There is a period of time (commonly referred to as a “window period”) between infection and a positive HIV test, but with the type of HIV tests used today, this period is generally only about 3 weeks (and no more than 6 weeks). If you have not had any possible exposures in the last 8 months (i.e you either used a condom, were protected by PrEP, or your partner was undetectable), than you can be extremely confident that you are HIV negative. We recommend that sexually active gay men and other men who have sex with men get tested for HIV and STIs every 3 months. If you're concerned about your risk for HIV, talk with your provider about whether PrEP is right for you.