2026 · School entry
Louisiana school & kindergarten vaccine requirements
To enter kindergarten in Louisiana, 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 Louisiana source. Note that this jurisdiction also requires hepatitis A.
Key takeaways
- To enter kindergarten in Louisiana, children generally need 6 vaccines: DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB, HepA.
- Yes. Louisiana 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.
- Louisiana exemptions: medical available; religious available; personal belief available. Confirm on the official source.
- HepA required at K entry (2 doses).
Which vaccines does Louisiana require for kindergarten?
Each card links to a full guide for that vaccine — brands, ingredients, and how a delayed schedule changes the dose count.
Louisiana specifics
HepA required at K entry (2 doses).
What does Louisiana say about exemptions?
- Medical Available
- Religious Available
- Personal belief Available
How does the process work?
LDH states a parent or guardian may request an exemption in writing for medical or religious/philosophical reasons by providing the child's name and date of birth and stating their decision, then filing it with the day care operator or school principal; medical exemptions are completed by the child's health care provider, no notarization is required, and requests are granted. R.S. 17:170(E) likewise accepts either a physician's written statement of medical contraindication or a written dissent from the student or parent/guardian.
Louisiana Department of Health - Immunization Exemptions ↗ (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 Louisiana's official requirements?
The authoritative reference for Louisiana 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.
Louisiana DOH — Required Immunizations for School →
More questions about Louisiana school vaccines
Which vaccines does Louisiana require for kindergarten?
For kindergarten entry, Louisiana 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 Louisiana source.
Does Louisiana require the hepatitis A vaccine for school?
Yes. Louisiana 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 Louisiana on a delayed vaccine schedule?
Often it can. A slower, spaced-out schedule can still satisfy Louisiana'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 Louisiana allow vaccine exemptions?
Louisiana: Medical exemptions are available, religious exemptions are available, and personal-belief exemptions are available. LDH states a parent or guardian may request an exemption in writing for medical or religious/philosophical reasons by providing the child's name and date of birth and stating their decision, then filing it with the day care operator or school principal; medical exemptions are completed by the child's health care provider, no notarization is required, and requests are granted. R.S. 17:170(E) likewise accepts either a physician's written statement of medical contraindication or a written dissent from the student or parent/guardian. Rules and forms change, so confirm with Louisiana Department of Health - Immunization Exemptions or your school.
Plan Louisiana-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.