Every person gets one health story, and one private Family Stork email address every clinic already knows how to use.
The exact requirements depend on your state and the daycare center, but the core set is remarkably consistent across the country. Nearly every licensed daycare or childcare center requires these before your child's first day:
An official record showing your child's vaccination history with dates, vaccine names, and administering provider. Most states require records to be current — meaning all age-appropriate vaccines must be documented before enrollment. Your pediatrician's office can print an official copy, or you can request it through your state's immunization registry. (Full guide to childhood immunization records →)
A physician-signed form confirming your child has had a recent physical exam (usually within the last 6–12 months) and is cleared for group childcare. Some states have their own specific form; others accept a general physical from the pediatrician. Schedule this at least 4–6 weeks before the start date — pediatrician offices get backed up.
If your child has a known allergy (food, insect, medication) or takes daily medication, most daycares require a written action plan signed by the physician. This tells caregivers exactly what to do in a reaction — which medications are authorized, dosage, and when to call 911. (Allergy records guide →)
The daycare needs to know who to call and what they're authorized to do if your child gets hurt or sick. This includes emergency contacts (at least two), the pediatrician's name and number, hospital preference, and whether the daycare may administer basic first aid or call 911 without reaching you first.
You found the daycare. You toured it. You got off the waitlist. Now they need the paperwork — often within two weeks — and suddenly you're calling the pediatrician for a physical form, calling the hospital where your child was born for the newborn records, and scrolling through a portal trying to find the immunization printout that matches the format your state requires.
Your child's vaccine records are in the pediatrician's portal. The hearing test results are from the hospital. The allergy action plan is a PDF the allergist emailed you three months ago — somewhere in your inbox. The growth chart is on a printout in a folder you haven't opened since the last checkup. No single system holds all of it, so every enrollment is a hunt.
If your child changes daycares — or you have a second child — you do it all over again. And again for preschool. And again for kindergarten. The forms change slightly, the requirements shift, but the records are the same. The question isn't whether you'll need these records again — it's whether you'll be able to find them.
Before you start gathering records, get the specific list from your daycare. Ask: which forms do you need? Do they need to be on a state-specific form? How recent does the physical need to be? Is there a form you provide, or do I bring the pediatrician's? The answers vary enough that guessing wastes time.
If the daycare requires a physical within the last 6 or 12 months, and your child's last well-child visit was before that window, schedule a new one. Pediatric offices book up — especially in August and September. Four to six weeks of lead time is safe.
Some states accept the pediatrician's printout. Others require a record pulled from the state immunization registry (IIS). Your pediatrician's office can usually print either format — just ask for the one your daycare will accept. If you're not sure, request both.
Once you've gathered the records, keep them together — not scattered across email, portals, and kitchen drawers. Family Stork gives each child one timeline where every record lives. When the next enrollment form asks for the same documents, they're already there.
Family Stork was built so parents don't have to replay the records scavenger hunt every time a daycare, school, or camp asks for paperwork.
Need to know what your state specifically requires? Check your state's daycare and school health form requirements →
Also helpful: The complete baby medical records organizer guide · Child health records checklist · What medical info to give a babysitter
At least 4–6 weeks before your child's start date. The biggest bottleneck is usually the physical exam appointment — pediatrician offices book up fast during enrollment season. Request immunization records and allergy action plans at the same appointment to save a trip.
Most daycares require age-appropriate immunizations for enrollment, though exemption policies vary by state. Talk to your pediatrician about your child's vaccine schedule and your state's requirements. Your pediatrician can advise on catch-up schedules and provide the documentation your daycare needs.
Most daycares accept copies — they make their own copies for the child's file anyway. However, some states require an "official" immunization record from the pediatrician or state registry (not a photocopy of the vaccine card). Ask your daycare which format they accept.
You start over. The new daycare needs the same records, and the old daycare doesn't transfer them. If you've been keeping records in a shoebox, you're hunting again. With Family Stork, the timeline stays the same — you just share the records with the new center.
Similar, but not identical. Schools typically have additional requirements (like vision and hearing screenings, lead testing in some states, and dental exams). Daycare requirements tend to be simpler but still include immunizations and a physical. Check your state's specific requirements →
Give any clinic the private Family Stork address shown on your child's record. They send records; the timeline builds itself. No portal logins, no uploads, nothing for the clinic to learn.
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