Guide
Catching up on vaccines at 5 years
A 5-year-old with no prior vaccines needs about 16 doses over as few as 8 visits (16 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, 16 are still needed at 5 years: DTaP 4 instead of 5, IPV 3 instead of 4, Hib 0 instead of 4 and PCV 0 instead of 4.
- From 5 years, 3 doses per visit takes 8 visits over 9 months, ending at 5 years 9 months; one dose per visit takes 16 visits over 18 months.
- Rotavirus is no longer possible: the final dose is due before 8 months and this child is 4 years 4 months past it.
- By 5 years, an on-time child would already have had 22 of these routine doses; this plan counts none of them as given.
Doses needed at 5 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 | 4 | 4 | 4-dose delayed path (4th dose at age ≥4 replaces doses 4 & 5). |
| 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, which this child has just reached. |
| PCV (Pneumococcal Conjugate) | 4 | Not needed | 0 (not needed) | Healthy children no longer need it from age 5, which this child has just reached. |
| 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 5 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 5 years, three doses per visit needs 8 visits fewer than one at a time and ends 9 months sooner. The required gaps set the floor: the earliest plan ends 9 months after the first visit, at 5 years 9 months.
| Pace | Visits | Doses placed | Last visit at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 dose per visit, 1 month apart | 16 | 16 | 6 years 6 months |
| 3 doses per visit, 1 month apart | 8 | 16 | 5 years 9 months |
| Planner preset: one vaccine per visit, 2 months apart | 16 | 16 | 7 years 6 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 5 years
- Rotavirus (RV) is not possible: its final dose must come before 8 months, which this child passed 4 years 4 months ago.
- At 5 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 5 years DTaP is 4 doses and polio 3: the last dose goes at age 4 or later and at least 6 months after the one before, and a 5-year-old is already at or past that age, so only the gap matters.
- At 5 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 5-year-old need to catch up?
At 5 years the plan is 16 doses (HepB 3, DTaP 4, 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 22 by now.
How many visits will a 5-year-old need?
From 5 years: as few as 8 with up to 3 doses per visit (finishing at 5 years 9 months), 16 with one dose per visit and 1 month between (6 years 6 months), or 16 on the planner's one-vaccine-per-visit preset with 2 months between (7 years 6 months).
Does a 5-year-old need Hib or PCV?
Not if healthy. From age 5 the CDC catch-up table drops both, which removes 8 of the 26 on-time doses from the plan. What remains is 16.
Can a 5-year-old be done before the end of kindergarten?
The earliest plan ends at 5 years 9 months (8 visits at 3 doses per visit); one vaccine at a time ends at 7 years 6 months. School deadlines are set by each state, so check your state's page.
Build the plan for 5 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.