Children must have required immunizations before they can attend school or child care in California. Parents must present their child's Immunization Record to school or child care staff as proof of immunization prior to admission. Health care providers are required to give or update the parent’s copy of the child's Immunization Record whenever these immunizations are administered.

Children who have not completed all immunizations will be admitted conditionally if they are up-to-date (no doses currently due), provided they obtain the next immunizations when they are due.

Vaccine	NUMBER OF IMMUNIZATIONS REQUIRED TO ENTER, BY AGE OF CHILD
	Child Care					School
	2-3 months	4-5 months	6-14 months	15-17 months	18+ months	4-6 years	7-17 years	7th grade
Polio (OPV/IPV)	1	2	2	3	3	4a	4b
DTP/DTaP	1	2	3	3	4	5a	3b
Td Booster								[1c]
MMR				3	3	2d	1d	2d
Hepatitis B	1	2	2	2	3	3		3e
Hib	1	2	2	1f	1f
Varicella					1g	1g	1-2h

REFERENCE: Health and Safety Code, Division 105, Part 2, Chapter 1, Sections 120325-120380; California Code of Regulations, Title 17, Division 1, Chapter 4, Subchapter 8, Sections 6000-6075

WHY YOUR CHILD NEEDS SHOTS: The California School Immunization Law requires that children be up-to-date on their immunizations (shots) to attend school or child care. Diseases like chickenpox, measles and whooping cough spread quickly, so children need to be protected before they enter. Most children need booster shots before starting kindergarten. 7th grade entry requirements went into effect July 1, 1999. A varicella (chickenpox) requirement for kindergarten and child care entry went into effect July 1, 2001.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED AT REGISTRATION: You will need to bring a written immunization record, either a personal record with entries made by a physician or clinic, or a school immunization record - the blue California School Immunization Record (PM 286)(CSIR) from a former school or antoher state's school record. It must include at least the month and year each dose was received. For Measles, rubella, and/or mumps vaccines, make sure to include the month, day, and year the vaccine was given. A record with check marks instead of dates or saying only "up-to-date", "all requirements met", or "series complete" is inadequate. Also, parents cannot simply fill out a CSIR from memory but must present a written immunization record. Further, the record must show that all due vaccine doses have been received. If you do not have an Immunization Record or your child has not received all required shots, call your doctor or local health department now for an appointment.

THESE ARE THE SHOTS THAT ARE REQUIRED: Review your child's Immunization Record to make sure you have a date for each shot required. Your record will list shots by type or vaccine.

a. This number includes kindergarten boosters. If your child is 4-6 years old, entry requirements are met with only 3 polio and 4 DTPs if at least one polio and one DTP dose were after your child's fourth birthday.

b. For children 7-17 years old, entry requirements are met with only 3 polio and 3 DTP or DT/Td if at least one polio and DTP or DT/Td were after your child's 2nd birthday. For students age 7 years and older, pertussis immunization is not required.

c. A Td booster is recommended if more than 5 years have passed since the last dose, but not required.

d. Two doses of the measle-containing vaccine is required. One dose of the mumps and rubella containing vaccine is required. Mumps immunization is not required for students age 7 years and older.

e. Two doses of the 2-dose formulation along with provider documentation that the 2-dose formulation was used for both doses and both doses were received at age 11-15 years will also fulfill this requirement.

f. One dose must be on or after the 1st birthday regardless of any doses received earlier. The Hib requirement applies only to child care children under age 4 years and 6 months.

g. If a child had chickenpox disease, ask your doctor to note in on the immunization record to meet the requirement. A physician stamp is required for this illness as with other vaccines.

h. Required for children not enrolled in California schools before July 1, 2001. 1 dose required for grades K-12. For children 13-17 years old, 2 doses are needed if the first vaccine was received after his/her 13th birthday.

If your child's record is missing some doses, please contact your doctor or clinic now to obtain the full immunization record or any doses needed. If your child recently received immunizations and needs an immunization later in the year, he/she can be allowed to attend, provided you get the remaining doses when they become due. The law requires that the child be excluded from school if immunization or TB screening requirements are not met.

Your child may be exempted from some or all immunizations by a doctor because of a medical condition. Your child may be exempted by you because of your personal or religious beliefs. The law does not allow an exemption simply because of inconvenience. Ask your school or child care provider for details.

Additional requirement: The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services requires proof of the TB (Mantoux) screening. The test must be given with one year of entry for all Kindergarten entrants. For all students new to California schools, any previous documented test is accepted.