2026 · School entry
South Dakota school & kindergarten vaccine requirements
To enter kindergarten in South Dakota, children generally need 4 vaccines — DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR. Below is what each one protects against, how exemptions and provisional enrollment work, and the official South Dakota source. Hepatitis A is not required for kindergarten entry here.
Key takeaways
- To enter kindergarten in South Dakota, children generally need 4 vaccines: DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR.
- No. South Dakota 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.
- South Dakota exemptions: medical available; religious available; personal belief not available. Confirm on the official source.
- Only DTaP/IPV/MMR/Varicella required. HepA, HepB, HPV, flu, PCV recommended but not required (per DOH).
Which vaccines does South Dakota require for kindergarten?
Each card links to a full guide for that vaccine — brands, ingredients, and how a delayed schedule changes the dose count.
South Dakota specifics
Only DTaP/IPV/MMR/Varicella required. HepA, HepB, HPV, flu, PCV recommended but not required (per DOH).
What does South Dakota say about exemptions?
- Medical Available
- Religious Available
- Personal belief Not available
How does the process work?
Medical: a physician licensed under SDCL ch. 36-4 signs on the state Certificate of Immunization. Religious: the parent or guardian signs the Certificate of Immunization or provides a signed statement that the child adheres to a religious doctrine opposed to immunization. Schools submit exemption documents to the Department of Health by November 1, or within 45 days of a transfer.
SD Administrative Rule 44:81 (Immunization requirements for school entry) ↗ (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 South Dakota's official requirements?
The authoritative reference for South Dakota 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.
South Dakota DOH — Immunizations Required for School Entry →
More questions about South Dakota school vaccines
Which vaccines does South Dakota require for kindergarten?
For kindergarten entry, South Dakota requires 4 vaccines: DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR. 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 South Dakota source.
Does South Dakota require the hepatitis A vaccine for school?
No. South Dakota 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.
Can my child start school in South Dakota on a delayed vaccine schedule?
Often it can. A slower, spaced-out schedule can still satisfy South Dakota's rules as long as the required series (DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR) 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 South Dakota allow vaccine exemptions?
South Dakota: Medical exemptions are available, religious exemptions are available, and personal-belief exemptions are not available. Medical: a physician licensed under SDCL ch. 36-4 signs on the state Certificate of Immunization. Religious: the parent or guardian signs the Certificate of Immunization or provides a signed statement that the child adheres to a religious doctrine opposed to immunization. Schools submit exemption documents to the Department of Health by November 1, or within 45 days of a transfer. Rules and forms change, so confirm with SD Administrative Rule 44:81 (Immunization requirements for school entry) or your school.
Plan South Dakota-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.