Immunization Requirements
Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS)
Washington State rules require student immunization information be provided to schools on an official WA State Department of Health Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) Form. The CIS form is also available in several languages. There are different options to collecting this information.
- Option 1: Access Washington State Immunization Registry (MyIR) online. Using MyIR allows parents/guardians to view, download and print (on the official immunization certificate accepted by the school) their child's immunizations. This is the easiest and most preferred method! More information is available at the Washington State Department of Health website.
- Option 2: Request your child's immunization record from their healthcare provider. With this option, the information will likely not be in the correct format. It must be transcribed by hand by the parent or guardian on the official Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) Form. With a handwritten CIS form, the law requires a healthcare provider's signature or accompanied by verifiable medical immunization records.
- Option 3: Request an immunization record from the Department of Health. This is the same information on MyIR but requires calling in the request and providing written consent before the immunization information can be mailed (immunization information will not be provided over the phone).
Parents and guardians are asked to make many important healthcare decisions for their children, including immunizations. The Washington State Department of Health provides a guide called "Plain Talk About Childhood Immunizations" to help parents and guardians make informed decisions by providing accurate information about immunizations and the diseases they prevent, benefits and risks, and vaccine safety and effectiveness.
To learn more about the required vaccinations for grades K-12 and preschool, please see our links below. Preschool Students | K-12 Students | Spanish Version For students on the recommended schedule, immunizations are typically due before kindergarten & 7th grade.
Washington State Law
Legal Immunization Compliance for School:
- Students have the right to attend school without the threat of exposure to certain vaccine-preventable diseases.
- To attend school, students are required to submit a completed Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS), or Certificate of Exemption (COE), that demonstrates a compliant immunization status according to state law before starting. Refer to WAC 246-105-030.
- Students not fully immunized, or students attending school under conditional status who fail to make satisfactory progress, must be excluded from school. Refer to WAC 246-105-080.
- Refer to Chapter 246-105 WAC (Immunization of Child Care and School Children Against Certain Vaccine-Preventable Diseases) for additional information.
Medically verified immunization records are required by Washington State law for all students registering for school.
New WA State Law Limits Exemptions for Measles Vaccine
Required Immunization Notices
Washington State law requires that parents/guardians of students in grade 6th-12th be provided information about Meningococcal disease and Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and the availability of a vaccine.