New York State Immunization Requirements for School Entrance/Attendance
NOTES:
Children in a prekindergarten setting should be age-appropriately immunized. The number of doses depends on the schedule recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).
For grades pre-k through 10, intervals between doses of vaccine should be in accordance with the ACIP-recommended immunization schedule for persons 0 through 18 years of age. (Exception: intervals between doses of polio vaccine DO NOT need to be reviewed for grades 5, 11 and 12.)
Doses received before the minimum age or intervals are not valid and do not count toward the number of doses listed below. Intervals between doses of vaccine DO NOT need to be reviewed for grades 11 and 12. See footnotes for specific information for each vaccine. Children who are enrolling in grade-less classes should meet the immunization requirements of the grades for which they are age equivalent.
Dose requirements MUST be read with the footnotes of this schedule.
It is in the best interests of the health of all youngsters that students be immunized against the following diseases, as required by New York State Public Health Law 2164:
Diphtheria and Tetanus toxoid-containing vaccine and Pertussis vaccine (DTaP/DTP/Tdap/Td)
- Prekindergarten (Day Care, Head Start, Nursery or Pre-K): 4 doses
- Grades K-5 5 doses or 4 doses if the 4th dose was received at 4 years or older or 3 doses if 7 years or older and the series was started at 1 year or older
- Grades 6-12: 3 doses
Tetanus and Diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine and Pertussis vaccine booster (Tdap)
- Grades 6-12: 1 dose for all students in grades 6 – 12 or a comparable age-level Special Education program.
Polio vaccine (IPV/OPV)
- Prekindergarten (Day Care, Head Start, Nursery or Pre-K): 3 doses
- Grades K-4: 4 doses or 3 doses if the 3rd dose was received at 4 years or older
- Grade 5: 3 doses
- Grades 6-10: 4 doses or 3 doses if the 3rd dose was received at 4 years or older
- Grades 11-12: 3 doses
Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine (MMR)
- Prekindergarten (Day Care, Head Start, Nursery or Pre-K): 1 dose
- All grades: 2 doses. The first dose must be administered after 12 months of age; the second dose must be administered no less than 28 days after the first dose.
Hepatitis B vaccine
- Prekindergarten (Day Care, Head Start, Nursery or Pre-K): 3 doses
- All grades: 3 doses or 2 doses of adult hepatitis B vaccine (Recombivax) for children who received the doses at least 4 months apart between the ages of 11 through 15 years
Varicella (Chickenpox) vaccine
- Prekindergarten (Day Care, Head Start, Nursery or Pre-K): 1 dose
- Grades K-4: 2 doses
- Grade 5: 1 dose
- Grades 6-10: 2 doses
- Grades 11-12: 1 dose
Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MenACWY)
- Grades 7-9: 1 dose
- Grade 12: 2 doses or 1 dose if the dose was received at 16 years or older
Read More on NYS Meningococcal Vaccine Requirements
Haemophilus influenzae type b conjugate vaccine (Hib)
- Prekindergarten (Day Care, Head Start, Nursery or Pre-K): 1 dose: 1 to 4 doses
- Grades K-12: Not applicable
Pneumococcal Conjugate vaccine (PCV)
- Prekindergarten (Day Care, Head Start, Nursery or Pre-K): 1 dose: 1 to 4 doses
- Grades K-12: Not applicable
Please note that the above is the MINIMUM requirement for school entry. Your child’s health care provider may recommend additional doses/vaccines. Students must be immunized at the appropriate time intervals.
One of the following is required:
A certificate of immunization signed by a healthcare provider, with dates of immunization.
An electronic health record of immunizations from a health care provider or from a state immunization registry.
For varicella ONLY – a signed statement from a physician, nurse practitioner or physician assistant that your child has had the disease.
For measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, polio (all 3 serotypes) and varicella a positive serologic test (blood test) is acceptable proof of immunity .
A physician’s excuse stating that immunization or re-immunization is detrimental to your child’s health and why. This excuse must be reissued annually .
A religious exemption.
If your youngster is not fully immunized, we hope that you will attend to this at once so that he/she will be able to enter school. The law permits a 14 day grace period to give you time to secure immunizations that may be needed or to have documentation sent from your physician.
NOTES TO VACCINATIONS ABOVE:
- Demonstrated serologic evidence of measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, varicella or polio (for all three serotypes) antibodies is acceptable proof of immunity to these diseases. Diagnosis by a physician, physician assistant or nurse practitioner that a child has had varicella disease is acceptable proof of
immunity to varicella. - Diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccine.
(Minimum age: 6 weeks)
a. Children starting the series on time should receive a 5-dose series of
DTaP vaccine at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and at 15 through 18
months and at 4 years or older. The fourth dose may be received as early
as age 12 months, provided at least 6 months have elapsed since the
third dose. However, the fourth dose of DTaP need not be repeated if it
was administered at least 4 months after the third dose of DTaP. The final
dose in the series must be received on or after the fourth birthday.
b. If the fourth dose of DTaP was administered at 4 years or older, the fifth
(booster) dose of DTaP vaccine is not required.
c. For children born before 1/1/2005, only immunity to diphtheria is
required and doses of DT and Td can meet this requirement.
d. Children 7 years and older who are not fully immunized with the childhood
DTaP vaccine series should receive Tdap vaccine as the first dose in the
catch-up series; if additional doses are needed, use Td vaccine. If the first
dose was received before their first birthday, then 4 doses are required,
as long as the final dose was received at 4 years or older. If the first dose
was received on or after the first birthday, then 3 doses are required, as
long as the final dose was received at 4 years or older. A Tdap vaccine (or
incorrectly administered DTaP vaccine) received at 7 years or older will
meet the 6th grade Tdap requirement. - Tetanus and diphtheria toxoids and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine.
