According to the American Cancer Society, women should start getting Pap smears at age 21. Women between the ages of 21 and 29 should have a Pap test every three years. Women between the ages of 30 and 65 are recommended to have a Pap test combined with an HPV test every five years, or a Pap test alone every three years. Women over 65 may no longer need Pap smears if they have had consistent normal results in the past.
