Green markers indicate sites that offer free testing. Most sites have eligibility requirements.

Last updated: Oct. 6, 2021

Santa Cruz County has nearly two dozen COVID-19 testing sites. Eligibility rules, cost and turnaround time vary. Here’s the breakdown by city and area.

Santa Cruz County K-12 students, staff and their families can get tested at:

  • School sites by registration
  • Santa Cruz County Office of Education Annex parking lot, 399 Encinal St., Santa Cruz. 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday
  • Cabrillo College parking lot K, 6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos. 2-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday
  • Pajaro Valley Unified School District parking lot, 294 Green Valley Road, Watsonville. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
  • Santa Cruz County of Education, 399 Encinal St., Santa Cruz. 3-6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The tests are free or billed through health insurance. More information.

Free tests are offered at the following locations. Some locations have eligibility requirements.

Santa Cruz County health officials have said that anyone with symptoms or possible exposure should get tested.

According to the California Department of Public Health, COVID symptoms include:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

Symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus.

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Watsonville

Ramsay Park
1301 Main St., Watsonville
7 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Closed 11a.m. to noon and 4-5 p.m.
Make an appointment
888-634-1123

  • Free tests by appointment for anyone, with or without symptoms
  • The site is sponsored by the state and administered by OptumServe, a private health care company. 
  • OptumServe asks for patients’ insurance information, but insurance is not necessary to get a test.
  • Results can take four to six days, according to the website. 

Doctors on Duty 
1505 Main St., Watsonville
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
831-722-1444

  • By appointment only. Call to schedule.
  • Offers a $260 PCR test, with results in three to five business days.
  • Also offers a $220 rapid test, with results in 15 minutes.
  • Free tests are available for patients with no insurance.

Planned Parenthood
398 S. Green Valley Road, Watsonville
12-1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays
831-724-7525

  • For Planned Parenthood primary care patients and by appointment and referral only. 
  • Planned Parenthood patients can schedule a video visit with a doctor to get a referral. Call or schedule online.
  • Cost depends on insurance benefits.

Salud Para La Gente
204 East Beach St., Watsonville
8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Saturday
8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday
831-728-0222

  • By appointment only. Call or text to schedule.
  • Patients must qualify to get a test. Patients cannot get a test if they have tested positive within the past three months. People without symptoms or possible exposure are not eligible.  More information.

Kaiser Permanente
1931 Main St., Watsonville
1:30-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
831-768-6600

  • For Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients only, with or without COVID symptoms
  • Kaiser patients can schedule a test online at kp.org without talking to a doctor, or get a referral from their doctor. Kaiser patients can also call the Appointment and Advice Call Center at 866-454-8855.
  • Kaiser patients can generally schedule an appointment for a test within two to four days. 
  • Results are generally available in two to four days.

County Health Center-Watsonville
1430 Freedom Blvd, Suite D, Watsonville
8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday
831-763-8400

  • For existing county clinic patients and by appointment only

Sutter Health Urgent Care – Watsonville
550 S. Green Valley Road, Watsonville
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, including weekends
831-458-5865

  • For Sutter patients and by appointment only. A doctor visit is required in advance to determine if a test is needed. Sutter patients can schedule a video visit with a doctor to get a referral.
  • Offers a PCR test, with results within two days.
  • Cost depends on insurance benefits.

Freedom

Walgreens
1810 Freedom Blvd. 
831-768-0183

Santa Cruz

Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium parking lot 
307 Church St., Santa Cruz
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays
888-634-1123
Schedule an appointment

  • Free testing for anyone by appointment only. Everyone qualifies for a test, whether symptomatic or not.
  • The site is sponsored by the state and administered by OptumServe, a private health care company. 
  • OptumServe asks for patients’ insurance information, but insurance is not necessary to get a test.
  • Tests are administered in the parking lot.

