Pap Smear Schedule Calculator (When Is My Next Pap or HPV Test Due?)
Find when your next cervical cancer screening is due — Pap test every 3 years, HPV or co-test every 5 years — from your age, last test date, test type and result, using USPSTF or American Cancer Society guidelines.
How it works
next due = last test date + interval · USPSTF: 21–29 Pap every 3 years; 30–65 Pap every 3 years, primary HPV every 5 years or co-test every 5 years · ACS 2020: 25–65 primary HPV every 5 years (co-test every 5 or Pap every 3 acceptable) · stop after 65 with adequate normal prior screening · no screening after hysterectomy with cervix removed for benign reasons
Cervical cancer develops slowly from persistent HPV infection, so healthy people with normal results don't need a test every year. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends a Pap test every 3 years from 21 to 29, and from 30 to 65 either a Pap every 3 years or an HPV-based test every 5 years. The American Cancer Society (2020) starts at 25 with a primary HPV test every 5 years. Abnormal results, a weakened immune system or past precancer change the schedule — then your clinician sets the follow-up. Vaccinated people still need screening.
Worked example
A 32-year-old whose last Pap test on March 15, 2024 was normal is due again 3 years later, on Monday, March 15, 2027 under USPSTF guidance. If she switches to an HPV test or co-test at that visit and it is normal, the next one would be 5 years later.
Sources: USPSTF (2018): Cervical cancer screening · American Cancer Society (2020): Cervical cancer screening guideline
Frequently asked questions
How often do I need a Pap smear?
Every 3 years from age 21 to 65 if results are normal (USPSTF). From 30, an HPV test or Pap + HPV co-test every 5 years is an alternative. The American Cancer Society recommends starting at 25 with an HPV test every 5 years.
When can I stop getting Pap smears?
After 65 if you have had adequate normal screening — usually three normal Pap tests or two normal HPV/co-tests in the last 10 years, the most recent within 5 years — and no history of CIN2 or worse in the past 25 years.
Do I need Pap smears after a hysterectomy?
Not if the cervix was removed and the hysterectomy was not for cervical cancer or precancer. If you still have your cervix, or had surgery for CIN2+ or cancer, keep screening.
I had the HPV vaccine — do I still need screening?
Yes. The vaccine prevents most but not all cancer-causing HPV types, so the same schedule applies.
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Educational information only, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Discuss your results and any decision with your doctor, midwife or pharmacist.