Alabama public and private schools must verify that every enrolling student has a current Certificate of Immunization (COI) on file under Alabama Code §16-30-1. This page covers which records Alabama law requires, how to retrieve them from AIR (the state immunization registry), and what happens if records are incomplete at enrollment. Alabama's early school start dates — many districts begin in early August — mean enrollment deadlines hit faster than in most states.
Last verified: September 8, 2026
Under Alabama Code §16-30-1, no child may attend school without a current Certificate of Immunization (COI) or an approved exemption. The COI is completed and signed by a licensed healthcare provider or county health department.
Alabama's required vaccines on the COI for K–12 entry:
Alabama does not require Hepatitis A or meningococcal vaccine for general school entry. A Tdap booster is required at 7th grade (see Section 3).
AIR (Alabama Immunization Registry) records doses administered by participating providers across the state. Ask your pediatrician to pull an AIR record, or contact your county health department for a printout. An AIR printout shows every dose on file.
(Source: ADPH — Immunization Division, accessed Aug 31, 2026)
Your healthcare provider verifies the immunization record (from AIR and any paper documentation) and completes the Certificate of Immunization. The COI is the official document you submit to the school.
If the record shows missing doses, your pediatrician can advise on a catch-up schedule and administer vaccines at the same visit. Alabama schools will not enroll students without a current COI — there is limited provisional enrollment flexibility, so complete the record before the first day.
Children immunized in another state or country should bring all available records to an Alabama healthcare provider. The provider reviews the history, verifies dose dates, enters documented doses into AIR, and completes a COI for school submission.
Alabama requires a Tdap booster at or before entry to 7th grade. Students who received DTaP doses as children need the adolescent Tdap booster. This is the most commonly missing vaccine at the 7th-grade checkpoint in Alabama.
If your child is entering 7th grade and hasn't received the Tdap booster, schedule with your pediatrician well before the start of the school year. The COI must reflect the Tdap dose before the student can attend.
(Source: ADPH — Immunization Division; Alabama Code §16-30-1, accessed Aug 31, 2026)
Alabama is one of the earliest school-start states in the country. Many districts begin classes in early August — some as early as the first week. Enrollment health form deadlines often fall in mid-to-late July. If you're working on immunization records for the coming school year, start the process in June or early July to avoid last-minute scheduling conflicts.
Alabama does not mandate a physician-signed physical examination at the state level for K–12 enrollment. The COI is the primary required health document. Individual districts may request additional documentation for sports or other programs — confirm directly with your school.
Every person gets one health story, and one private Family Stork email address every clinic already knows how to use. Give that address to your pediatrician or county health department — they send records to it, and the immunization history builds itself into one timeline.
When Alabama schools ask for the COI — or at the 7th-grade Tdap checkpoint — the dose dates are already filed. No last-minute requests to AIR, no hunting through old paper cards before Alabama's early enrollment deadlines.
Family Stork gives every family member a private @families.familystork.com address. Providers send immunization records to it automatically. Alabama COI documentation, AIR records, and every dose date — organized in one place, ready before enrollment. $99/year — about $10/month.
Start your family's record — freeAlabama recognizes medical and religious exemptions from school immunization requirements under Alabama Code §16-30-3. Medical exemptions require certification from a licensed physician. Religious exemptions require a written statement from the parent or guardian. Alabama does not recognize a philosophical or personal belief exemption.
For current exemption forms and processes, contact your county health department or the Alabama Department of Public Health — Immunization Division.
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Keep your family's entire health story in one place: family health timeline software — from first heartbeat and beyond.