Maryland schools require documented immunization records for every student under Maryland Code Ann., Health-General §18-403. The central document is Maryland Form 896 — the Certificate of Immunization — which must be completed by a licensed healthcare provider. Here is everything you need to know about which records Maryland schools ask for, how to get them, and the grade-level checkpoints parents often miss.
Last verified: September 8, 2026
Maryland schools require a completed and signed Maryland Department of Health Form 896 for every enrolled student. Under Maryland Code Ann., Health-General §18-403, no child may attend a Maryland school without current immunization documentation on file. Form 896 is completed and signed by a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant.
Immunization records Maryland schools require (K–6):
ImmuNet is Maryland's immunization information system, maintained by the Maryland Department of Health. It records doses from all participating Maryland providers and is the source your physician will use to confirm your child's immunization history before signing Form 896.
How to access your child's ImmuNet record:
If you've moved from another state: ImmuNet only captures doses from Maryland providers. If your family relocated to Maryland, your child's prior immunization records will not automatically appear in ImmuNet. Bring paper records from previous providers to the pediatrician appointment so they can be included in the Form 896.
(Source: Maryland Department of Health, accessed Aug 30, 2026)
Maryland has grade-specific immunization requirements that go beyond the K–6 baseline. Under Maryland school immunization rules:
7th grade — two additional vaccines required:
12th grade — one additional vaccine required:
The 7th-grade Tdap/MenACWY gate is where Maryland schools most commonly find documentation gaps. If your child is entering 7th grade, verify both vaccines are documented — not just "in the record," but specifically documented on Form 896 — before the first day. Always consult your pediatrician about your child's specific dose history and timing.
Source: Maryland Department of Health; Health-General §18-403, accessed Aug 30, 2026
Maryland pediatricians are booked weeks in advance in August. Schedule the well-child visit in July if possible. The pediatrician needs time to complete and sign Form 896, and if any doses are missing, you need time to schedule catch-up visits.
ImmuNet only has Maryland records. If your family moved from another state, locate paper vaccination records before the appointment so your pediatrician can incorporate them into the current Form 896.
If your child is entering 7th grade, confirm at the appointment that Tdap (dated after the 10th birthday) and the first MenACWY dose are both documented on Form 896. These two vaccines are the most common gap Maryland schools identify at enrollment.
Deliver the signed Form 896 to your school's health office before the first day. Keep your own copy — you'll need it for sports physicals, future school transfers, and the 12th-grade checkpoint.
Maryland's Form 896 follows your child from kindergarten through 12th grade — but the form needs to be updated at every grade-level checkpoint. Family Stork keeps the complete immunization timeline in one place so you always know what's current and what the school needs next.
Give any Maryland clinic your child's private @families.familystork.com address. Visit summaries and vaccine records arrive and file themselves automatically. $99/year, or about $10/month. Start your child's record free →
Give any Maryland clinic your child's private @familystork address. They send records; the timeline builds itself. Form 896, ImmuNet, 7th-grade vaccines — all organized, ready when you need them.
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