Immunization Requirements

No. Admission to a school is not allowed until records are produced showing that (1) the child has been immunized in accordance with the rules; (2) the child has an exemption affidavit from immunization requirements on file with the school in accordance with the rules; or (3) the child is entitled to provisional enrollment.

Two different immunization documents will be needed: 1) an official notarized DSHS vaccine exemption affidavit for those vaccines the parent or guardian has chosen for reasons of conscience to have their child exempt from; and 2) a valid immunization record indicating the month, date, and year each vaccine for which the child is not exempt was administered, with appropriate validation by a physician or public health clinic. 

A child may be exempted from one or more vaccinations for medical reasons. The parent or guardian must provide the school with a certificate signed by a physician (M.D. or D.O.), registered and licensed to practice medicine in the United States, which states that, in the physician's opinion, the immunization required would be injurious to the child's health and well-being or to any of the child's family or household members. Unless a lifelong condition is specified, that certificate is valid for one year from the date signed by the physician and must be renewed every year for the exclusion to remain in effect.

Each parent or guardian who signs a vaccine exemption affidavit form also is acknowledging they understand that their child may be excluded from school attendance in times of emergency or epidemic declared by the Texas Commissioner of Health.

Yes

No, only State of Texas vaccine exemption affidavits are valid for people who decline vaccines for reasons of conscience, including a religious belief.

Yes.  A childcare facility, school, or university should accept a valid vaccine exemption affidavit that is printed on either the new or old affidavit paper. Conscientious exemption affidavits printed on both types of paper are valid for two years from the date notarized. 

Each individual vaccine exemption affidavit is good for two years from the date notarized.

The vaccine exemption affidavit is part of the child's school records and should be sent to the new school with other school records.

No. Students who had religious exemptions filed at the school prior to September 1, 2003, do not need a new vaccine exemption affidavit form. The religious exemption on file remains valid.

Information on the form will include the child's name and date of birth; a list of required vaccines for which exemptions may be requested; a statement for the requesting parent or guardian to indicate their relationship to the child; and an acknowledgement that the parent or guardian has read the attached information entitled The Benefits and Risks of Vaccinations. Parents or guardians will then have to sign the form in front of a notary public. 

Requests submitted to DSHS will be returned to parents or guardians along with the vaccine exemption affidavit forms. DSHS will track and report on the number of affidavit requests and zip code. No other information will be maintained.

Photocopies of the vaccine exemption affidavit form are not valid. If parents or schools lose the exemption affidavit, the parent or guardian needs to request another vaccine exemption affidavit in writing following the same procedures used to obtain the first form.