CruzMedMo
Faith Community Church
115 S. Morrissey, Santa Cruz
9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and 1-4 p.m. every second and fourth Tuesday of the month.
Drive-through testing, no appointment required

  • Results available within one hour 
  • Travel documentation offered, except for travel to Hawaii. Cost ranges from $80 for antigen tests to $225 for a PCR test.
  • Patients must pay out of pocket but the clinic offers paperwork for insurance reimbursement. 
  • CruzMedMo also offers mobile COVID testing for businesses. Call 831-241-7501.

Doctors on Duty
615 Ocean St., Santa Cruz
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday
8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
831-425-7991

  • Offers a $147 PCR test, with results in three to five business days.
  • Rapid tests are offered Monday to Friday.
  • Free tests are available for patients with no insurance.
  • By appointment only. Call to schedule.

County Health Center — Santa Cruz
1080 Emeline Ave., Santa Cruz
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday
831-454-4100

  • For existing county clinic patients and by appointment only

UCSC Cowell Student Health Center
1156 High St., Santa Cruz
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday
831-459-2500

Sutter Health Urgent Care – Santa Cruz
2025 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, including weekends
831-458-5537

  • For Sutter patients and by appointment only. A doctor visit is required in advance to determine if a test is needed. Sutter patients can schedule a video visit with a doctor to get a referral.
  • Offers a PCR test, with results within two days.
  • Cost depends on insurance benefits.

Walgreens
1718 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz
831-425-3911

Live Oak

East Cliff Family Health Center
21507 E. Cliff Drive, Live Oak
8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday
831-427-3500

  • For existing patients and by referral only. Call to schedule.
  • Patients must have symptoms or possible exposure to qualify for a test.
  • Santa Cruz Community Health Centers is not currently billing patients for COVID testing, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Casey KirkHart wrote in an April 1 email to Santa Cruz Local.

Aptos

Doctors on Duty
6800 Soquel Drive, Aptos
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday
831-662-3611

  • Testing requires a video visit with a doctor to determine if and which test is needed. Options are a PCR test, with results in three to five business days, or a rapid test, with results in minutes. Cost depends on insurance, but rapid test could cost as much as $284 for video visit and test.
  • Free tests are available for patients with no insurance.
  • Appointment only. Call to schedule.

Cabrillo College parking lot K
6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos
3-6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays
Schedule online

  • Drive-through testing for students, parents, staff and community members affiliated with schools, child care or agriculture in Santa Cruz County
  • Patients do not need to be symptomatic to qualify for a test.

Scotts Valley

Kaiser Permanente
5615 Scotts Valley Drive, Scotts Valley
1-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
831-430-2700

  • For Kaiser Permanente Northern California patients only, with or without COVID symptoms
  • Kaiser patients can schedule a test online at kp.org without talking to a doctor, or get a referral from their doctor. Kaiser patients can also call the Appointment and Advice Call Center at 866-454-8855.
  • Kaiser patients can generally schedule an appointment for testing within two to four days. 
  • Results are generally available within two to four days

Walgreens
210 Mount Hermon Road
831-430-9113

Capitola

CVS Pharmacy — drive-through testing
1750 41st Ave., Capitola
9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
831-476-0400

  • By appointment only.
  • Offers free testing for those who qualify. An online assessment asks for symptoms, possible exposure, workplace setting and COVID testing history. Register for a free test. 
  • Also offers a $139 PCR test for anyone, for any reason including travel. Turnaround time is three to four days. Travelers to Hawaii are not recommended to take this test because delivery time is not guaranteed, according to the website. Register for a paid test. 
  • Tests are done in the parking lot. A car is required to receive a test.

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Kara Meyberg Guzman is the CEO and co-founder of Santa Cruz Local. ​Prior to Santa Cruz Local, she served as the Santa Cruz Sentinel’s managing editor. She has a biology degree from Stanford University and lives in Santa Cruz.

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Stephen Baxter is a co-founder and editor of Santa Cruz Local. He covers Santa Cruz County government.