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TextFree Tick Identification Service
The Fairfax County Health Department's Disease Carrying Insects Program (DCIP) will identify a tick that you find on your body or your child's body, free of charge.
This tick identification service does not test ticks for pathogens (i.e. Lyme disease bacteria) for clinical purpose.
Questions about ticks, tick-borne diseases, and tick identification can be directed to the DCIP office at 703-246-2300 TTY: 711.
How To Have a Tick Identified
- After you remove the attached tick, place the tick inside a plastic bag. The Health Department does not remove ticks.
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Bring the tick to the Health Department's administration building,
10777 Main Street (Kelly Square), Fairfax, VA 22030.
- Drop off the tick at one of the permit counters located in Suite 102 or Suite 111.
- Hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- If a DCIP staff member is available when the tick is brought in, the tick can be identified within a few minutes while you wait. Or you will receive a call at a later time.
You may mail a tick to the Health Department to be identified. Please include your name and phone number. Ticks must be packaged properly.
Please follow the packaging instructions from the U.S. Postal Service:
- Ticks must be packed in a double container system with each receptacle closed or fastened in such a way as to prevent escape.
- The inner receptacle must be made of sufficient material to prevent escape of the tick while in the mail and to preclude the container from being crushed in normal handling.
- Cushioning material is used to prevent shifting of the inner receptacle.
- The design of packaging is of sufficient strength, as required in DMM 601.9.3.11, to prevent crushing of the mailpiece or escape of the contents during normal Postal Service handling and transport.
- The package must have a return address.
Please call the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777 with questions about packaging instructions.
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