Immunization Requirements for NJ Schools and Daycares

Getting your child ready for daycare or school is exciting, but it also comes with paperwork. One of the most important steps is making sure your child meets New Jersey’s vaccine requirements. These immunizations help protect children from serious illness while reducing the spread of disease in classrooms and childcare settings.

At Touchpoint Pediatrics, we know parents want clear answers. Our Touchpoint pediatricians provide resources for parents to help families keep vaccinations on schedule and provide the records needed for daycare and school registration. Here, we provide a brief overview of New Jersey’s school and childcare immunization requirements.

Key Takeaways

New Jersey requires specific vaccines for children attending preschool, kindergarten, middle, and high school.
If your child is over six months old and enrolled in childcare or preschool, they need a flu vaccine every year.
Children who have started but not finished a vaccine series may still attend school or daycare under provisional admission, as long as they’ve had at least one dose of every required vaccine and are scheduled to receive the rest.
Your Touchpoint pediatrician can help you request or update your child’s school immunization records.

New Jersey Vaccine Requirements: The Basics

New Jersey’s immunization requirements for children apply to every public and private school, preschool, and childcare center in the state. It sets a minimum number of shots your child must have to attend, based on either their age or their grade, which meet the evidence-based guidance shared across the Northeast Public Health Collaborative’s member states. Additionally, a school or daycare director isn’t allowed to knowingly enroll or keep a child who hasn’t met these minimums or doesn’t have a valid exemption on file.

Childcare and Preschool Requirements

Childcare and preschool vaccine requirements are based on a child’s age. Often, your child will get their vaccines at their yearly checkup. In New Jersey, kids under five years of age need the following:

Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTap): This is four doses in total, usually given at 2, 4, 6, and 15-18 months.
Polio (IPV): This is three doses in total. We usually give this vaccine at 2, 4, and 6-18 months.
Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib): This is at least one dose given on or after their first birthday.
Pneumococcal (PCV): This is also at least one dose given on or after their first birthday.
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR): This single dose is required by 16 months.
Varicella (chickenpox): This single dose is required by 16 months, unless your child already had chickenpox and you can document it.
Flu (influenza): One dose is required every fall by November 30^th for all children aged six months of age and older.

Provisional Admission

If your child has started but not finished a vaccine series, they may still attend school or daycare under provisional admission, meaning they’ve had at least one dose of every required vaccine and are scheduled to receive the rest. A school nurse or administrator checks in on your child’s status every 30 days, and a child can only be granted provisional admission once. If your child falls behind the recommended spacing, they may be excluded from care until they catch up.

Kindergarten Requirements and Common Forms

Once your child moves from preschool into kindergarten, they’ll need additional vaccines.

DTaP: The primary series is four or five doses, with at least one dose on or after the fourth birthday.
IPV: This is a total of three or four doses, with at least one dose on or after the fourth birthday.
MMR: This is a total of two doses.
Varicella: This is a total of one dose, unless your child has had chickenpox previously.
Hepatitis B: This is a total of two doses or an approved two-dose series.

Schools accept a few official forms as proof of vaccination, including a New Jersey Immunization Information System (NJIIS) printout, the IMM-8 immunization card, or the Department of Education’s A-45 form. Once you ask your child’s school which one they prefer, you can request it through our Touchpoint Pediatrics patient portal.

Are There Exemptions?

New Jersey does accept medical and religious exemptions to these vaccine requirements. A medical exemption must come from a licensed physician or nurse practitioner and include a reason. If vaccines conflict with your religious belief, you can submit a written signed statement. While you don’t need to prove church membership, your child can’t be exempt based on philosophical or moral objections.

However, these exemptions don’t protect your child during an outbreak. You may be asked to keep your child home if an outbreak occurs, but this is at the discretion of the New Jersey Department of Health.

Religious exemptions do exist in regard to certain schools. However, Touchpoint Pediatrics requires our patients to be vaccinated to protect our patient population.

Ready for Daycare or School? Touchpoint Pediatrics Can Help

Keeping your child healthy starts with preventive care. Touchpoint Pediatrics partners with families in Chatham, Morristown, Summit, Berkeley Heights, Hoboken, and beyond from infancy through adolescence, making it easy to stay up to date with New Jersey immunization requirements. Whether your child needs a routine wellness visit or completed school forms, we’re here to help every step of the way. Contact us today to schedule your child’s next well visit before school starts.

Frequently Asked Questions About NJ School Immunization Requirements

What if I can’t find my child’s vaccination records?

If you can’t find your child’s records, start with your pediatrician’s office. If you’re a patient of Touchpoint Pediatrics, you can request an updated immunization record through our patient portal.

What if I’m new to New Jersey?

If your child is transferring from out of state or another country, New Jersey allows a 30-day grace period to gather prior records before provisional status applies. We recommend not waiting until the last minute to start the process.

Will my child need more vaccines after kindergarten?

Yes. Additional vaccines are recommended before entering middle school and high school. Your child may also need more vaccines before college, such as meningococcal and HPV.

Does New Jersey require the same vaccines at every daycare?

Yes. All licensed childcare centers and preschools follow the same state minimums. Your child will need the following by 19 months: