Current as of 2009

Quick Fact:

"A Religious Exemption form (DHEC form 1126) can be obtained by requesting a form in person from any county public health department.  Contact numbers for county public health departments can be found at http://www.scdhec.gov/health/countymap.htm
Forms cannot be e-mailed or mailed. Follow the instructions on the form. Don't forget to have the document notarized."

Other Resources:

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control:
http://www.scdhec.gov/index.htm

State of South Carolina Legislature: http://www.scstatehouse.net/

State of South Carolina Immunization Program: http://www.scdhec.net/health/
disease/immunization/index.htm

State of South Carolina Immunization Requirements for School and Day Care, 2008-2009:
http://www.scdhec.gov/health/disease/immunization/docs/2008-2009%20Day%20Care%20&%20School%20Requirements.pdf

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TITLE 44. HEALTH
CHAPTER 29. CONTAGIOUS AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES

S.C. Code Ann. § 44-29-180 (2006)

§ 44-29-180. School pupils and day care center children to be vaccinated or immunized; department to monitor immunization records of children in day care; exemptions and exclusions.

(A) No superintendent of an institution of learning, no school board or principal of a school, and no owner or operator of a public or private child day care facility as defined in Section 20-7-2700 may admit as a pupil or enroll or retain a child or person who cannot produce satisfactory evidence of having been vaccinated or immunized so often as directed by the Department of Health and Environmental Control. Records of vaccinations or immunizations must be maintained by the institution, school, or day care facility to which the child or person has been admitted.

(B) The Department of Health and Environmental Control shall monitor the immunization status of each child who is enrolled or retained in a licensed child day care facility or a registered church or religious child day care facility. The monitoring of day care facilities shall consist of a review of the immunization or vaccination records to insure that required immunizations are complete as recommended and routinely provided by the Department of Health and Environmental Control for all infants and children.

(C) South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Regulation 61-8, as amended, "Vaccination, Screening and Immunization Regarding Contagious Diseases", and its exemptions apply to this section.

(D) A South Carolina Certificate of Special Exemption signed by the school principal, authorized representative, or day care director may be issued to transfer students while awaiting arrival of medical records from their former area of residence or to other students who have been unable to secure immunizations or documentation of immunizations already received. A South Carolina Certificate of Special Exemption may be issued only once and is valid for only thirty calendar days from date of enrollment. At the expiration of this special exemption, the student must present a valid South Carolina Certificate of Immunization, a valid South Carolina Certificate of Medical Exemption, or a valid South Carolina Certificate of Religious Exemption.

(E) Registered family day care homes are exempt from requirements of this section.