K-12 Admission
• Polio: 4 doses (3 doses OK if at least one is given on or after the 4th birthday)
• DTaP: 5 doses (4 doses OK if at least one is given on or after the 4th birthday, 3 doses OK if at least one dose of Tdap, DTaP, or DTP is given on or after the 7th birthday)
• Hepatitis B: 3 doses
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR): 2 doses given on or after the 1st birthday (two doses of measles, two doses of mumps, and one dose of rubella meet the requirement, either separately or combined)
• Varicella: 2 doses
7th Grade Advancement
• Tdap: 1 dose given on or after the 7th birthday
• Varicella: 2 doses
Personal Belief Waivers (effective since 2016)
Senate Bill (SB) 277:
• Will no longer permit immunization exemptions based on personal beliefs for children in child care, public and private schools;
• Will permit personal belief exemptions filed at a school or child care facility in California before January 1, 2016, to remain valid until a pupil reaches TK/kindergarten or 7th grade;
• Will not require immunization documentation for:
*Students in home-based private schools.
*Students enrolled in an independent study program who do not receive classroom-based instruction.
*Access to special education and related services specified in an individualized education program.
Medical Exemptions
Beginning January 1, 2021, all medical exemptions for schools and child care facilities must be submitted through the California Immunization Registry - Medical Exemption (CAIR-ME) website by physicians licensed in California. Schools and child care facilities may only accept new medical exemptions that are issued using CAIR-ME.
This change impacts medical exemptions for:
• New enrollments as of January 1, 2021.
• Students who transition to the next grade span (TK/K-6th grade, 7th-12th grade).
• Students whose temporary medical exemption have expired.
• Medical exemptions that were revoked due to the issuing physician being a subject of disciplinary action.
In order to receive a medical exemption, parents must create a CAIR-ME account and log in to submit a request for a medical exemption. Next, the child's physician can complete the medical exemption in CAIR-ME and print a copy for the parents to give to the school or child care facility.
A medical exemption may be issued in CAIR-ME no more than 12 months before a child first enters a grade span (grade spans are birth-preschool, TK/K-6th, and 7th-12th).
For frequently asked questions on California immunization requirements and medical exemptions, please visit Shots for School. Contact the school nurse if you have any questions regarding the immunization requirements.
Parents’ Guide to Immunizations Required for School Entry
CA Immunization Requirements for K-12 including Conditional Admission Schedule