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.

• Forms for Keeping Track of Immunizations
  Paper and electronic forms 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, 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.

• What about shots for school if your child has already had the chickenpox?
  Starting in the fall of 2010, there is a change in how you need to document that your child has had the chickenpox.


• 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.

• 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.

• Forms for Keeping Track of Immunizations
  Paper and electronic forms 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: 47KB/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.

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