Alabama requires a current Certificate of Immunization (COI) under Alabama Code §16-30-1 before your child can attend school. Alabama is one of the earliest school-start states — many districts begin in early August — which means your enrollment deadline may arrive faster than you expect. Here's what Alabama requires, how to get those records, and how to make the handoff work from the first week.
Last verified: September 8, 2026
Alabama Code §16-30-1 requires a current Certificate of Immunization (COI) for school entry. No child may attend school without a COI or an approved exemption on file.
What Alabama does NOT require at the state level: Alabama does not mandate a physician-signed physical examination for K–12 enrollment, and does not require Hepatitis A or meningococcal vaccine for general school entry. Individual districts may request additional documentation for sports — confirm with your school.
When you enroll at a new Alabama school, the receiving school requests records from your former district. Interstate transfers can take several weeks — and Alabama's early-August start dates leave less buffer than most states. Keep complete copies of everything. Your own immunization records and well-child exam documentation prevent delays while the official transfer processes.
Source: Alabama Code §16-30-1; ADPH — Immunization Division, accessed Aug 31, 2026
AIR (Alabama Immunization Registry) records doses administered by participating providers across the state. If your child received any vaccines in Alabama previously, those doses may be in AIR. Your new Alabama pediatrician can access AIR and print your child's record. You can also contact your county health department for a printout.
For doses given in your previous state, bring a signed immunization record from your former pediatrician. Out-of-state records do not automatically transfer to AIR. Your new Alabama provider will enter prior documented doses into AIR at your child's first visit, then complete the COI.
Source: ADPH — Immunization Division, accessed Aug 31, 2026
When you establish care with a new Alabama pediatrician, bring:
Your new Alabama provider will enter out-of-state vaccine doses into AIR, verify all required doses are documented, and issue the COI. Schedule this appointment as soon as possible — Alabama's early start dates leave less buffer than most states.
Request complete medical records from every provider — pediatrician, specialists, dentist. Ask for a signed immunization history listing every vaccine and date. Check your current state's immunization registry for a printout. Alabama's requirements are straightforward (no physical exam mandate at the state level), but having complete records speeds the COI process.
Enroll in the new school — they'll request records from your former district. Bring whatever immunization documentation and health records you have. Alabama has limited provisional enrollment flexibility, so prioritize getting the COI completed quickly.
Your new Alabama pediatrician will enter doses into AIR, verify the complete record, and issue the COI. If your child is entering 7th grade, confirm the Tdap booster is on file. Schedule for week one — every day without a COI is a day your child may not be able to attend.
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