2026 · School entry
Florida school & kindergarten vaccine requirements
To enter kindergarten in Florida, children generally need 5 vaccines — DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB. Below is what each one protects against, how exemptions and provisional enrollment work, and the official Florida source. Hepatitis A is not required for kindergarten entry here.
Key takeaways
- To enter kindergarten in Florida, children generally need 5 vaccines: DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB.
- No. Florida does not require hepatitis A (HepA) for kindergarten entry, although the CDC still recommends it for children. Your required list is DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB.
- Florida exemptions: medical available; religious available; personal belief not available. Confirm on the official source.
- Standard core series. A proposed amendment to Rule 64D-3.046 (noticed Aug 24, 2026; Notice of Change Sept 30, 2026; public hearing Oct 8, 2026) would drop the requirements added by rule rather than by s. 1003.22, F.S. — HepB, varicella, Hib and PCV — and revise the religious-exemption form; not final as of Oct 12, 2026 (flrules.org).
Which vaccines does Florida require for kindergarten?
Each card links to a full guide for that vaccine — brands, ingredients, and how a delayed schedule changes the dose count.
Florida specifics
Standard core series. A proposed amendment to Rule 64D-3.046 (noticed Aug 24, 2026; Notice of Change Sept 30, 2026; public hearing Oct 8, 2026) would drop the requirements added by rule rather than by s. 1003.22, F.S. — HepB, varicella, Hib and PCV — and revise the religious-exemption form; not final as of Oct 12, 2026 (flrules.org).
What does Florida say about exemptions?
- Medical Available
- Religious Available
- Personal belief Not available
How does the process work?
Medical: a physician completes Form DH 680 (temporary with an expiration date, or permanent with written clinical reasoning). Religious: county health departments issue Form DH 681 (Religious Exemption From Immunization), signed by the parent, which is presented to the school before entry, attendance or transfer.
Florida DOH - Immunization Exemptions ↗ (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 Florida's official requirements?
The authoritative reference for Florida 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 — HepB school requirements (2025) →
More questions about Florida school vaccines
Which vaccines does Florida require for kindergarten?
For kindergarten entry, Florida requires 5 vaccines: DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB. 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 Florida source.
Does Florida require the hepatitis A vaccine for school?
No. Florida does not require hepatitis A (HepA) for kindergarten entry, although the CDC still recommends it for children. Your required list is DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB.
Can my child start school in Florida on a delayed vaccine schedule?
Often it can. A slower, spaced-out schedule can still satisfy Florida's rules as long as the required series (DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB) 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 Florida allow vaccine exemptions?
Florida: Medical exemptions are available, religious exemptions are available, and personal-belief exemptions are not available. Medical: a physician completes Form DH 680 (temporary with an expiration date, or permanent with written clinical reasoning). Religious: county health departments issue Form DH 681 (Religious Exemption From Immunization), signed by the parent, which is presented to the school before entry, attendance or transfer. Rules and forms change, so confirm with Florida DOH - Immunization Exemptions or your school.
Plan Florida-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.