What if my at-home COVID tests have expired? Step by step, how to tell if you can use them

Holly Baltz, Palm Beach Post
·3 min read

In the wake of the COVID public health emergency ending in May, at-home tests now cost about $12 each and with multiple testing recommended after negative results, the whole thing can get very pricey.

But there's a way you can cut down on costs if you still have a stash at home: expired tests. Don't throw them out just yet.

During the emergency, private insurers, Medicare and Medicaid were required to cover the full costs of the tests. Now it's optional.

So how can expired at home COVID tests help?

The Food and Drug Administration, tasked with authorizing the tests, has extended the expiration dates of several at-home kits in light of new data submitted by manufacturers showing that their efficacy lasts longer.

While the costs of COVID at-home tests go up, you might save money if you check your expired test kits on fda.gov to see whether the expiration dates have been extended.
While the costs of COVID at-home tests go up, you might save money if you check your expired test kits on fda.gov to see whether the expiration dates have been extended.

More: COVID wanes in Palm Beach County, but flu and one other disease are popping up

Some may not have extended expiration dates. Some have been extended as much as two years.

You can now order four free COVID tests per household from the federal government at CovidTests.gov. They also may have extended expiration dates.

More: Four free COVID home tests per household now available from federal government

Step by step: How to find out whether your test has expired

The FDA has a list, by name, of all the at-home tests that show whether they have expired or if their expiration date has been extended.

Here's how to check if the extensions include your tests:

  1. Google "covid 19 test expiration."

  2. Click on At-Home COVID-19 Disagnostic Tests: Frequently Asked Questions on the fda.gov site.

  3. Scroll down to the last question — "How do I know if the expiration date of my at-home COVID-19 test has been extended?"

  4. Click on  List of Authorized At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests. The list is in alphabetical order by manufacturer but includes the name of the test that you see on the box.

Here's the chart you'll see on FDA.gov showing the BinaxNOW test lot numbers, current expiration date and the date it has been extended to.
Here's the chart you'll see on FDA.gov showing the BinaxNOW test lot numbers, current expiration date and the date it has been extended to.

How to find the lot number, expiration date

Each test kit is different, but both the lot number and expiration date should be on the outside of the box.

It can be tricky. The date and six-digit lot numbers might be in different places on the box.

Here's an example of what a lot number and expiration date look like on a COVID-19 at home test. This one is BinaxNOW Antigen Self Test by Abbott Diagnostics. Lot 187033, which originally expired 04/28/2023 has now been extended to 11/28/2023.
Here's an example of what a lot number and expiration date look like on a COVID-19 at home test. This one is BinaxNOW Antigen Self Test by Abbott Diagnostics. Lot 187033, which originally expired 04/28/2023 has now been extended to 11/28/2023.

How often should I test if I feel sick or have been exposed to COVID?

If you feel sick, test right away. If you know you have been exposed, the FDA recommends waiting five days before you test.

For any negative result, you need to test more than once.

If you have a negative test and have symptoms, wait for 48 hours and test again for a total of at least two tests. If you don't have symptoms, test 48 hours after the first negative test and another 48 hours later if you have another negative for a total of at least three tests.

The FDA required in August 2022 that manufacturers of all antigen tests put on their labels the need to test twice over three days for people with symptoms and at least three times over five days for people without symptoms.

Holly Baltz is the health editor at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach her at hbaltz@pbpost.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Expired home COVID tests: Here's how to tell if you can still use them