HPV are not curable, but HIV is treatable and herpes and HPV are manageable.

Testing is also an easy way to stay connected to care. For syphilis, Georgia DPH requires providers to report it immediately, and for chlamydia and gonorrhea within 7 days. That reporting is how the health department tracks and responds to outbreaks.

Doxy-PEP

In 2024, the CDC issued guidance on doxycycline taken after sex (doxy-PEP) to lower the chance of certain bacterial STIs in specific groups. It is a prescription decision a clinician makes, and it is separate from PrEP. The Board of Health lists DoxyPep as a service at 10 Park Place. Ask a clinician whether it applies to you.

Other tools that work with PrEP

Condoms. They lower the chance of HIV and other STIs.
Vaccines. Vaccines can protect against hepatitis A, hepatitis B and HPV. A clinician can tell you which are recommended for you.
Treatment as prevention. The CDC says a person with HIV who takes treatment and keeps an undetectable viral load does not transmit HIV through sex. If your partner has HIV, encourage them to stay connected to care.
Pregnancy care. Georgia law (O.C.G.A. 31-17-4.2) requires prenatal providers to test for HIV and syphilis unless the patient refuses, and to offer testing again in the third trimester.

Getting tested

An HIV test is the first step to PrEP. Free and low-cost testing is available across the city. The CDC's gettested.cdc.gov page can help you find more options. Georgia DPH also offers an at-home HIV self-test by online request, and the CDC links to a national program for free HIV self-tests ordered online. The Georgia page does not state a cost or who is eligible, so check it before you order.

Common questions

Can I get PrEP without a doctor? You need a prescription from a clinician, but that clinician may be a nurse practitioner or physician assistant at a health center. Many Atlanta sites in this guide are public health or nonprofit clinics rather than private doctor's offices.

Will PrEP show up as a problem on my record? Taking PrEP does not signal an HIV infection. If you have a question about who sees your records, ask the clinic about its privacy practices.

How long can I stay on PrEP? There is no fixed limit in the sources we reviewed. A clinician reviews whether PrEP still fits at each follow-up.

What if I test positive for HIV at the first visit? A clinician will explain the next steps. HIV is treatable, and treatment is something a clinician prescribes. Many Atlanta sites that offer PrEP also offer HIV care or connect people to it.

If you are ready, pick a clinic from the table, call ahead and ask about PrEP. If you want to get tested first, use our Atlanta testing guide or gettested.cdc.gov.

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