2026 · School entry
District of Columbia school & kindergarten vaccine requirements
To enter kindergarten in District of Columbia, 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 District of Columbia source. Note that this jurisdiction also requires hepatitis A.
Key takeaways
- To enter kindergarten in District of Columbia, children generally need 6 vaccines: DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB, HepA.
- Yes. District of Columbia 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.
- District of Columbia exemptions: medical available; religious available; personal belief limited. Confirm on the official source.
- HepA required K-12 (since 2008).
Which vaccines does District of Columbia require for kindergarten?
Each card links to a full guide for that vaccine — brands, ingredients, and how a delayed schedule changes the dose count.
District of Columbia specifics
HepA required K-12 (since 2008).
What does District of Columbia say about exemptions?
- Medical Available
- Religious Available
- Personal belief Limited
“Limited” means the option exists only in certain cases; the process below explains how.
How does the process work?
Medical exemptions are signed or approved by a physician, their representative or the public health authority. Religious exemptions are requested from DC Health each school year and expire July 1. For the HPV vaccine (grades 6-12) only, families may opt out with an annual DC Health HPV Vaccination Opt-Out Certificate.
DC Health - Immunization 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 District of Columbia's official requirements?
The authoritative reference for District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia school vaccines
Which vaccines does District of Columbia require for kindergarten?
For kindergarten entry, District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia source.
Does District of Columbia require the hepatitis A vaccine for school?
Yes. District of Columbia 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 District of Columbia on a delayed vaccine schedule?
Often it can. A slower, spaced-out schedule can still satisfy District of Columbia'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 District of Columbia allow vaccine exemptions?
District of Columbia: Medical exemptions are available, religious exemptions are available, and personal-belief exemptions are available only in limited cases. Medical exemptions are signed or approved by a physician, their representative or the public health authority. Religious exemptions are requested from DC Health each school year and expire July 1. For the HPV vaccine (grades 6-12) only, families may opt out with an annual DC Health HPV Vaccination Opt-Out Certificate. Rules and forms change, so confirm with DC Health - Immunization Forms or your school.
Plan District of Columbia-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.