California law requires each child to have up-to-date immunizations. Children are exempt from immunization requirements when (1) their parents sign a statement at the school indicating that such immunization is contrary to their beliefs; or (2) the parents submit a statement from a physician indicating that immunization is not considered safe for the child. An exemption may be temporary or permanent and may be for specific or all vaccines.

State law also requires each child's family to provide, within 90 days of entrance into the first grade, a certificate documenting that the child has received a health checkup within the prior 18 months. Parents may waive the health checkup requirement because they do not want or are unable to obtain a health screening for their child. If the waiver indicates that the parents were unable to obtain such services, then the reasons must be included in the waiver. Law requires school districts to exclude any first grader up to five days if the child has neither a health examination certificate nor a parental waiver 90 days after entering the first grade.

Some children may be eligible for a state-paid examination. Referrals to doctors and clinics are provided on request by the Child Health and Disability Prevention (CHDP) Program coordinator of the local health department. Children through age 18 may receive a free checkup funded by CHDP if their families meet specific income guidelines. Most county health departments have a CHDP coordinator who can advise parents regarding eligibility.

All children under eighteen years of age entering a California public or private elementary or secondary school for the first time, or transferring between schools, must present a written immunization record, including at least the month and year of receipt of each dose of required vaccines (or an exemption to the immunization requirements). Otherwise, the child will not be allowed to attend school.

To meet California's school entry requirements, children entering kindergarten will need a total of five DTP (diptheria, tetanus, and pertussis) immunizations; four polio immunizations; two MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) immunizations; three hepatitis B immunizations; and one varicella (chicken pox) immunization. Students entering seventh grade must show proof of three hepatitis B shots and a second measles (or MMR) shot. Students can be admitted if they have had at least the first in the three-shot hepatitis B series on condition that the remaining shots are completed when due.

Contact local county health departments for more specific information on requirements relating to the number of vaccine doses and the ages at which vaccines are to be given. In some cases, in addition to the month and year of the immunization, the day is also required. Some counties now require that students entering school at specific grade levels show the results of tuberculosis skin tests.

For more information, call your school district, county office of education, or county health department or go to the California Department of Health Services' Immunization Branch Web site at:
< http://www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/dcdc/izgroup >