(Minimum age: 7 years)
a. Students 11 years or older entering grades 6 through 12 are required to
have one dose of Tdap. A dose received at 7 years or older will meet
this requirement.
b. Students who are 10 years old in grade 6 and who have not yet received
a Tdap vaccine are in compliance until they turn 11 years old. - Inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) or oral polio vaccine (OPV). (Minimum age: 6
weeks)
a. Children starting the series on time should receive a series of IPV at 2
months, 4 months and at 6 through 18 months, and at 4 years or older.
The final dose in the series must be received on or after the fourth
birthday and at least 6 months after the previous dose.
b. For students who received their fourth dose before age 4 and prior to
August 7, 2010, 4 doses separated by at least 4 weeks is sufficient.
c. If the third dose of polio vaccine was received at 4 years or older and at
least 6 months after the previous dose, the fourth dose of polio vaccine
is not required.
d. Intervals between the doses of polio vaccine do not need to be
reviewed for grades 5, 11 and 12 in the 2018-19 school year.
e. If both OPV and IPV were administered as part of a series, the total
number of doses and intervals between doses is the same as that
recommended for the U.S. IPV schedule. If only OPV was administered,
and all doses were given before age 4 years, 1 dose of IPV should be
given at 4 years or older and at least 6 months after the last OPV dose. - Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. (Minimum age: 12 months)
a. The first dose of MMR vaccine must have been received on or after the
first birthday. The second dose must have been received at least 28
days (4 weeks) after the first dose to be considered valid.
b. Measles: One dose is required for prekindergarten. Two doses are
required for grades kindergarten through 12.
c. Mumps: One dose is required for prekindergarten and grades 11 and 12.
Two doses are required for grades kindergarten through 10.
New York State Department of Health/Bureau of Immunization
health.ny.gov/immunization 2/18
d. Rubella: At least one dose is required for all grades (prekindergarten
through 12). - Hepatitis B vaccine
a. Dose 1 may be given at birth or anytime thereafter. Dose 2 must be
given at least 4 weeks (28 days) after dose 1. Dose 3 must be at least 8
weeks after dose 2 AND at least 16 weeks after dose 1 AND no earlier
than age 24 weeks.
b. Two doses of adult hepatitis B vaccine (Recombivax) received at least 4
months apart at age 11 through 15 years will meet the requirement. - Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine. (Minimum age: 12 months)
a. The first dose of varicella vaccine must have been received on or after
the first birthday. The second dose must have been received at least 28
days (4 weeks) after the first dose to be considered valid.
b. For children younger than 13 years, the recommended minimum interval
between doses is 3 months (if the second dose was administered
at least 4 weeks after the first dose, it can be accepted as valid); for
persons 13 years and older, the minimum interval between doses is 4
weeks. - Meningococcal conjugate ACWY vaccine. (Minimum age: 6 weeks)
a. One dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (Menactra or Menveo) is
required for students entering grades 7, 8 and 9.
b. For students in grade 12, if the first dose of meningococcal conjugate
vaccine was received at 16 years or older, the second (booster) dose is
not required.
c. The second dose must have been received at 16 years or older. The
minimum interval between doses is 8 weeks. - Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) conjugate vaccine. (Minimum age: 6
weeks)
a. Children starting the series on time should receive Hib vaccine at 2
months, 4 months, 6 months and at 12 through 15 months. Children
older than 15 months must get caught up according to the ACIP catch-up
schedule. The final dose must be received on or after 12 months.
b. If 2 doses of vaccine were received before age 12 months, only 3 doses
are required with dose 3 at 12 through 15 months and at least 8 weeks
after dose 2.
c. If dose 1 was received at age 12 through 14 months, only 2 doses are
required with dose 2 at least 8 weeks after dose 1.
d. If dose 1 was received at 15 months or older, only 1 dose is required.
e. Hib vaccine is not required for children 5 years or older.
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV). (Minimum age: 6 weeks)
a. Children starting the series on time should receive PCV vaccine at 2
months, 4 months, 6 months and at 12 through 15 months. Children older
than 15 months must get caught up according to the ACIP catch-up
schedule. The final dose must be received on or after 12 months.
b. Unvaccinated children ages 7 through 11 months of age are required to
receive 2 doses, at least 4 weeks apart, followed by a third dose at 12
through 15 months.
c. Unvaccinated children ages 12 through 23 months are required to
receive 2 doses of vaccine at least 8 weeks apart.
d. If one dose of vaccine was received at 24 months or older, no further
doses are required.
e. For further information, refer to the PCV chart
available in the School Survey Instruction Booklet at:
www.health.ny.gov/prevention/immunization/schools
For further information, contact:
New York State Department of Health
Bureau of Immunization
Room 649, Corning Tower ESP
Albany, NY 12237
(518) 473-4437