Immunizations

Enrollment requirements

To enroll in a Utah K-12 school, students must provide one of the following:

• A complete immunization record which shows they have received all required vaccines for their age and grade.
• A vaccination exemption form for medical, religious, or personal reasons.
• Proof of immunity from a healthcare provider documenting previous illness for specific vaccine-preventable diseases (such as measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, hepatitis A).

What schools must do

• Request immunization records:
  • Schools must request immunization records or exemption forms at the time of enrollment.
  • Records should include the vaccine name, date of administration, and verification of healthcare provider information.
• Review records:
  • Schools must review the records to ensure compliance with Utah Statutory Code 53G-9-302 within 5 school days of enrollment.
  • Identify and document any deficiencies.
• Notify families if necessary:
  • Notify parents or guardians of any missing records or deficiencies.
  • Provide guidance on how to complete immunizations or submit exemptions.
• Conditional enrollment:
  • Students without complete immunization records may be placed on conditional enrollment for up to 30 calendar days while they provide the necessary documentation. For more details, refer to the "conditional enrollment and noncompliance" section.

Schools are encouraged to help families access immunization clinics or understand exemption requirements to ensure compliance. For specific vaccine requirements, see the immunization schedules’ section or contact your local health department for additional support.

Documentation requirements for schools

Schools must ensure appropriate immunization documentation is provided, maintained, and securely stored in each student’s permanent cumulative file.

This includes:

• Complete vaccination records: Documenting all vaccines the student has received, including the month, date, and year of each dose.
• Utah school immunization record (USIR): The official immunization record for students enrolled in any public, private, charter, or parochial school. Immunization information must be transferred to the USIR, which can be:
  • Downloaded from the Utah Statewide Immunization Information System (USIIS).
  • Filled out using a blank copy available from the Utah Immunization Program.
• Supporting documents: Attach any exemption forms or proof of immunity statements to the USIR.
• Verification: A school authority, such as designated school personnel, must verify the accuracy and completeness of the USIR.

Electronic cumulative files

If a school maintains cumulative files electronically, all immunization documentation, including the USIR, exemption forms, and proof of immunity, may be stored electronically within the student’s electronic cumulative file.

When a district or school uses electronic student cumulative folders they must meet the following criteria:

Accuracy check:

• School personnel must make sure that all fields on the USIR, exemption form, immunity document, and healthcare provider documentation for the history of disease are completed accurately before scanning into the file.
• The USIR must be up-to-date with the most current immunization information, including any required documents and signatures.

Accessibility:

• The electronic copy of the USIR, student exemption form, and healthcare provider documentation must be available to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services or local health departments as required for audits and to verify immunization records, exemptions, or history of disease documentation.

Record-keeping requirements for schools

Schools are required to maintain a current and accurate list of all enrolled students, including:

• Students with complete immunization records: Those who meet all state immunization requirements.
• Students with vaccine exemptions: Valid medical, religious, or personal exemption forms on file.
• Students on conditional enrollment and extended conditional enrollment: Those temporarily allowed to attend while they complete immunization requirements.
• Students out of compliance
• Diseases students are not immunized against: Clearly identifies which diseases each non-immunized student is unprotected from.

These records must be up to date, secure, and accessible for audits, reporting, and managing public health actions like disease outbreaks.

The Utah Statewide Immunization Information System (USIIS) is a free, confidential, web-based system that consolidates immunization records from multiple providers into a single, secure database.

USIIS for schools

• Produces official Utah school immunization records.
• Forecasts vaccines due for each student using CDC’s immunization schedule.
• Provides reliable, consolidated immunization histories for students.

USIIS login

USIIS support request

Enrollment procedure for USIIS: 

1. Complete one of the following forms for school or district:

• • USIIS school enrollment agreement (school)
  • USIIS school district agreement (school district)

1. Read the USIIS confidentiality and security Policy and 
2. Sign the USIIS user confidentiality and security agreement (user)
3. Submit via email to: [email protected]
4. A Utah Department of Health and Human Services staff member will contact you by phone or email to confirm your request.

USIIS training contact

• Tristin Plendl—[email protected] or (385) 251-5313

Conditional enrollment

By law, students who have not provided a complete immunization record to the school at the time of enrollment can temporarily attend school under conditional enrollment. A student may be conditionally enrolled if:

1. Their immunization record is under review by the school; or
2. They are within the 30-day period after the school provides written notice about missing immunizations.

Conditional enrollment allows students to temporarily attend school while they complete immunization requirements or provide the necessary documentation.

Key points about conditional enrollment

• 30-day deadline:
  Parents or guardians have 30 calendar days from the notice date to provide complete immunization records, exemption forms, or proof of immunity.
• Notification process:
  Schools must notify families within 5 school days of placing a student on conditional enrollment.
  The notice must include:
  • Confirmation that the student is on conditional enrollment.
  • A description of the missing vaccines or deficiencies in the immunization record.
  • A warning that the student will not be allowed to attend school unless the requirements are met within the conditional enrollment period.
  • Resources for how to get vaccines or exemption forms.
• Notices should be delivered in the enroller's preferred language when available and can be delivered via:
  • Written letter (in person or by mail).
  • Email or other electronic methods.
  • Phone or voicemail.

Letter templates

• Conditional enrollment notice (English/Spanish, PDF/editable word)

Extended conditional enrollment

At the end of the conditional enrollment period, a school principal or administrator may allow extra time for conditional enrollment to continue for 2 reasons:

1. Medical recommendation: If additional time is medically necessary to complete required vaccinations.
2. Extenuating circumstances: If agreed upon by the principal or administrator and a school nurse, health official, or designee, and if the extension is likely to result in compliance.
   • Example: Newcomer students (recent immigrants or those with less than 3 years of U.S. school attendance) may qualify.

Special populations

Certain student populations may require flexibility under federal or state guidelines:

• Students experiencing homelessness: Must be enrolled immediately, even if immunization records are missing. Schools should work with local liaisons to help families get records or immunizations as required by the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.
• Military families: Children of military families are granted 30 days from enrollment to meet state immunization requirements.

Out of compliance with immunization requirements

Being out of compliance with immunization requirements means a student does not meet the necessary criteria to attend school. This includes students who, after the conditional or extended conditional enrollment period, still fail to provide the required documentation.

Exclusion process

• Final notification:
  Parents or guardians must receive a notice of exclusion if their student fails to comply within the 30-day period.
  The notice must include:

  • The exclusion date.
  • Steps required to meet immunization requirements and return to school.

• Exceptions to exclusion:

  • Medically recommended extension.
  • Extenuating circumstances, as listed above under conditional enrollment.

Students who are excluded may not attend school until they provide the missing immunization records, exemption forms, or proof of immunity. Schools should offer resources and guidance to help families meet the requirements and return their students to school as quickly as possible.

Letter templates

• Conditional enrollment notice (English/Spanish, PDF/editable Word)

Immunization exemptions for kindergarten through grade 12

Utah law provides exemptions to required vaccinations for the following reasons:

1. Medical
2. Religious
3. Personal

Steps to claim an exemption

1. Complete education requirements

   • The legally responsible individual must:
     • Complete the online educational module (free of charge) available at immunize.utah.gov, or
     • Attend an in-person consultation at a local health department (fee of up to $25).
   • This requirement applies to all exemption types: medical, religious, and personal.

2. Provide required documentation

   • Submit a copy of the completed exemption form to the school.
   • For medical exemptions, include a written notice signed by a licensed healthcare provider.

Utah school immunization record (USIR) requirements

• Record the type of exemption in the exemption column of the USIR (medical, religious, or personal).
• Attach a copy of the signed exemption form to the back of the USIR.

Filing requirements

• Keep the USIR with the attached exemption form in the student’s cumulative folder.
• For medical exemptions, make sure the healthcare provider’s notice is also included with the USIR.

