Guide
Catching up on vaccines at 13 to 15 years
A teen aged 13 to 15 with no prior vaccines needs about 12 doses over as few as 7 visits (12 visits at one dose per visit), against 26 doses on the on-time schedule.
Key takeaways
- Of the 26 on-time doses in these 8 vaccines, 12 are still needed at 13 to 15 years: IPV 3 instead of 4, Hib 0 instead of 4, PCV 0 instead of 4 and DTaP replaced by Tdap.
- From 13 to 15 years, 3 doses per visit takes 7 visits over 7 months, ending at 13 years 7 months; one dose per visit takes 12 visits over 11 months.
- Rotavirus is no longer possible: the final dose is due before 8 months and this child is 12 years 4 months past it.
- By 13 to 15 years, an on-time child would already have had 26 of these routine doses; this plan counts none of them as given.
Doses needed at 13 to 15 years, vaccine by vaccine
| Vaccine | On time | If started now | Planner minimum | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HepB (Hepatitis B) | 3 | 3 | 3 | No reduction. Gaps of 4 weeks and 8 weeks between doses. |
| DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus & Pertussis) | 5 | Tdap instead | Tdap instead | Age 7+: DTaP is replaced by Tdap catch-up — ask your child's healthcare practitioner. |
| IPV (Polio (Inactivated)) | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3-dose delayed path (3rd dose at age ≥4 is the final dose). |
| Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) | 4 | Not needed | 0 (not needed) | Healthy children no longer need it from age 5; this child is 8 years past that. |
| PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate) | 4 | Not needed | 0 (not needed) | Healthy children no longer need it from age 5; this child is 8 years past that. |
| MMR (Measles, Mumps & Rubella) | 2 | 2 | 2 | No reduction. Second dose at least 4 weeks after the first. |
| VAR (Varicella (Chickenpox)) | 2 | 2 | 2 | No reduction. Second dose at least 3 months after the first. |
| HepA (Hepatitis A) | 2 | 2 | 2 | No reduction. The two doses are at least 6 months apart. |
"If started now" and "Planner minimum" agree at 13 to 15 years. A range such as 4–5 means the lower number applies when the final dose is given at age 4 or later.
Visits and finish age
Starting at 13 to 15 years, three doses per visit needs 5 visits fewer than one at a time and ends 4 months sooner. The required gaps set the floor: the earliest plan ends 7 months after the first visit, at 13 years 7 months.
| Pace | Visits | Doses placed | Last visit at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 dose per visit, 1 month apart | 12 | 12 | 13 years 11 months |
| 3 doses per visit, 1 month apart | 7 | 12 | 13 years 7 months |
| Planner preset: one vaccine per visit, 2 months apart | 12 | 12 | 14 years 10 months |
Pace figures come from the same engine as the planner, with a healthy child, the planner's default vaccines and no prior doses.
Rules that apply at 13 to 15 years
- Rotavirus (RV) is not possible: its final dose must come before 8 months, which this child passed 12 years 4 months ago.
- At 13 to 15 years, Hib and PCV are dropped: healthy children no longer need either from age 5, which takes 8 doses off the on-time total.
- At 13 to 15 years the planner's DTaP note applies: Age 7+: DTaP is replaced by Tdap catch-up — ask your child's healthcare practitioner.
- At 13 to 15 years, hepatitis A needs 6 months between its two doses, the longest fixed wait in the plan, so it often sets the finish.
Questions parents ask at this age
How many vaccines does a teen aged 13 to 15 need to catch up?
At 13 to 15 years the plan is 12 doses (HepB 3, DTaP Tdap, IPV 3, Hib 0, PCV 0, MMR 2, VAR 2, HepA 2) out of 26 on the on-time series, of which an on-time child has had 26 by now.
How many visits will a teen aged 13 to 15 need?
From 13 to 15 years: as few as 7 with up to 3 doses per visit (finishing at 13 years 7 months), 12 with one dose per visit and 1 month between (13 years 11 months), or 12 on the planner's one-vaccine-per-visit preset with 2 months between (14 years 10 months).
Is varicella spacing different for teens?
The planner's own note says: "For children under 13, doses are spaced ≥3 months apart". It keeps the 3 months gap at every age (the safe side), so a teen's two varicella doses are spaced like a younger child's. Your clinician may allow a shorter gap.
Which of these are required for school?
In the planner's data HepB, IPV, MMR and VAR are school-entry vaccines and HepA is required only in some states. Requirements differ by state, so use the state pages.
Build the plan for 13 to 15 years
Enter the birth date and any doses already given; the planner counts them and spaces the rest.
Open the planner in catch-up mode One vaccine per visit Up to 4 per visitSources
Primary sources only. Links open the publisher's own page.