2026 · School entry
Connecticut school & kindergarten vaccine requirements
To enter kindergarten in Connecticut, children generally need 6 vaccines — DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB, HepA. Below is what each one protects against, how exemptions and provisional enrollment work, and the official Connecticut source. Note that this jurisdiction also requires hepatitis A.
Key takeaways
- To enter kindergarten in Connecticut, children generally need 6 vaccines: DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB, HepA.
- Yes. Connecticut requires the hepatitis A (HepA) vaccine for school entry. Confirm the exact grades and dose timing on the official source, as HepA rules vary the most between states.
- Connecticut exemptions: medical available; religious not available; personal belief not available. Confirm on the official source.
- HepA required K-12 statewide (since 2011). Medical exemptions only.
Which vaccines does Connecticut require for kindergarten?
Each card links to a full guide for that vaccine — brands, ingredients, and how a delayed schedule changes the dose count.
Connecticut specifics
HepA required K-12 statewide (since 2011). Medical exemptions only.
What does Connecticut say about exemptions?
- Medical Available
- Religious Not available
- Personal belief Not available
How does the process work?
Public Act 21-6 repealed nonmedical exemptions effective April 28, 2021; religious exemptions already held by K-12 students were grandfathered. A health care provider completes the DPH Medical Exemption Certificate and reports it through DPH's secure online portal, and the parent gives the certificate to the school nurse or child care.
CT DPH - Immunization Exemptions and Certification Forms ↗ (opens in a new tab) Official form ↗ (opens in a new tab)
This summarizes what the state's own pages say, reviewed September 30, 2026. It is not advice for or against any option. Laws and forms change; confirm with your school or health department. Compare all states in the exemptions overview, or see glossary definitions.
What is provisional enrollment?
Many states permit provisional or conditional enrollment, which lets a child start school while still catching up on a series that has already been started. Rules and time limits vary, so ask your school. The catch-up guide explains how remaining doses are counted.
Where are Connecticut's official requirements?
The authoritative reference for Connecticut is the state's own published requirements. Always verify dose counts, grade ranges, and exemptions there — those details change and are not all captured here.
immunize.org — HepA school requirements (2025) →
More questions about Connecticut school vaccines
Which vaccines does Connecticut require for kindergarten?
For kindergarten entry, Connecticut requires 6 vaccines: DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB, HepA. These protect against diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough (pertussis); polio; measles, mumps, rubella. Dose counts and grade ranges can vary — always confirm on the official Connecticut source.
Does Connecticut require the hepatitis A vaccine for school?
Yes. Connecticut requires the hepatitis A (HepA) vaccine for school entry. Confirm the exact grades and dose timing on the official source, as HepA rules vary the most between states.
Can my child start school in Connecticut on a delayed vaccine schedule?
Often it can. A slower, spaced-out schedule can still satisfy Connecticut's rules as long as the required series (DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB, HepA) are finished — or, in many districts, in progress under provisional/conditional enrollment — by the first day of school. The free planner builds a plan that finishes every required vaccine in time. Confirm the specifics with your school district and your child's healthcare practitioner.
Does Connecticut allow vaccine exemptions?
Connecticut: Medical exemptions are available, religious exemptions are not available, and personal-belief exemptions are not available. Public Act 21-6 repealed nonmedical exemptions effective April 28, 2021; religious exemptions already held by K-12 students were grandfathered. A health care provider completes the DPH Medical Exemption Certificate and reports it through DPH's secure online portal, and the parent gives the certificate to the school nurse or child care. Rules and forms change, so confirm with CT DPH - Immunization Exemptions and Certification Forms or your school.
Plan Connecticut-ready vaccinations on a slower schedule
Want to space shots out but still finish every required vaccine before the first day of school? Build a spaced-out, minimum-dose plan you can review with your child's healthcare practitioner.
Build my plan →Sources
The state's own page is the authority; the others are cross-checks.