For Parents and Guardians:
Children in the District of Columbia are required to receive certain vaccinations to attend any school or Licensed Childcare Development Center.
The CDC Let’s Rise initiative recommends that every child has a plan to get back on-schedule with their routine immunizations to protect everyone from vaccine-preventable diseases and disability. Vaccines are the best protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.
School Immunization Compliance Guides
Beginning school year 2023–2024, DC Health has changed the definition of compliance with the s school immunization requirement and the grades in which children will be excluded from school if they are not compliant. These changes are meant to simplify and streamline enforcement of this requirement.
Revised Compliance Definition and Enforcement Policy
The District of Columbia follows the immunization schedule recommended by the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). As soon as children are old enough that a vaccine is recommended, that vaccine is considered “due”.
Once a student is due for a vaccine, that student will be considered non-compliant with DC’s school immunization mandate. DC Health and the Office of the State Superintendent for Education. (OSSE) will no longer differentiate between “due” and “overdue” in the determination of compliance.
Remaining compliant with vaccinations is required in all grades. However, in the 2023–24 school year, students who are not compliant with immunization requirements will be excluded from school only if they are in one of these four grades:
- PreK3
- Kindergarten
- 7th Grade
- 11th Grade
The vaccinations that are required are summarized in this documents
If you have questions about this policy, contact [email protected].
For more information regarding immunization schedules, please see the CDC’s page on Immunization Schedules and/or contact your child’s health provider.
Vaccines For Children Program Eligibility
Children between the ages of 0 through 18 (under 19) are eligible to receive vaccines free of charge through the federal Vaccines For Children (VFC) Program, if they meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Eligible for Medicaid or enrolled in Medicaid
- Uninsured
- Underinsured (insurance coverage that does not include vaccines)
- Are American Indian or Alaskan Native
For persons with insurance, the cost of the vaccine and administration are generally covered.
Finding a Vaccination Clinic
The best place for your child to be vaccinated is at the office or clinic your child’s regular health care provider. If your child needs a regular health care provider, use the links below to choose one and schedule an appointment for a well child visit and immunizations.
Universal Health Certificate
Records of many vaccinations are automatically reported by health care providers to the District of Columbia Immunization Information System (DOCIIS). Nonetheless, each parent is required to show to schools that their child has been fully vaccinated by asking their child’s health care provider to complete a Universal Health Certificate and bringing that completed form to school on or before the first day of school each year.
Blank copies of the Universal Health Certificate and other immunization forms are available here: Immunization Forms.
For Schools and Licensed Child Development Centers:
Schools and Licensed Child Development Centers are required to verify that their students/children are complying with the District’s vaccination requirements.
Immunization Compliance Report
A summary data report on compliance with the immunization requirement by school is here: School Leaders Immunization Compliance Report
Immunization Compliance Portal
To view detailed compliance reports, log onto immunization-related data systems, connect with Immunization staff for office hours, and access related documents, log into the Immunization Compliance Portal: https://dccovid.force.com/overthecounter/login.
If you are an authorized user and need login credentials, contact [email protected].
Vaccination Record Submissions
Schools, Head Start and Licensed Child Development Centers that need assistance in entering paper vaccination records into DOCIIS may securely submit those records through the Immunization Program’s Self-Service Portal: https://octo.onelogin.com/portal.
Assistance Requests
- For Self-Service Portal login and document submission assistance, please e-mail [email protected].
- For immunization-related questions, please e-mail [email protected].
Additional resources for parents and families: