A non-reactive result in an HIV test means that the test did not find any evidence of HIV infection. This almost always means that the person is not living with HIV. However, there is a period between the time of getting HIV and the time that an HIV test can detect HIV infection. If a person has engaged in risk behaviors for HIV during the month prior to the test, they should speak to their healthcare provider about the need to be re-tested for HIV. It is important to know that a non-reactive test result does not necessarily mean that a person does not have HIV if they have been exposed to HIV quite recently, during the test’s window period.