Guide · Blood sugar
How to get an A1C test without a doctor
You can order a hemoglobin A1C test yourself, with no doctor's visit and no insurance. Through Priority One it costs $7, plus a flat $10 lab service fee per order, and you get drawn at any Quest location. A1C shows your average blood sugar over roughly the last three months.
Order an A1C testWhat A1C shows
A1C measures how much sugar has attached to your red blood cells. Because red blood cells last a few months, it reflects your average blood sugar over that stretch, not just the morning of your draw.
That makes it useful for tracking over time. Many people check it once, make changes, and check again a few months later.
Adding it to a bigger order
The $10 lab fee is charged once per order, so A1C is an easy add-on. Adding it to tests you're already ordering only adds $7.
People who order A1C often add fasting insulin or a comprehensive metabolic panel, which includes glucose, to see more of the picture from the same draw.
How ordering your own labs works
Pick the tests or panels you want from the lab store — individual tests start at $5 and panels at $79, with the price shown up front. An independent licensed physician reviews and authorizes the order; that's what makes it a valid lab order without a visit. A flat $10 lab service fee covers that authorization and the draw, once per order, however many tests are in it.
You'll get a requisition to bring to any Quest Diagnostics location — no appointment required at most sites. Results usually land within about a week and appear in your Priority One dashboard, where they're charted against the lab's reference ranges and against your own earlier results so you can see the trend, not just a number.
Priority One is available in 47 states. New York, New Jersey and Rhode Island don't allow this kind of self-ordered testing, so we can't serve those three yet.
Common questions
- Do I need to fast for an A1C test?
- A1C itself doesn't require fasting. If you add a test that does, like fasting insulin, it's marked in your cart.
- Do I need insurance?
- No. Prices are published and the same for everyone, and HSA/FSA cards are accepted.
- Will Priority One tell me what my results mean?
- We show your values, the lab's reference ranges and your trend over time, and we flag what's out of range. We don't diagnose or recommend treatment — bring questions about specific results to a licensed healthcare provider.
Priority One does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Lab testing and dashboard tools help people organize and understand their own health data; results should be reviewed with a qualified healthcare professional. Lab orders are authorized by an independent licensed physician. Not available in NY, NJ or RI.