How do I collect a sample with my home collection kit?

A home collection kit is composed of items that you need to collect a sample (for example, blood, saliva, urine, nasal secretions, etc) for testing. Some home collection kits will need to be returned to Quest for processing, while other home collection kits can be used and resulted at home. Each kit comes with instructions.

If your home collection kit includes links (URLs) to instructional videos, it is very important that you watch them prior to collecting your sample.

Yes. Home collection kits and at-home tests have an expiration date (located on the packaging), after which the product is invalid and cannot be used. For kits with lab results, you have 30 days prior to the kit expiration to activate your kit and return your sample.

Please review our expiration Policy for additional details.

Visit questhealth.com/activate and enter the 11 digit activation code provided in your kit.

If you choose not to activate and have not opened your kit, you may gift your kit to another individual over 18 years of age. If you do not activate your kit, there will be no lab order tied to you or your kit. The lab cannot process your results.

Specimens returned without activation will not be tested or resulted. Activation ties your kit to you and your lab results. Please reach out to customer service if you believe you sent your sample in without activation.

You can have home collection kits and at-home tests shipped to yourself at your billing address or to an alternate shipping address. You may also order and ship home collection kits and at-home tests directly to those for whom you purchased a test by entering an alternative address. Home collection kits cannot be shipped to Arizona, Alaska, or Hawaii, and cannot be purchased in these states.

Note: At this time, we cannot ship to PO/UPS Boxes or APO/FPO/DPO addresses.

A PWN service fee is collected on behalf of PWNHealth and its affiliated professional entities for independent physician oversight of lab testing, including ordering testing, if appropriate, as well as providing physician follow-up services. When you look at a test's product page, you will see if the test has a PWN service fee. If a test does have a PWN service fee, it will be added to the cost of your tests (in the shopping cart) as follows:

• Home collection kits that require lab processing have a per kit PWN service fee
• Tests with in-person sample collection have a per person PWN service fee

No. Quest Diagnostics Patient Service Centers cannot accept home collection kits or your sample.

If you purchased a home collection kit that must be returned to Quest Diagnostics for processing, use the prepaid, pre-addressed packaging to return your sample to Quest Diagnostics.

No. Each sample must be returned in the prepaid, pre-addressed packaging included with each unique collection kit. Please review the instructions that came with your home collection kit for important information on how to package your sample and return it.

No. Home collection kits and at home tests cannot be returned. Please contact customer support if you have an issue with your kit.

Please review all the information that came with your home collection kit or at-home test. The instructions or specific test PDP should provide you with information about collecting a sample while sick.

After adding your selected home collection kit or at home test to your cart, you may send it to someone else by changing the shipping address. Or you may purchase and ship to your home, and then give the kit to someone else. Please note, for kits that require activation: Once a home collection kit is activated, it is no longer transferrable to another individual.