2026 · School entry
Maryland school & kindergarten vaccine requirements
To enter kindergarten in Maryland, 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 Maryland source. Hepatitis A is not required for kindergarten entry here.
Key takeaways
- To enter kindergarten in Maryland, children generally need 5 vaccines: DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB.
- No. Maryland 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.
- Maryland exemptions: medical available; religious available; personal belief not available. Confirm on the official source.
- Standard core series.
Which vaccines does Maryland require for kindergarten?
Each card links to a full guide for that vaccine — brands, ingredients, and how a delayed schedule changes the dose count.
Maryland specifics
Standard core series.
What does Maryland say about exemptions?
- Medical Available
- Religious Available
- Personal belief Not available
How does the process work?
The MDH Immunization Certificate (MDH 896) has a medical-contraindication section and a religious-objection section. Under COMAR 10.06.04.05, the parent or guardian requests a religious exemption on the official MDH form stating that immunization conflicts with bona fide religious beliefs and practices. The exemption is not valid during a declared emergency or epidemic.
Maryland Department of Health - Back-to-School Immunization Requirements ↗ (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 Maryland's official requirements?
The authoritative reference for Maryland 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 Maryland school vaccines
Which vaccines does Maryland require for kindergarten?
For kindergarten entry, Maryland 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 Maryland source.
Does Maryland require the hepatitis A vaccine for school?
No. Maryland 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 Maryland on a delayed vaccine schedule?
Often it can. A slower, spaced-out schedule can still satisfy Maryland'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 Maryland allow vaccine exemptions?
Maryland: Medical exemptions are available, religious exemptions are available, and personal-belief exemptions are not available. The MDH Immunization Certificate (MDH 896) has a medical-contraindication section and a religious-objection section. Under COMAR 10.06.04.05, the parent or guardian requests a religious exemption on the official MDH form stating that immunization conflicts with bona fide religious beliefs and practices. The exemption is not valid during a declared emergency or epidemic. Rules and forms change, so confirm with Maryland Department of Health - Back-to-School Immunization Requirements or your school.
Plan Maryland-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.