Healthy adults aged 18 to 40 should get a hearing test every 3 to 5 years. After 50, every 1 to 3 years. After 60, annually. The tricky part isn't knowing this. It's actually doing it on time.
Done in seconds. No sign-up required.
These guidelines come from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and are widely used by audiologists as a starting point. Your doctor may recommend more frequent testing based on individual risk factors.
| Age range | Recommended frequency | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 18 to 40 | Every 3 to 5 years | Establishes a baseline; hearing loss is uncommon without risk factors |
| 40 to 50 | Every 2 to 3 years | Age-related changes can begin; early detection matters |
| 50 to 60 | Every 1 to 2 years | Presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) accelerates in this decade |
| 60 and older | Annually | 1 in 3 adults over 65 has significant hearing loss (NIDCD) |
Risk factors that shorten the interval between tests.
Construction, manufacturing, live music, or regular headphone use at high volume. OSHA requires annual testing for workers above 85 dB.
A parent or sibling with early hearing loss means you should start regular testing in your 30s, not your 50s.
Certain antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, and high-dose aspirin can damage hearing. If you take any of these regularly, test annually.
Knowing you should test every 2 years doesn't help if you can't remember when the last one was. Most people don't leave their audiologist thinking "I'll set a calendar reminder for 2028." They leave thinking "I should do this again sometime."
That "sometime" turns into years. A hearing test reminder closes the gap between knowing and doing. Set it for the right interval and you'll get notified days before the anniversary of your last test, with enough time to actually book an appointment.
Every 3 to 5 years, unless you have risk factors like noise exposure, family history of hearing loss, or work in a loud environment. Get a baseline test in your 20s so future tests have something to compare against.
Adults over 60 should get a hearing test every year. About one-third of people aged 65 to 74 have measurable hearing loss (NIDCD), and annual testing catches changes while they are still small.
Yes. OSHA requires annual audiometric testing for workers exposed to noise levels at or above 85 decibels averaged over 8 hours. Your employer is responsible for scheduling and paying for these tests.
The 60/60 rule is a guideline for headphone use: listen at no more than 60% volume for no more than 60 minutes at a time. Following it helps reduce noise-induced hearing damage, which is one of the most preventable forms of hearing loss.
Yes. Genetic predisposition to hearing loss means you should test every 1 to 2 years starting in your 30s, even if you have no symptoms. Early baseline testing is especially important with a family history.
Set a reminder for your next hearing test. You'll get notified days in advance so you can book the appointment without having to track it yourself.
Set My Hearing Test ReminderLast modified: