2026 · School entry
Virginia school & kindergarten vaccine requirements
To enter kindergarten in Virginia, 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 Virginia source. Note that this jurisdiction also requires hepatitis A.
Key takeaways
- To enter kindergarten in Virginia, children generally need 6 vaccines: DTaP, IPV, MMR, VAR, HepB, HepA.
- Yes. Virginia 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.
- Virginia exemptions: medical available; religious available; personal belief limited. Confirm on the official source.
- HepA required (effective July 2021; 2 doses, first on/after 12 months). Grades K-4.
Which vaccines does Virginia require for kindergarten?
Each card links to a full guide for that vaccine — brands, ingredients, and how a delayed schedule changes the dose count.
Virginia specifics
HepA required (effective July 2021; 2 doses, first on/after 12 months). Grades K-4.
What does Virginia say about exemptions?
- Medical Available
- Religious Available
- Personal belief Limited
“Limited” means the option exists only in certain cases; the process below explains how.
How does the process work?
Religious: the parent or guardian submits a notarized Certificate of Religious Exemption (form CRE-1) stating that immunization conflicts with the student's religious tenets or practices; it is available from local health departments, school division offices and local social services offices. Medical: written certification from a physician, registered nurse or health department that immunization could be detrimental to the student's health. Parents may decline the HPV vaccine at their discretion. The Commissioner may exclude unimmunized students during an outbreak.
Virginia Administrative Code 12VAC5-110-80 (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 Virginia's official requirements?
The authoritative reference for Virginia 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.
Virginia VDH — School Vaccine Supplemental Guidance →
More questions about Virginia school vaccines
Which vaccines does Virginia require for kindergarten?
For kindergarten entry, Virginia 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 Virginia source.
Does Virginia require the hepatitis A vaccine for school?
Yes. Virginia 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 Virginia on a delayed vaccine schedule?
Often it can. A slower, spaced-out schedule can still satisfy Virginia'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 Virginia allow vaccine exemptions?
Virginia: Medical exemptions are available, religious exemptions are available, and personal-belief exemptions are available only in limited cases. Religious: the parent or guardian submits a notarized Certificate of Religious Exemption (form CRE-1) stating that immunization conflicts with the student's religious tenets or practices; it is available from local health departments, school division offices and local social services offices. Medical: written certification from a physician, registered nurse or health department that immunization could be detrimental to the student's health. Parents may decline the HPV vaccine at their discretion. The Commissioner may exclude unimmunized students during an outbreak. Rules and forms change, so confirm with Virginia Administrative Code 12VAC5-110-80 (Exemptions) or your school.
Plan Virginia-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.