School-required vaccines

Colorado law (Board of Health rule 6 CCR 1009-2) requires all students attending Colorado schools and licensed child cares to be vaccinated against certain diseases, unless an exemption is filed. The minimum number and spacing of doses is set forth in the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedules. Meeting the initial vaccine requirements does not excuse a student from meeting additional requirements. In addition to the vaccines required for school entry, there are several vaccines recommended by the ACIP that provide protection against other diseases. These include Meningococcal, Hepatitis A, Rotavirus, Human papillomavirus and Influenza.

For home-schooled students: If a school district, institute charter, or private school requests immunization documents for a student who attends the school for a portion of the day, parents/legal guardians can submit their student’s immunization record, or a statement signed by the parent/legal guardian that states the student is exempt from immunization. The statement of exemption is in place of the state’s Certificate of Nonmedical exemption. Parents/legal guardians may also follow the regular process of claiming a non-medical exemption by submitting the state’s Certificate of Nonmedical Exemption with an immunizing provider signature, or after completing the CDPHE Online Immunization Module.


Below are the vaccines required for students attending Colorado licensed child cares and schools.

Vaccines required to enter child care

  • Hepatitis B.

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTap).

  • Haemophilus influenzatype b (Hib).

  • Inactivated poliovirus (IPV).

  • Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV13 or PCV15).

  • Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR).

  • Varicella (chicken pox).

Vaccines required to enter school (K-12)

  • Hepatitis B.

  • Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (DTap).*

  • Inactivated poliovirus (IPV).*

  • Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR).*

  • Varicella (chicken pox).*

  • Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap).**

*Students 4 through 6 years of age are required to have their final doses of DTaP, IPV,MMR and Varicella prior to kindergarten entry.

**Students are required to have Tdap prior to entry into 6th grade. One dose of Tdap is required for 6th through 12th grades.

College/university students

All students attending an institute of higher learning provide proof of immunity to measles, mumps and rubella diseases.

New college and university students living in student housing must review and sign the Meningococcal Disease Information Sheet.