2026 · School entry
Ohio school & kindergarten vaccine requirements
To enter kindergarten in Ohio, 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 Ohio source. Hepatitis A is not required for kindergarten entry here.
Key takeaways
- To enter kindergarten in Ohio, children generally need 5 vaccines: DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB.
- No. Ohio 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.
- Ohio exemptions: medical available; religious available; personal belief available. Confirm on the official source.
- Standard core. HepA not required at K.
Which vaccines does Ohio require for kindergarten?
Each card links to a full guide for that vaccine — brands, ingredients, and how a delayed schedule changes the dose count.
Ohio specifics
Standard core. HepA not required at K.
What does Ohio say about exemptions?
- Medical Available
- Religious Available
- Personal belief Available
How does the process work?
Under Ohio Revised Code 3313.671, a physician certifies in writing that the immunization is medically contraindicated, or the parent or guardian submits a written statement declining immunization for reasons of conscience, including religious convictions. The statute does not require a specific form; submissions go to the school.
Ohio Revised Code 3313.671 ↗ (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 Ohio's official requirements?
The authoritative reference for Ohio 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 Ohio school vaccines
Which vaccines does Ohio require for kindergarten?
For kindergarten entry, Ohio 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 Ohio source.
Does Ohio require the hepatitis A vaccine for school?
No. Ohio 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 Ohio on a delayed vaccine schedule?
Often it can. A slower, spaced-out schedule can still satisfy Ohio'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 Ohio allow vaccine exemptions?
Ohio: Medical exemptions are available, religious exemptions are available, and personal-belief exemptions are available. Under Ohio Revised Code 3313.671, a physician certifies in writing that the immunization is medically contraindicated, or the parent or guardian submits a written statement declining immunization for reasons of conscience, including religious convictions. The statute does not require a specific form; submissions go to the school. Rules and forms change, so confirm with Ohio Revised Code 3313.671 or your school.
Plan Ohio-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.