Wisconsin school enrollment requires immunization documentation under Wis. Stat. §252.04 — including a recently added Hepatitis A requirement that families moving from other states frequently miss. Records from your previous state don't automatically appear in Wisconsin's WIR registry. Here's how to transfer your children's health records and get enrolled without last-minute gaps.
Last verified: September 8, 2026
Under Wis. Stat. §252.04, Wisconsin schools must have documented immunization records — or a valid exemption — for every enrolled student before the first day of school. The primary document is the Student Immunization Record DHS 140.05, completed and signed by a licensed healthcare provider.
Wisconsin requires two Hepatitis A doses for kindergarten entry. Many states do not include Hep A in their school immunization requirements, so children who received their vaccinations in another state may be missing this series entirely. The two doses are spaced at least 6 months apart — if your child needs both doses, begin the series as soon as possible after your move.
Always consult your new Wisconsin pediatrician to review what's on the existing record and what Wisconsin requires. They can advise on catch-up schedules for any gaps identified.
Source: Wisconsin DHS — School Immunization Requirements; Wis. Stat. §252.04, accessed Aug 30, 2026
Wisconsin's statewide immunization tracking system is the Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR). School nurses, healthcare providers, and local health departments use WIR to verify vaccination status. However, if your child has never received care from a Wisconsin provider, their record almost certainly does not exist in WIR. Interstate immunization registry data sharing between states is limited — each state runs an independent system.
This is one of the most common surprises for families moving to Wisconsin: the school nurse runs a WIR check and finds nothing. The fix is straightforward but requires preparation before your move:
Ask your current pediatrician to print and sign your child's complete immunization history — every dose, every date, every provider. This paper record is the only bridge between your child's prior history and Wisconsin's WIR system.
When your new Wisconsin provider sees your child for the first time, they will enter documented prior doses into WIR, creating a Wisconsin registry record. Bring the signed paper immunization history to this first visit — it's the source document for everything the provider will enter.
After the first provider visit, ask your new Wisconsin pediatrician or local health department to confirm that a WIR record now exists. If enrollment is imminent, you can use the completed paper immunization record (or the physician-completed DHS 140.05) while waiting for WIR entry.
Source: Wisconsin DHS — Wisconsin Immunization Registry, accessed Aug 30, 2026
Immunization records are just one part of transferring your child's health history. The full medical record — growth charts, allergy history, specialist notes, prior diagnoses, developmental screenings — needs to move too, and it usually doesn't happen automatically.
Under federal HIPAA regulations, you have the right to request a complete copy of your child's medical records from any provider. Submit a written records-release request before your move. Most practices charge a small copying fee and have 30 days to provide the records.
Finding a new pediatrician quickly after a move is important — especially if school enrollment is imminent and you need the DHS 140.05 form completed by a Wisconsin licensed provider. Some steps to expedite:
Moving is when the gaps in a child's health record become visible. Records in one state's portal, immunization history in a system the new state can't read, growth charts on paper somewhere in a moving box.
Family Stork keeps one continuous timeline from the first checkup — regardless of how many states, how many pediatricians, or how many portals your family has moved through. Give any Wisconsin clinic your child's private @families.familystork.com address. Visit summaries arrive and file themselves. When your new Wisconsin school asks for documentation, the entire record is organized, searchable, and ready.
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Wisconsin recognizes medical, religious, and personal conviction exemptions from school immunization requirements under Wis. Stat. §252.04(3). Each type has distinct documentation requirements. For exemption forms and the official process, contact the Wisconsin Department of Health Services — Immunization Program.
Give any Wisconsin clinic your child's private @familystork address. They send records; the timeline builds itself. No portal logins, no uploads, nothing for the clinic to learn.
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