In Utah, a vaccination exemption form is only required once for the duration of a student's enrollment in the public education system. The exemption form remains valid throughout their time in school and transfers with the student if they change schools.

Families should be able to login with utahid  to find the certificate again after completion.

Exemption education module

Reportable diseases

Utah law requires that certain diseases and conditions be reported to public health authorities. Reporting helps monitor and control the spread of disease to protect the health of students, staff, and the wider community.

• For details about what to report, who must report, and how to report, visit the disease reporting information page.
• For the complete list of diseases that must be reported and their reporting time frames, refer to the list of reportable diseases.

Some diseases must be reported immediately, while others must be reported within 3 working days after identification.

Exclusion of unvaccinated students:

• Students who are not fully vaccinated may be temporarily excluded from school during an outbreak.
• The duration of the exclusion is determined in collaboration with local health officials and based on the risk of disease transmission.

Notification:

• Schools must promptly notify families of unvaccinated or under-vaccinated students about exclusion during an outbreak.
• The notice should include the exclusion period and steps required for the student’s return.

Coordination with health officials:

• Schools must work closely with local health departments to monitor the outbreak and implement containment measures.
• Schools should follow any additional guidance provided by public health authorities.

Record-keeping:

• Maintain a current list of students who are unvaccinated or under-vaccinated to make sure they can be quickly identified during outbreaks.

Contact information for questions

Contact your local health department epidemiologist or infectious disease control department for questions related to vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks in schools or child care facilities. Alternatively, you can reach out to Danielle Timothy at the Utah Department of Health and Human Services via email at [email protected], her cell at 385-332-6948, or her team email at [email protected].

Utah school immunization record- blank pdf (2022)

Letter templates

• Conditional enrollment notice (English/Spanish,  PDF/editable word)
• Exclusion notice for inadequate immunizations (English/Spanish, PDF/editable word)

R396-100-6: Reporting Requirements for K-12 Schools

All K-12 schools must submit the following immunization reports to the department using the required format:

1. By January 30 each year:

   • Immunization status of all kindergarten students.
   • Two-dose MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) immunization status for all K-12 students.
   • Immunization status for 7th-grade students, including tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis B, varicella, and two-dose MMR.

2. By June 15 each year:

   • Follow-up report on K-12 students who were not fully immunized in the January 30 report.

Reports must follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. For more information and to access the reporting system, visit Utah school immunization reporting system.

Immunization educational modules

Utah:

Utah immunization guidebook 2024 

Docket web app—Access immunization records (for parents)

School and early childhood program requirements

USIIS schools and early childhood | immunize

USIIS users | immunize

School and child care immunization requirements and flyers

National:

Pink book | CDC

Vaccines for your children | childhood vaccines | CDC

Quick chart of foreign language terms–Immunization Action Coalition (PDF)

Vaccines for Children (VFC)

The Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program provides free or low-cost vaccines to eligible children who meet specific criteria to make sure that cost is not a barrier to receiving essential immunizations.

Children are eligible if they are:

• Enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP.
• Uninsured.
• Under-insured (insurance does not cover vaccines, and they must visit federally qualified health centers or rural health clinics).
• American Indian/Alaskan Native.

Note: Children with private health insurance that covers vaccinations are not eligible, even if the insurance requires a deductible or co-pay.

Some schools in Utah have become VFC providers which allows them to administer vaccines directly to students. If your school is interested in becoming a VFC provider, visit Utah VFC provider enrollment for more information.

For additional details about the program, visit Vaccines for Children

State laws:

53G-9-300 Immunization requirements

R396-100 Utah Immunization rule for students

Utah Immunization Program 

immunize.utah.gov

Utah Immunization Program phone: (801) 538-9450

Immunization hotline: 1-800-275-0659

USIIS helpline-

(801) 538-3440 or 1-800-678-3440

School coordinator

• Nasrin Zandkarimi—[email protected] or call (801) 538-6570