State Law & Vaccine Requirements

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Arizona State Vaccine Requirements

Updated August 03, 2023


TAKE ACTION TODAY! - Multiple bills have been introduced into state legislatures that could affect vaccine exemptions. Visit www.NVICadvocacy.org to learn about what is happening in your state and what you can do to help. Thank you for standing up for freedom!
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Quick Facts and Resources for Arizona Residents

Quick Fact: A student is exempt from required immunizations if the parent or guardian of the student submits a signed statement to the school administrator stating that the parent or guardian has received information about immunizations provided by the department of health services, understands the risks and benefits of immunizations and the potential risks of non-immunization and that due to personal beliefs, the parent or guardian does not consent to the immunization of the student.  A child in child care is exempt from required immunizations if the child’s parent or guardian objects on the grounds that it conflicts with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination of which the parent or child is an adherent or member.  Medical exemptions are also allowed.

Other Resources: Many vaccination and exemption information links are date specific. If the links below have expired, click on the state's department of health, or immunization program link provided below, as they are likely to provide links to updated information. The General Information link leads to the overview page provided by the state at the time of this webpage's update and may also be helpful. Please email NVIC with broken link information.

The information contained on NVIC's web pages is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be medical or legal advice. Those seeking medical or legal advice should obtain the services of a competent attorney, physician or qualified health care professional.  Although NVIC continually updates our website, state laws and rules change frequently and consumers are ultimately responsible for verifying their state's vaccination and exemption laws and requirements.

  • Higher Ed Vaccination Requirements - Request college/university of choice for their Proof of Immunization Compliance, as each institution may use its own form. 
  • Exemption Information - Request college/university of choice for their Proof of Immunization Compliance, as each institution may use its own form. 

TITLE 36. PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
CHAPTER 7.1. CHILD CARE PROGRAMS
ARTICLE 1. DAY CARE CENTERS

A.R.S. § 36-883. Standards of care; rules; classifications

A. The director of the department of health services shall prescribe reasonable rules regarding the health, safety and well being of the children to be cared for in a child care facility. These rules shall include standards for the following:

C. Any rule that relates to educational activities, physical examination, medical treatment or immunization shall include appropriate exemptions for children whose parents object on the ground that it conflicts with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination of which the parent or child is an adherent or member.
 

TITLE 15. EDUCATION
CHAPTER 8. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
ARTICLE 6. SCHOOL IMMUNIZATION

A.R.S. § 15-871. Definitions

10. "Pupil" means a person who is eligible to receive instruction at a school and includes pre-kindergarten age children receiving either services for children with disabilities or day care on a school campus otherwise exempt from day care rules pursuant to section 36-884.

12. "School" means a public, private or parochial school that offers instruction at any level or grade through twelfth grade, except for day care facilities regulated pursuant to title 36, chapter 7.1.

A.R.S. § 15-872. Proof of immunization; noncompliance; notice to parents; civil immunity 

A. The director of the department of health services, in consultation with the superintendent of public instruction, shall develop by rule standards for documentary proof.

B. A pupil shall not be allowed to attend school without submitting documentary proof to the school administrator unless the pupil is exempted from immunization pursuant to section 15-873.

C. Each public school shall make full disclosure of the requirements and exemptions as prescribed in this section and section 15-873.

D. On enrollment, the school administrator shall suspend that pupil if the administrator does not have documentary proof and the pupil is not exempted from immunization pursuant to section 15-873.

E. Notwithstanding subsections B and D of this section, a pupil may be admitted to or allowed to attend a school if the pupil has received at least one dose of each of the required immunizations prescribed pursuant to section 36-672 and has established a schedule for the completion of required immunizations. The parent, guardian or person in loco parentis of a pupil shall present to the school administrator documentary proof of the immunizations received and a schedule prepared by the pupil's physician or registered nurse practitioner or a health agency for completion of additional required immunizations.

F. The school administrator shall review the school immunization record for each pupil admitted or allowed to continue attendance pursuant to subsection E of this section at least twice each school year until the pupil receives all of the required immunizations and shall suspend a pupil as prescribed in subsection G of this section who fails to comply with the immunization schedule. Immunizations received by a pupil shall be entered in the pupil's school immunization record.

G. Unless proof of an exemption from immunization pursuant to section 15-873 is provided, a pupil who is admitted or allowed to continue to attend and who fails to comply with the immunization schedule within the time intervals specified by the schedule shall be suspended from school attendance until documentary proof of the administration of another dose of each appropriate immunizing agent is provided to the school administrator.

H. The provisions of subsections B, D and E of this section do not apply to homeless pupils until the fifth calendar day after enrollment.

I. A school and its employees are immune from civil liability for decisions concerning the admission, readmission and suspension of a pupil that are based on a good faith implementation of the requirements of this article.
 

A.R.S. § 15-873. Exemptions; nonattendance during outbreak

A. Documentary proof is not required for a pupil to be admitted to school if one of the following occurs:

  1. The parent or guardian of the pupil submits a signed statement to the school administrator stating that the parent or guardian has received information about immunizations provided by the department of health services and understands the risks and benefits of immunizations and the potential risks of nonimmunization and that due to personal beliefs, the parent or guardian does not consent to the immunization of the pupil
  2. The school administrator receives written certification that is signed by the parent or guardian and by a physician or a registered nurse practitioner, that states that one or more of the required immunizations may be detrimental to the pupil's health and that indicates the specific nature and probable duration of the medical condition or circumstance that precludes immunization.
B. An exemption pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 2 is only valid during the duration of the circumstance or condition that precludes immunization.

C. Pupils who lack documentary proof of immunization shall not attend school during outbreak periods of communicable immunization-preventable diseases as determined by the department of health services or local health department. The department of health services or local health department shall transmit notice of this determination to the school administrator responsible for the exclusion of the pupils.
 

