Minnesota's Childcare, School, and College Immunization Law
Various Minnesota laws set forth immunization requirements for children and adults enrolled in institutional settings. Legal exemptions are permissible for those who have medical contraindications to vaccine(s) or if they or a parent has conscientiously held beliefs that oppose immunization. Records for infants and children who have not completed a primary series of vaccines must be signed by a physician or public clinic staff.
On this page:
Child Care Settings
Elementary and Secondary School
Post-Secondary Educational Institutions
Sharing of Immunization Data
Childcare Settings
Minnesota Law requires all children enrolling in a licensed day care home or child care facility to show evidence of immunization or properly document exemptions.
- Healthy Kids Are Everybody's Job
(brochure for parents)
A guide to Minnesota's immunization law for parents with children in childcare.
- Healthy Kids Are Everybody's Job
(brochure for childcare providers)
A guide to Minnesota's immunization law for childcare providers.
- Keeping Track
of Immunizations
Paper and electronic tools for keeping track of a child's immunization history for childcare and school.
Elementary and Secondary School (Kindergarten - Grade 12)
Minnesota Statutes, Section 121A.15, and Rules, Chapter 6404: Immunization, requires all students enrolling in an elementary or secondary school to show evidence of immunization or properly documented exemption.
- Are Your Kids
Ready for School?
Immunization schedule showing shots required for school children in Minnesota.
- Change in School Immunization Law on Reporting History of Varicella Disease
Beginning in September 2010, there will be a change in the way health care providers document a child’s history of varicella disease to meet the requirements of Minnesota’s School Immunization Law.
- What About Shots for School and Childcare if Your Child has Already had Chickenpox?
Starting in the fall of 2010, there is a change in how you need to document that your child has had chickenpox.
- Varicella Disease History Verification Checklist (Word: 106KB/2 pages)
Template to verify past varicella disease in school-age children. Use this tool to help in meeting the School Immunization Law requirement that a student’s history of varicella disease must be documented by a provider starting September 1, 2010. The watermark can be removed by viewing the header and deleting the text box.
- Two Doses of Chickenpox Vaccine Required for Kindergarten and 7th Grade in 2009
Beginning in September 2009, two doses will be required for all children at kindergarten or 7th grade.
- Keeping Track
of Immunizations
Paper and electronic tools for keeping track of a child's immunization history for childcare and school.
Post-Secondary Educational Institutions
(E.g., state universities, community colleges, technical colleges, private schools, University of Minnesota, etc.)
Minnesota Statutes, Section 135A.14, requires all students enrolling in a post-secondary educational institution to show evidence of one dose of tetanus and diphtheria (Td) within 10 years of enrollment and one dose of measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine or properly documented exemption. The law applies to persons born in 1957 or later who are enrolled in more than one class. Students who graduated from a Minnesota high school in 1997 or later are also exempt. Minnesota laws also require post-secondary schools to provide students with information on hepatitis and meningococcal disease.
- Minnesota's College Immunization
Law
Fact sheet for Minnesota college students about the immunization law.
- Immunization
Record for Students Attending Post-Secondary Schools in Minnesota
(PDF: 42KB/1 page)
Sample form for college students to record Td and MMR immunizations, or exemption(s).
Hepatitis
Minnesota law, Section 135A.14, says that all public and private universities and colleges must provide information on the transmission, treatment, and prevention of hepatitis A, B, and C to all first-time enrollees.
The ABCs of Viral Hepatitis
Brochure geared toward college students on Hepatitis A, B, and C. Available from the American College Health Association. Attention: Non-MDH link
Viral Hepatitis Brochures
The CDC has a series of brochures on Hepatitis A, B and C that can be downloaded or ordered. Attention: Non-MDH link
Meningococcal Disease
Minnesota law, Section 135A.14, requires that all public and private universities and colleges provide information on the risk of meningococcal disease and the availability of a vaccine to all first-time enrollees who live in on-campus student housing.
Meningococcal Disease and the Vaccine: What College Students Need to Know
Post-secondary schools can use this fact sheet to inform incoming students about meningococcal disease.
Sharing of Immunization Data
- HIPAA and Immunization
Information and links to how HIPAA relates to immunization.
- Sharing
of Immunization Data
Minnesota Statutes, Section 144.3351. Attention: Non-MDH link
- Health Insurance Portability
and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Information and Resources
Bulletin from MDH on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
Frequently Requested
VISs
CDC fact sheets on vaccines.
Attention: Non-MDH link
CDC Immunization Home
Attention: Non-MDH link
If you have questions or comments about this page, use our IDEPC Comment Form or call 651-201-5414 (TTY: 651-201-5797) for the MDH Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division.
