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Creatinine, Urine (Spot)

Creatinine in a single urine sample, collected at your visit.

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  • 2,000+ lab locations. Find one near you
  • Nothing due at the lab. FSA / HSA accepted
  • Ordered by a licensed clinician

At a glance

Collection
Urine sample
Collected at your visit. No needle.
Preparation
None
Nothing to do ahead of time. Water is fine.
Results
2 to 4 days
Typical turnaround after your visit.
Where
2,000+ lab locations
Nationwide, with nothing due at the lab.

About this test

This test measures creatinine in one urine sample. Because urine can be more or less concentrated depending on how much you drink, urine creatinine is often used to put other urine results in context. It is usually requested as a follow-up or alongside another urine test. No needle is needed.

For adults 18 and older. Test availability varies by lab location.

Who should take this test?

This test is for adults whose healthcare provider wants a spot urine creatinine, usually to follow a past result or to read alongside another urine measurement.

Ask about this test

Not sure this is the right test?

AI-generated. For information only, not medical advice. Call 911 for an emergency.

What does this test measure?

Your result shows how much creatinine is in your urine sample, which can help a healthcare provider account for how concentrated the sample was when reading other urine tests.

Creatinine, urine
Creatinine is a muscle waste product your kidneys clear into urine at a fairly steady rate. In a random urine sample, its level mostly reflects how concentrated the urine is. It is often used alongside other urine measures, such as albumin, to adjust for concentration.
Why it’s measured: Shows how concentrated a urine sample is, and is used to adjust other urine results.

How it works

  1. Step 1

    Order online

    Check out here. A licensed clinician in your state reviews your order and sends it to the lab.

  2. Step 2

    Visit a lab

    Bring a photo ID to any of 2,000+ lab locations. No fasting needed, and nothing is due at the lab.

  3. Step 3

    Get your results

    Results post to your account, usually in 2 to 4 days, each number next to the lab’s reference range.

Find a lab near you

Choose from 2,000+ lab locations nationwide. Your order works at any of them.

What your results tell you

Urine creatinine is reported in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) and read in light of how concentrated or dilute your sample was.

  • Your number next to the lab’s reference range
  • Explained in plain language
  • A licensed clinician reviews your order and, if appropriate, orders the test.
  • A lab report you can download and share

A urine creatinine result is mostly useful in context, so a healthcare provider reads it with your blood creatinine or other urine results.

Clinical-grade testing, from the comfort of home.

From the lab to your report, every step of our process meets the gold standard in medical testing.

  • CLIA-certified labs

    Every lab we partner with is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, meeting both state and federal standards with regular independent inspections.

  • We protect your health data

    We protect your health data with encryption and do not sell it. Some results must be reported to public health authorities by law. See our Privacy Notice.

  • Rigorous quality assurance

    All partner labs run regular internal quality checks, participate in proficiency testing, and comply with federal and state lab regulations.

  • Clinician-reviewed reports

    Results are reviewed by an independent, licensed clinician.

Questions

Common questions.

Anything else, our care team answers by phone, text, or email.

Your body makes creatinine at a fairly steady rate, and the kidneys pass it into urine. How concentrated a single urine sample is depends on how much you have been drinking, so urine creatinine gives a reference point. Other urine results, like albumin or protein, are often compared with it as a ratio.

A blood creatinine test, reported with eGFR, is a common way to estimate how well the kidneys filter. A spot urine creatinine is not a filtration test by itself. It is mostly a reference value that helps a healthcare provider read other urine results.

The lab staff will guide you and give you a collection cup at your visit. There is nothing to do ahead of time, and water is fine. This test uses a single sample, so there is no timed or overnight collection.

On its own, it does not show how well your kidneys are working or whether there is kidney damage. One sample also varies with hydration and time of day. A healthcare provider reads it with blood creatinine, eGFR, or other urine tests.

Lab tests are informational and don’t diagnose conditions on their own. Available to adults 18 and older; test availability varies by lab location. A licensed clinician reviews your order and, if appropriate, orders the test. All testing is performed at CLIA-certified laboratories. Not for emergencies: if you think you may be having a medical emergency, call 911.