Immunization Requirements

To maintain the health of school-going children, Georgia mandates that students receive vaccinations for specific diseases before attending school.

Official Code of Georgia Annotated O.C.G.A. § 20-2-771 - Requirements for Attendance at Child Care/School Facilities and Certification of Immunizations

By state law, a valid certificate of immunization (Form 3231) or a notarized Affidavit of Religious Objection to Immunization ( Form 2208/ Formulario 2208) is required for enrollment. Students are required to have one of these forms on file for enrollment through grade 12.

All students in Kindergarten, seventh grade, or eleventh grade, students new to Georgia, students returning to a Georgia school after being away for more than one school year, and students enrolling after attending a private school must present a valid Certificate of Immunization.

Parents and guardians should review the Summary of Georgia Immunization Requirements for Child Care & School Attendance and Hop to It! Childhood & Adolescent Immunization Schedules to ensure their students are in compliance.

Click the TABS below for Frequently Asked Questions:

How Do I Obtain A Valid Certificate of Immunization (Form 3231) for my student?
- Only a licensed Georgia physician, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Physician Assistant, or qualified employee of a local Board of Health or the State Immunization Office may issue this certificate.
- A valid Form 3231 must be marked with either "Date of Expiration" or "Complete for School Attendance." (A certificate marked with a "Date of Expiration" expires on the date indicated, and a current certificate must be submitted within 30 days of expiration.) Expired certificates will not be accepted for enrollment.
  - The certificate is NOT valid without
    
    name and birthdate of the child,
    
    date of expiration OR "X" in Complete for School Attendance box,
    
    legible name and address of the physician, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Physician Assistant, or health department,
    
    Certified by signature and date of issue.
Where Can My Student Obtain Required Immunizations?
Students may receive immunizations at:
- Their primary healthcare provider/pediatrician
- At one of our APS School-based Care Centers: APS CARE CENTERS
- Local County Health Department Clinics
  - Contact Information and hours for FULTON COUNTY HEALTH CENTERS
  - Contact Information and hours for DEKALB COUNTY HEALTH CENTERS
- During a scheduled Ronald McDonald CareMobile® event: RONALD MCDONALD CAREMOBILE SCHEDULE
- Eastchester Family Services: Atlanta Location at 250 Georgia Ave SE
Immunization Exemptions
The Official Code of Georgia provides for only two types of exemptions from immunization requirements:
- Medical exemption
  - A medical exemption must be marked on the Georgia Immunization Certificate Form 3231. A letter from a physician, Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), or physician assistant (PA) attached to the certificate will not be accepted as a medical exemption. It must be marked on the certificate.
  - The 4-digit year of exemption must be filled in the box next to the appropriate vaccine(s).
- Religious exemption:
  - For a student to be exempt from immunizations on religious grounds, the parent or guardian must submit a notarized Affidavit of Religious Objection to Immunization (Form 2208/ Formulario 2208) to the school/facility.
  - After completion of the affidavit, the parent or legal guardian must have the form filed with the school or childcare facility the child will be attending as legal documentation of exemption from the required immunization.
Out-of-State Students / New Students to Georgia Schools
- Only county health departments and physicians licensed in Georgia can provide immunization certificates (Form 3231).
- To obtain the required school immunization forms, take your child's personal immunization record to any local county health department or Georgia physician, and they can complete the required forms and give any required vaccines.
- New students to the state of Georgia have 30 days from school enrollment to submit all required immunization forms.
Immunizations Resource Documents

Click the TABS below for immunization requirements by grade level.

Printable copy here.

Kingergarten (K)

Kindergarten (K) Immunization Requirements

Vaccine Name	Doses Required	Notes
DTP, DTaP, DT, Td	4 or 5	If 4^th dose is given on or after the 4^thbirthday, 5^th dose is not needed
Polio	3 or 4	4^th dose of polio on or after 4th birthday required for children born on or after 1-1-06
Hepatitis B	3
Measles	2	Or 2 doses of the MMR vaccine
Mumps	2
Rubella	1
Hepatitis A	2	Required if born on or after 1/1/2006
Varicella	2

Rising 7th Grade

Rising 7th Grade Immunization Requirements

Vaccine Name	Doses Required	Notes
DTP, DTaP, DT, Td	4 or 5	If 4^th dose is given on or after the 4^thbirthday, a 5^th dose is not needed.
Polio	3 or 4	4^th dose of polio on or after 4th birthday required for children born on or after 1-1-06
Hepatitis B	3
Measles	2	Or 2 doses of the MMR vaccine
Mumps	2
Rubella	1
Hepatitis A	2	Required if born on or after 1/1/2006
Varicella	2

Tdap	1
Meningococcal / MCV4	1

Effective July 1, 2014, all 7th-grade students who were born on or after January 1, 2002, and all new entrants to grades 8-12 who are entering a Georgia school for the first time or entering after having been absent from a Georgia school for more than twelve months (one school year) will be required to have:

1 Dose of Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) Vaccine AND
1 Dose of Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine /MCV4

PLEASE NOTE: These changes only affect rising 7th graders (born on or after January 1, 2002) and students who are considered “new entrants” for grades 8-12.

11th Grade

11th-Grade Immunization Requirements

Vaccine Name	Doses Required	Notes
DTP, DTaP, DT, Td	4 or 5	If 4^th dose is given on or after the 4^thbirthday, 5^th dose is not needed
Polio	3 or 4	4^th dose of polio on or after 4th birthday required for children born on or after 1-1-06
Hepatitis B	3
Measles	2	Or 2 doses of the MMR vaccine
Mumps	2
Rubella	1
Hepatitis A	2	Required if born on or after 1/1/2006
Varicella	2

Tdap	1
Meningococcal / MCV4****	2	Booster Required for 11th grade entrance

****Important Information****

Georgia's immunization requirements for students entering or transferring into the
eleventh grade have been revised to align with the current recommendations of the
Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the American Academy of
Pediatrics (AAP), and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).

Effective July 1, 2021, children 16 years of age and older, who are entering the 11th grade (including new entrants), must have received one booster
dose of the meningococcal conjugate vaccine
(MCV4), unless their initial dose was administered on or after their 16th birthday.

Meningococcal booster dose requirement update

Meningitis Vaccine Parent Letter (16 years oldbooster)

Meningitis Vaccine Parent Letter (16 years oldbooster) Español/Spanish

MCV4 Poster 2021

Booster

While not required for school, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is strongly recommended for children aged 11-12 and is available for young adults up to age 26. This vaccine plays a crucial role in preventing HPV infections, which can potentially lead to cancer later in life. Learn more about the HPV vaccine at: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/hpv/public/.

For more information, contact:

Joyce Williams, MS
Administrative Assistant,
joyce.williams@atlanta.k12.ga.us
404-802-2676

Cheryl Freeman, BSN, RN
District Registered Nurse
cheryl.freeman@atlanta.k12.ga.us
404-802-1677

Twanna R. House, MAOM, CFSM
School Health Coordinator
twanna.house@atlanta.k12.ga.us
404-802-1658

Division of Academics

Comprehensive Health Services

Page Navigation

How Do I Obtain A Valid Certificate of Immunization (Form 3231) for my student?

Where Can My Student Obtain Required Immunizations?

Immunization Exemptions

Out-of-State Students / New Students to Georgia Schools

Immunizations Resource Documents

Kingergarten (K)

Rising 7th Grade

11th Grade