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Cases of COVID-19 are still not slowing down, which may mean you’re reviewing your supply of home COVID-19 testing kits to see if they’re still OK to use. We have good news. Even if your box shows that they are no longer good, it is possible that the shelf life has been extended (see below).
If you find that they have expired, you can now order more free COVID-19 tests through USPS. For example, the box of iHealth test kits that I said I would use until July 2022. was not extended further so I threw it away.
Below, you can check the COVID-19 at-home tests listed on the US Food and Drug Administration website to see which brands have had their expiration dates extended.
What do the expiration dates of the COVID-19 test mean?
The expiration date listed on a box of COVID-19 tests is the last day the test is expected to be effective. Generally, the FDA approves home test kits with a shelf life of approx four to six monthsbut that shelf life could be extended if the manufacturer finds more data showing that the tests are still accurate after the shelf life.
Can I use the COVID test kit after it has expired?
Unless the FDA has extended the expiration date on your box of COVID-19 tests, it is it is not recommended to use them after they have expired. Here’s why: Parts of the COVID-19 test can degrade or break over time, leading to inaccurate or invalid test results.
See below to find out if your box of COVID-19 tests is still OK to use, because it is possible the shelf life has been extended.
How do I know if my COVID tests have been expired?
If the manufacturer determines that the shelf life is longer than the expected four to six months, it can request that the FDA approve an extended shelf life. When this happens, the manufacturer can notify customers of the new expiration dates. However, if you haven’t purchased the tests through the manufacturer, you probably won’t receive any notifications.
For the latest information on expiration dates for your COVID-19 test kits, be sure to check with the FDA Website for OTC COVID-19 Home Diagnostic Tests.
On that page, the FDA page lists the COVID-19 tests in alphabetical order, or you can use the search box to find your test directly. In the far right column of the table, the FDA lists the expiration date for each test and whether it has been extended. If the expiration date has been extended, an additional link is sometimes provided with information on the exact expiration dates for specific test lots.
The links below include lot numbers and expiration dates for brands of COVID-19 home tests that have been extended by the FDA. You can find the batch number for your home COVID test on the box, usually on the expiry date sticker.
If you don’t see anything on the FDA page, you can also check with the manufacturer to see if they have posted a letter from the FDA that their tests have been extended.
