Hair Follicle Test for Drugs Cost: Typical Prices, What Changes the Price, and Who Usually Pays

Updated 17 Oct 2026 · By the DrugTestAnswers editorial team

A hair follicle drug test usually costs somewhere around $70 to $200, depending on who orders it, how many drugs the panel covers and where the sample is collected. Employers buying in bulk tend to pay at the low end, a walk-in test you order yourself through an online lab service usually lands in the middle to upper part of that range, and expanded panels or extra add-ons can push it higher. If the test is for a job, you normally don't pay at all. Below is a breakdown of what drives the price, what each option includes, and how to compare quotes without getting surprised. We may earn a commission if you buy through our links.

Why hair tests cost more than urine tests

A basic urine test can be a few dollars for an instant cup or a modest lab fee. Hair costs more for practical reasons:

• The lab work is more involved. Hair has to be washed to remove surface residue, then cut or ground and chemically digested to release drugs locked inside the shaft before it can be screened.
• Drug amounts are tiny. Results are measured in picograms per milligram of hair, so labs need sensitive equipment, and every screen positive gets a mass spectrometry confirmation.
• Fewer labs do it. Only a limited number of US labs specialize in hair testing, which keeps prices higher than for urine.
• It covers far more time. A standard sample reflects roughly 90 days instead of a few days, which is the main reason employers pay the premium.

Typical price ranges by type of test

These are rough ranges based on how hair testing is commonly priced in the US. Actual prices vary by region, lab, panel and provider, so always check a current quote.

What pushes the price up or down

Number of drugs on the panel

A standard 5-panel hair test covers marijuana, cocaine, amphetamines (including methamphetamine and MDMA), opiates and PCP. Expanded panels add drug classes, and each one adds lab work. If you only need to know about one or two drugs, a smaller panel is usually cheaper. Our comparison of 5-panel vs 10-panel hair tests lists what each one checks.

Where the hair is collected

A collection site charges for a trained collector's time and chain-of-custody paperwork, the forms that track a sample from your head to the lab. A home kit skips the collector, which is why kits are often cheaper. The tradeoff is that home kits are for your own information and generally aren't accepted by employers.

Head hair vs body hair

The price normally doesn't change, but the window does. Head hair is typically read as about 90 days, while body hair grows more slowly and can reflect a longer period. Our page on which body hair can be used explains when collectors switch.

Volume and contracts

Large employers and third-party administrators negotiate per-test prices with labs, so the same test can cost an individual noticeably more than it costs a company that orders thousands a year.

Medical review

Employer programs usually include a medical review officer (MRO), a doctor who reviews positives and checks prescriptions before results are reported. Some cheap consumer options leave this out, which matters if you take prescription medicines that could show up.

Turnaround time

Standard results typically take a few business days after the lab receives the sample, because hair testing takes longer than urine. Positives take longer than negatives since they need confirmation. Faster service may cost extra.

Who usually pays

If an employer asks you to pay for a pre-employment hair test, it's worth asking HR whether that's standard, since rules vary by state. Our page on hair drug tests for work covers how employer testing usually runs.

Does insurance cover a hair drug test?

Usually not. Health insurance generally covers drug testing only when a doctor orders it for medical care, such as monitoring treatment, and even then urine or blood is far more common than hair. Tests for employment, personal curiosity or legal matters are typically paid out of pocket or by whoever requires them. If a test is part of medical care, your insurer can tell you what's covered.

How to compare quotes

1. Confirm the panel. Make sure the drugs listed match what you need. A low price for a 5-panel isn't a bargain if you needed oxycodone or benzodiazepines included.
2. Ask if confirmation is included. A screen-only result isn't reliable on its own. Reputable hair tests include mass spectrometry confirmation of any positive at no extra charge.
3. Check the collection fee. Some online prices exclude the collection site fee, which shows up later.
4. Ask about MRO review if you take any prescriptions.
5. Check turnaround and whether rush service costs extra.
6. Ask about retests. Find out whether part of the sample is kept and what a retest costs.

Home hair test kits: what you get for the money

A home hair test kit is usually the cheapest way to see what a hair test would show. You cut a small sample close to the scalp (or use body hair), seal it in the provided envelope and mail it to a lab, which emails or posts the results. Lab-based kits use the same screen-and-confirm methods as professional tests. What you don't get is a chain-of-custody collection or an MRO, so the result is for your own information. That's often all people need before a job test. Compare kits in our guide to the best hair follicle drug test kits, which looks at panels and turnaround.

Avoid paying twice

• Hair length. Collectors usually need about 1.5 inches of head hair, roughly a pencil's thickness worth. With short head hair they can take body hair, but completely bald and shaved people sometimes face a rescheduled collection.
• Hair treatments. Bleaching and other harsh treatments can damage hair and lower drug levels, and labs may flag heavily treated samples. A rejected sample can mean another collection, and sometimes another fee.
• Deadlines. Employer tests usually have to be done within a set window after the offer. Missing it can mean starting over or losing the offer.
• Bring ID. Collection sites generally won't proceed without valid photo ID.

Is it worth paying for a test before the real one?

For a lot of people, yes. A home hair test costs far less than losing a job offer, and it tells you what a real panel is likely to find. If it comes back clean, you can stop worrying. If it doesn't, you know where you stand and how long it may take for past use to grow out of the testing window; see how long it takes to pass a hair follicle test.

Product facts: Old Style Aloe Toxin Rid

Hair-cleansing shampoos are the other purchase people weigh up before a hair test. The one most often discussed is Old Style Aloe Toxin Rid from TestClear. Here's an even-handed summary:

• What TestClear describes: a deep-cleansing shampoo intended to remove residue and buildup from the hair and scalp.
• Maker's directions in short: wash with your regular shampoo first, work Aloe Toxin Rid into damp hair and scalp, leave it for 10 to 15 minutes, rinse, and repeat over several days before the test.
• What isn't proven: there's no independent published research showing it gets anyone past a hair drug test, and it isn't a guaranteed result. Not using is the only sure way to pass.

You can check current pricing for Old Style Aloe Toxin Rid at TestClear. Our Aloe Toxin Rid review and how-to guide explains the directions and the evidence gaps in more detail.

How we built this page

Price ranges reflect common US pricing for employer, walk-in and home mail-in hair tests and will vary by provider and over time, so treat them as a starting point, not a quote. Testing methods come from published lab practices and forensic toxicology research. Product directions are summarized from TestClear's product page. See our editorial methodology for how we source.

Tests outside this guide

Nothing here applies to DOT-regulated testing, FAA aviation testing, federal employee programs, military testing, or court, probation and parole testing. Don't use products from this page to try to affect those tests; tampering can count as a refusal and may be illegal.

Disclaimer and help

Informational only, not medical, legal or financial advice. Tampering with a drug test may be illegal and can count as a refusal or a failed test. The only sure way to pass is not to use. For free, confidential support 24/7, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. If you're in crisis, call or text 988.