School registration. Camp enrollment. A new provider asking for history. The vaccine card that was in the junk drawer isn't there anymore. Here's every place your child's immunization records exist — and the fastest path to a complete, official copy.
Best first call. The pediatrician's practice maintains immunization records for every patient. Call the office and ask for a printed immunization record or the completed Certificate of Immunization your state requires. They can typically produce this within 1–3 business days.
If you use a patient portal (MyChart, healow, etc.), check the Health Summary or Immunizations section — many practices post this automatically after visits.
The most complete source. Every state maintains an Immunization Information System (IIS) — a registry of vaccinations administered across all providers in the state. When your child gets a vaccine at any provider, it's typically reported to the registry.
Your child's pediatrician can pull directly from the registry and complete the school's required Certificate of Immunization. Parents can often request registry records directly from the state health department by submitting a written request with proof of identity.
State registries by name: California (CAIR), Texas (ImmTrac2), Florida (FLSHOTS), New York (NYSIIS), Illinois (I-CARE), Georgia (GRITS), Ohio (OHIO IMPACT SIIS), Pennsylvania (KIDS Plus IIS). Find your state's registry at CDC's IIS directory.
If your pediatrician's practice uses an electronic health record system, their patient portal may list your child's vaccines under "Immunizations" or "Health Summary." Log in and look for an export or print option.
Caveat: portal immunization records may only show vaccines given at that practice — not vaccines given elsewhere (urgent care, county health, travel clinic). The state registry is more complete.
The yellow immunization record card given at the first well-child visit. Many families keep this — or try to. If you still have it, the pediatrician can use it to verify and complete the official Certificate of Immunization.
If you've lost the card, the state registry is the backup. The card is not the official school document — the state Certificate of Immunization is.
If your child was enrolled in school previously, the school nurse's office maintains a copy of the immunization record they received. Contact the school's health office with a written request. This may be useful if you've changed providers and the new provider doesn't have full history.
If your child received vaccines through the county health department (common for children on Medicaid or VFC program), the county health department maintains its own records and can issue an official immunization certificate. Contact your county health department directly.
Schools don't just want a list of vaccines. They need the state's official Certificate of Immunization form — signed by a licensed healthcare provider. The paper vaccine card alone is not sufficient for school enrollment.
The reason families scramble for immunization records is structural: records live in multiple disconnected systems. Each provider uses their own portal. The state registry is the most complete source, but parent access is limited. The paper card gets lost.
Family Stork solves this differently. Rather than searching backward for records, it collects them forward as visits happen:
No search. No calls. No waiting on faxes.
Try these in order: the pediatrician's office (they can pull from the state registry), the patient portal (MyChart or similar), the state immunization registry directly, or the county health department. The state registry is the most complete source.
Ask your child's current pediatrician to complete the state Certificate of Immunization. They can pull from the registry and sign it. County health departments can also issue the official form.
Your state's immunization registry has your child's vaccination history regardless of which provider gave the vaccines. Contact your state health department's immunization program to request a registry printout.
Family Stork keeps records current automatically — each person's @families.familystork.com address receives visit summaries from any clinic, including vaccine updates. The timeline stays complete without manual work.
Tired of managing health records for yourself and everyone you love? Family Stork organizes them for you automatically. $99/year or about $10/month.