Immunizations
Vaccinations required by Washington state law for school attendance
Washington state law requires school age children to receive specific immunizations in order to attend school. Lake Washington School District works with the Washington State Department of Health to comply with state laws on required vaccinations.
Required documentation
Washington state law RCW 28A.210.080 requires that all children show proof of immunization or certification of exemption to attend school. Students cannot start school without the required documentation.
State law requires medically verified immunization records for school and child care entry.
What is considered a medical immunization record?
A "medical immunization record" means one of the following:
- A medical record from a health care provider with their name and signature.
- An immunization record printed from a clinic or hospital's electronic health system.
- A medical record with an official health facility or provider logo/stamp.
- A document from another U.S. state or territorial immunization registry.
- An official lifetime immunization record with a unique health care provider/clinic stamp, or provider signature.
- For foreign students: a translated official immunization record such as an immigration form or lifetime immunization record from another country with a clinic or health care provider stamp.
What records are not considered a medical immunization record?
Immunization records that aren't medically verified include:
- Dates given to a school orally or in writing without medical proof.
- Lifetime immunization records not filled out by a health care provider.
- Home vaccine lists, including baby books.
- A Certificate of Immunization Status completed by hand without a health care provider signature or without medical immunization records attached.
Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) and Certificate of Exemption (COE) forms
All students must have a completed Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) or Certificate of Exemption (COE) form on file in the school office. Parents/guardians must complete the form and turn it in to the school before the student can start school. Students will not be assigned to classes until the information has been turned in with the vaccines required for school attendance documented.
Forms can be found on the Student Health Forms page.
Vaccines required for school attendance
Schedule your child's vaccination appointments well in advance of the new school year to ensure that your child has received all the vaccines required for school attendance.
Please refer to the Department of Health website for immunization requirements.
Change to Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Tdap) Vaccine Requirement
Beginning in the 2025-26 school year all students entering grades 7-12 must have received their Tdap dose on or after age 10.
Conditional status
State law grants children conditional status entry into school or child care who are making progress towards completing their immunization requirements. Children may begin school or child care only if they received all of the required immunizations they are due to receive and submitted medically verified records on or before the first day of attendance.
If additional immunizations are needed after receiving all immunizations they are eligible to receive before starting school, children may start school or child care in conditional status and remain until the next dose becomes due. Children will then have 30 calendar days to turn in updated records showing they received the missing dose. If additional doses are due, conditional status continues until all required immunizations are complete. If the 30 days expire without updated records, the child must be excluded from further attendance.
For additional information and frequently asked questions, please visit: https://doh.wa.gov/community-and-environment/schools/immunization#reqs.
