Vaccination Requirements for Childcare and School

Questions:

What are the immunization requirements in California?

These regulations, enacted in 2016, apply to all schools and childcare facilities in the State of California, regardless of whether they are public or private.  See https://www.shotsforschool.org/ for detailed information.

  • Children under 5:  All children enrolled in a daycare, preschool, or any other childcare facility must provide either proof of required immunizations or a medical exemption from a licensed MD or DO. The preschool or daycare is required to keep records for all children at the facility. (See below for unlicensed programs)

  • K-12 schools: All children being enrolled in a K-12 school, including transitional kindergarten, must provide either proof of required immunizations or a medical exemption from a licensed MD or DO. Immunization records are checked for all entering kindergarteners and again for all entering 7th graders. This requirement does not apply for children who do not attend classes, such as homeschoolers or online learning.

How can I find a childcare provider who is current on vaccinations?

  •  Preschools, Childcare Centers, and Home-based Daycares & Preschools:  As of 2016, all teachers, staff, and volunteers  are required to have: (1) a TB test, (2) be vaccinated for measles and whooping cough, and (3) have a yearly flu shot unless they have a medical exemption. 

  • Unlicensed preschool programs, such as forest schools, do not adhere to state regulations, so you will need to ask them whether staff has been immunized, and what the vaccination rate is at their school. BPN recommends that parents not use unlicensed programs for young children and we do not accept posts about unlicensed facilities.

  • Nannies and babysitters: If you are looking for a nanny on BPN, be sure to mention in your post that you require immunizations. Nanny agencies and online services such as care.com may be able to tell you which nannies are immunized. 

How can I find vaccination rates at a home-based daycare or preschool I'm considering?

Although daycares are required to keep immunization records, they are not available online, so you will need to ask.

How can I find vaccination rates at a school or preschool I'm considering?

Look up the school or preschool in the state's database - see links below. The overall vaccination rate for the school is shown as the "ARV" (All Required Vaccines) also called the "UTD".

Note! Preschools & childcare centers with 20 or fewer children are not in the database. Nor are schools with fewer than 20 kindergarteners/7th graders.)