State Requirements
For attendance in all grades, children need the following
- 4 doses of tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis* (1 dose on or after 4th birthday)
- 4 doses of polio (4th dose on or after 4th birthday and at least 6 months after the previous dose given)**
- 2 doses of measles, mumps, rubella***
- 3 doses of hepatitis B
- 2 doses of varicella (chickenpox) or evidence of immunity
*Usually given as DPT or DTaP or if medically advisable, DT or Td
** A fourth dose is not necessary if the third dose was administered at age 4 years or older and at least 6 months after the previous dose
***Usually given as MMR
** A fourth dose is not necessary if the third dose was administered at age 4 years or older and at least 6 months after the previous dose
***Usually given as MMR
On the first day of school
Unless the child has a medical or religious/philosophical exemption, a child must have had at least one dose of the above vaccinations or risk exclusion
if a child does not have all the doses listed above, needs additional doses, and the next dose is medically appropriate, the child must receive that dose within the first five days of school or risk exclusion. If the next dose is not the final dose of the series, the child must also provide a medical plan (red and white card) within the first five days of school for obtaining the required immunizations or risk exclusion.
If a child does not have all the doses listed above, needs additional doses, and the next dose is not medically appropriate, the child must provide a medical plan (red and white card) within the first five days of school to obtain the required immunizations or risk exclusion.
The medical plan must be followed or risk exclusion.
For attendance in the 7th Grade
1 dose of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) on the first day of 7th grade
1 dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV) on the first day of 7th grade
On the first day of 7th grade:
Unless the child has a medical or religious/philosophical exemption, a child must have had at least one dose of the above vaccinations or risk exclusion
For attendance in the 12th Grade
1 dose of MCV on the first day of 12th grade. If one dose was given at 16 years of age or older, that shall count as the twelfth-grade dose.On the first day of 12th grade:
Unless the child has a medical or religious/philosophical exemption, a child must have had at least one dose of the above vaccinations or risk exclusionThese requirements allow for the following exemptions: medical reason, religious belief, or philosophical/strong moral or ethical conviction. Even if your child is exempt from immunizations, he or she may be excluded from school during an outbreak of vaccine preventable disease.
The Pennsylvania Public School Code requires certain school health services for all children of school age, regardless of the school setting. This page focuses on the physical examinations and health screenings and contains the Mandated School Health Services Grid.
School immunization requirements
Flow chart format of vaccinations needed for attendance in all grades
Vaccines for Children Program (VFC)
The Vaccine for Children Program (VFC) provides vaccinations to children who do not have health insurance or children who are insured but the insurance does not cover immunizations (underinsured). These children are eligible to receive federally funded vaccines at public sites, including Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics. For more information, call the Vaccines for Children program: 1-888-646-6864.