TITLE 36. PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
CHAPTER 6. PUBLIC HEALTH CONTROL
ARTICLE 4.1 SCHOOL IMMUNIZATION

A.R.S. § 36-672. Immunizations; department rules 

A. Consistent with section 15-873, the director shall adopt rules prescribing required immunizations for school attendance, the approved means of immunization and indicated reinforcing immunizations for diseases, and identifying types of health agencies and health care providers which may sign a laboratory evidence of immunity. The rules shall include the required doses, recommended optimum ages for administration of the immunizations, persons who are authorized representatives to sign on behalf of a health agency and other provisions necessary to implement this article.

B. The director, in consultation with the superintendent of public instruction, shall develop by rule standards for documentary proof.

C. Immunization against the human papillomavirus is not required for school attendance.
 

A.R.S. § 36-674. Providing proof of immunization

A physician, local health department or school nurse administering an immunization shall furnish documentary proof of immunization to the person immunized or, if that person is a child, to the child's parent or guardian or the person in loco parentis of the child.


ARIZONA ADMINISTRATIVE CODE

TITLE 9. HEALTH SERVICES
CHAPTER 6. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES: COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
ARTICLE 7. VACCINE-PREVENTABLE DISEASES

A.A.C. § R9-6-702. Required Immunizations for Child Care or School Entry

Except as provided in R9-6-706, documentary proof of immunization, according to Table 7.1 or Table 7.2, for each of the following diseases is required for child care or school entry:

  1. Diphtheria;
  2. Tetanus;
  3. Pertussis;
  4. Hepatitis A, for a child 1 through 5 years of age in childcare in Maricopa County;
  5. Hepatitis B;
  6. Poliomyelitis;
  7. Measles (rubeola);
  8. Mumps;
  9. Rubella (German Measles);
  10. Haemophilus influenzae type b, for a child two months through 59 months of age;
  11. Varicella; and
  12. Meningococcal disease.

A.A.C. § R9-6-706. Exemptions to Immunizations

A. For a child attending a school, the child is exempt from the applicable immunization requirements in R9-6-702 for personal beliefs, as allowed by A.R.S. § 15-873(A)(1), if the child’s parent submits to the school a statement of exemption from immunization for personal beliefs, in a Department-provided format, that contains:

  1. The parent’s name,
  2. The child’s name,
  3. The child’s date of birth,
  4. The immunizations from which the child’s parent is requesting an exemption,
  5. A statement that the parent is requesting the exemption based on personal beliefs, and
  6. The signature of the child’s parent and the date signed.

B. For a child attending a child care, the child is exempt from the applicable immunization requirements in R9-6-702 for religious beliefs, as allowed in A.R.S. § 36-883(C), if the child’s parent submits to the child care a statement of exemption from immunization for religious beliefs, in a Department-provided format, that contains:

  1. The parent’s name,
  2. The child’s name;
  3. The child’s date of birth;
  4. The immunizations from which the child’s parent is requesting an exemption;
  5. A statement that the parent is requesting the exemption based on religious beliefs, and
  6. The signature of the child’s parent and the date signed.

C. A child is exempt from the applicable immunization requirements in R9-6-702, as allowed by A.R.S. § 15-873(A)(2), if the child’s parent submits to a school or child care a certification of medical exemption from immunization, in a Department-provided format, that contains:

  1. The parent’s name;
  2. The child’s name;
  3. The child’s date of birth;
  4. The immunizations from which the child’s parent is requesting an exemption;
  5. A statement that the parent is requesting a medical exemption according to A.R.S. § 15-873(A)(2);
  6. Statements from a physician or registered nurse practitioner that:
    1. The immunizations specified according to subsection (C)(4) may be harmful to the child’s health;
    2. Indicate the specific nature of the medical condition or circumstance that precludes immunization;
    3. Indicate whether the medical exemption is permanent or temporary; and
    4. If the medical exemption is temporary, provide the date the medical exemption ends;
  7. The signature of the physician or registered nurse practitioner providing the medical exemption and the date signed; and
  8. The signature of the child’s parent and the date signed;

D. A child is exempt from the applicable immunization requirements in R9-6-702 due to immunity if the child’s parent submits to a school or child care:

  1. A certification of medical exemption from immunization due to immunity, in a Department-provided format, that contains:
    1. The parent’s name
    2. The child’s name;
    3. The child’s date of birth;
    4. The name of each disease for which the child’s parent is requesting an exemption from immunization requirements;
    5. A statement that the parent is requesting a medical exemption from immunization due to the child’s immunity to a disease;
    6. A statement from a physician or registered nurse practitioner that the physician or registered nurse practitioner has determined that the child is immune to the disease specified according to subsection (D)(1)(d), for which an exemption from immunization requirements is being requested, based on:
      1. For measles, rubella, or varicella, a review by the physician or registered nurse practitioner of laboratory evidence of immunity for the child; or
      2. For a disease other than measles, rubella, or varicella, a review by the physician or registered nurse practitioner of either:
        1. Laboratory evidence of immunity for the child, or
        2. The medical records of the physician or registered nurse practitioner;
    7. The signature of the physician or registered nurse practitioner providing the medical exemption and the date signed; and
    8. The signature of the child’s parent and the date signed; and
  2. If applicable, a copy of the laboratory evidence of immunity.

E. An administrator of a school or a child care administrator shall:

  1. Include a child’s exemption from the requirements in R9-6-702 in the documentation required in R9-6-705(A)(1);
  2. If a child has a temporary medical exemption:
    1. Allow the child to attend a school or child care until the date the temporary exemption ends; and
    2. At least 30 calendar days before the temporary medical exemption ends, notify the child’s parent in writing of the date by which the child is required to complete all immunizations.

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