North Carolina checks immunizations at three grade checkpoints — kindergarten, 7th grade, and 12th grade — plus requires a health assessment for kindergarten entry. Here's every form, every vaccine, and every deadline from official NC sources.
Last verified: August 26, 2026
North Carolina law (G.S. §130A-152 through §130A-157) requires all children attending school — public, private, charter, and religious — to have a current Certification of Immunization completed by their healthcare provider.
Kindergarten entry vaccines:
7th grade checkpoint: All kindergarten vaccines plus Tdap booster (1 dose) and MenACWY meningococcal conjugate (1 dose).
12th grade checkpoint: All 7th grade vaccines plus MenACWY booster (1 dose).
North Carolina requires a health assessment for all children entering kindergarten or public school for the first time (G.S. §130A-440). The assessment must be completed within 12 months before the first day of school.
The health assessment includes a physical examination, developmental screening, and review of health history. It must be completed by a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. Many pediatricians combine this with the kindergarten well-child visit.
(Source: NC DHHS — School and Child Care Immunization Requirements; G.S. §130A-440, accessed Aug 26, 2026)
North Carolina requires vision and hearing screenings at school. Under G.S. §115C-381, schools must screen students for vision and hearing defects. Screenings are typically conducted by the school nurse at specific grade levels. If your child fails a screening, the school will notify you and recommend follow-up with a specialist.
Some NC districts also participate in dental screening programs through local health departments, though this is not a state mandate for school entry.
(Source: NC DHHS — School Health Requirements; G.S. §115C-381, accessed Aug 26, 2026)
Contact your pediatrician or county health department to pull your child's record from NCIR (North Carolina Immunization Registry). This shows exactly what's documented and what vaccines are due.
For kindergarten: combine the health assessment with the immunization visit. For 7th or 12th grade: just the Tdap and MenACWY vaccines. Bring any immunization records you have — the provider will complete the Certification of Immunization.
If your child is entering kindergarten, the health assessment must be done within 12 months of the first day of school. Your pediatrician handles this during the well-child visit — just make sure to ask for the completed form.
Turn in the Certification of Immunization and health assessment (if applicable) to the school office. Keep copies of everything. You'll need these records again at the 7th and 12th grade checkpoints.
Every person in your family gets a private @familystork.com email address. Give it to your pediatrician or county health department — they send records to it, and the health story builds itself. Every vaccine date, every health assessment, every screening result — all filed automatically into one timeline.
When 7th grade arrives and the school asks for the Tdap and MenACWY proof? It's already in one place. No hunting for the kindergarten records, no calling the old pediatrician.
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North Carolina recognizes medical exemptions and religious exemptions to school immunization requirements. There is no philosophical exemption.
Governing statute: G.S. §130A-156 (medical); G.S. §130A-157 (religious).
NC DHHS — About Exemptions for Medical or Religious Reasons →
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