How to get PEP within 72 hours
Last checked July 2026
NYC 24/7 PEP Hotline: 844-373-7692
What PEP is, and why timing matters
PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is a 28-day course of HIV medication taken after a possible exposure to HIV. It must be started within 72 hours of the exposure — the sooner, the better. Don't wait to see if symptoms appear; PEP is far less effective, or not effective at all, once the 72-hour window has passed.
What to do right now
Call the NYC 24/7 PEP Hotline at 844-373-7692. It's staffed around the clock, every day of the week.
If you can't reach a clinic or the hotline, go to any NYC emergency room. Emergency rooms can start PEP 24/7, including nights and weekends.
Cost
PEP is available at low or no cost at NYC Sexual Health Clinics and NYC Health + Hospitals emergency rooms.
Immigration status and age
Every New Yorker has a right to health care regardless of immigration status. You do not need to share your immigration status to receive care, and clinics are not required to ask about or report it to any authority. Some programs may ask for a form of ID or proof of NYC residency, but immigration status alone does not prevent you from getting PEP.
New York State law allows any person who has the capacity to consent — regardless of age — to receive PEP, HIV testing, and related services without parental consent or notification. Your records for these services are confidential and cannot be shared with a parent or guardian without your permission.
Find a PEP clinic near you →Facts on this page restate information already published by NYC.gov, the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and New York State law (including the Reproductive Health Act of 2019 and NYC Executive Orders 41 and 13). Last checked July 2026. This is not medical or legal advice — call the numbers above, or a clinic directly, to confirm your specific situation.