To help keep our schools healthy and safe, Missouri requires all students to be up to date on their vaccinations before attending school. Families must provide official documentation showing the month, day and year of each required immunization. These requirements follow the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices schedule, which outlines the recommended timing and spacing of all vaccines.

State guidelines also allow a short grace period: students may receive required vaccines up to four days before the due date. Students who are “in progress” — meaning they have started a vaccine series and have a scheduled appointment for the next dose — may remain in school as long as the appointment is kept and updated documentation is provided. If the appointment is missed, the student is no longer considered in progress.

Missouri permits both medical and religious exemptions with the appropriate forms on file. During outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, unimmunized students may be excluded from school for their safety and the safety of others.

Required vaccines vary by grade level and include immunizations such as DTaP/Tdap, polio, MMR, hepatitis B, varicella and meningococcal (MCV), with specific dose requirements for kindergarten, middle school and high school students.

To learn more about Missouri’s school immunization requirements — including exemption forms, vaccine schedules and grade-level details — please visit the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services website.