The immunization requirements are set by Texas law and provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). 

• 2024 - 2025 Texas Minimum State Vaccine Requirements for Students Grades K - 12
• 2024 - 2025 Texas Minimum State Vaccine Requirements for Pre-K 

Since many types of personal immunization records are used, any document will be acceptable, provided a physician or public health personnel has validated it. Validation includes the child’s name, child’s date of birth, Physician’s signature, initials, or stamp.

Acceptable forms of validation include:

• An immunization record generated from an electronic health record must include clinic contact information, the provider’s signature/stamp, and the vaccine name and date (month, day, and year). 
• An official record generated by a health authority.
• An official record received from school officials, including a record from another state.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has many programs to ensure access to vaccinations, regardless of people's ability to pay; learn more about them on the program page. Please see the additional resources below:

Your Local Pediatrician

HEB Pharmacies

CVS Pharmacies

Walgreens Pharmacies

Williamson County Health Services

For additional information, please contact your local health department, Health Service Region or the TVFC Program at 888-777-5320 or vaccallcenter@dshs.texas.gov

To claim an exclusion for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief, the child’s parent, legal guardian, or a student 18 years of age or older must present to the school or child-care facility a completed, signed, and notarized affidavit in Texas on the form provided by the Texas DSHS stating that the child’s parent, legal guardian, or the student declines vaccinations for reasons of conscience, including because of the person’s religious beliefs.

Please note that the Notary must be registered to notarize in Texas on the approved Exemption Affidavit, which is valid for only two years. After two years, you must request another Exemption Affidavit from the Texas Department of Health and complete the process again.

Requesting an Affidavit Online: Texas DSHS staff continue to process conscientious exemption requests. Exemption requests are processed in the order they are received, and it may take up to 3 weeks for requested affidavits to be mailed.

Requesting an Affidavit by Fax: Fax written requests for affidavits to 512-776-7544

Requesting an Affidavit in Person: Requests affidavits in person at:

Texas Department of State Health Services      
1100 West 49th Street      
Austin, Texas 78756

Please turn in the completed original Exemption Affidavit to your child’s Nurse at their attending school.

DSHS recognizes that there may be valid medical reasons for which they cannot receive certain vaccines. Texas law allows physicians to write medical exemption statements that clearly state a medical reason exists that a student cannot receive specific vaccines.

For students claiming medical exemptions, a written statement by a US-licensed MD or DO that clearly states a medical reason for which the student cannot receive specific vaccines must be submitted to the school. Unless it is written in the statement that a lifelong condition exists, the exemption statement is valid for only one year from the date signed by the physician.

Provisional enrollment is a component of the rules adopted by the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) for the minimum immunization requirements for school entry. Provisional enrollment allows a student meeting certain specific criteria to be admitted to school on a temporary basis for up to 30 days. 

A student may be enrolled provisionally if the student has an immunization record that indicates the student has received at least one dose of each specified age-appropriate vaccine required by this rule. A student must not be overdue for the next dose in a series to be considered provisional. To remain enrolled, the student must complete the required subsequent doses in each vaccine series on schedule and as rapidly as is medically feasible and provide acceptable evidence of vaccination to the school.

If, at the end of the 30-day period, a student has not received a subsequent dose of vaccine, the student is not in compliance, and the school shall exclude the student from school attendance until the required dose is administered.

What can I do if I do not want my child getting the required vaccines?

You must apply for an affidavit from the Texas Department of State Health Services website. Affidavits must be notarized (including the parent's signature and the vaccines exempt for your student), and this document must be turned in to the campus clinic. 

Can you check the state immunization registry (immtrac) for my child’s records?

Parents must opt into the state immunization registry, which is done through your physician’s office. We do not input data into the state registry, so we cannot guarantee it has the most current information. Please continue to provide your individual student’s immunization records to the campus nurse.

Do you all notify parents when shots are due for our children?

Yes. We notify families via email, mail, telephone, and by sending letters home with your student. Please make sure your home and email addresses, as well as phone numbers, are up to date in the school system. You can update those with the campus registrar.

My child has practice before school. Can they attend practice and go home before school starts?

No. They cannot attend any school-related functions or UIL events or ride the bus starting the day of exclusion. This remains in effect until updated immunization information is delivered to the school clinic.