2026 · School entry
Michigan school & kindergarten vaccine requirements
To enter kindergarten in Michigan, 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 Michigan source. Hepatitis A is not required for kindergarten entry here.
Key takeaways
- To enter kindergarten in Michigan, children generally need 5 vaccines: DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB.
- No. Michigan 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.
- Michigan exemptions: medical available; religious available; personal belief available. Confirm on the official source.
- Standard core series.
Which vaccines does Michigan require for kindergarten?
Each card links to a full guide for that vaccine — brands, ingredients, and how a delayed schedule changes the dose count.
Michigan specifics
Standard core series.
What does Michigan say about exemptions?
- Medical Available
- Religious Available
- Personal belief Available
How does the process work?
Michigan uses one nonmedical waiver covering religious, philosophical and other objections. The parent first attends an immunization education session at the county health department, then obtains the certified State of Michigan nonmedical waiver through the local health department; since 2023 it is an electronic document housed in the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR), or a certified paper form (January 2026 edition), and schools may accept only a current, unaltered certified waiver. Medical exemptions use the State of Michigan Medical Exemption Form, completed and signed by a physician (MD/DO), submitted to the school or child care.
MDHHS - Immunization and Waiver Information for Schools and Childcares ↗ (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 Michigan's official requirements?
The authoritative reference for Michigan 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 Michigan school vaccines
Which vaccines does Michigan require for kindergarten?
For kindergarten entry, Michigan 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 Michigan source.
Does Michigan require the hepatitis A vaccine for school?
No. Michigan 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 Michigan on a delayed vaccine schedule?
Often it can. A slower, spaced-out schedule can still satisfy Michigan'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 Michigan allow vaccine exemptions?
Michigan: Medical exemptions are available, religious exemptions are available, and personal-belief exemptions are available. Michigan uses one nonmedical waiver covering religious, philosophical and other objections. The parent first attends an immunization education session at the county health department, then obtains the certified State of Michigan nonmedical waiver through the local health department; since 2023 it is an electronic document housed in the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR), or a certified paper form (January 2026 edition), and schools may accept only a current, unaltered certified waiver. Medical exemptions use the State of Michigan Medical Exemption Form, completed and signed by a physician (MD/DO), submitted to the school or child care. Rules and forms change, so confirm with MDHHS - Immunization and Waiver Information for Schools and Childcares or your school.
Plan Michigan-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.