South Carolina public and private schools must verify that every enrolling student's immunization history is complete and on file under SC Code §44-29-180. This page covers which records South Carolina law requires, how to retrieve them from SIMON (the state immunization registry), and what happens if records are incomplete at enrollment.
Last verified: September 8, 2026
Under SC Code §44-29-180, every student must present a signed immunization certificate from a licensed healthcare provider or SC DHEC before the first day of school.
South Carolina's required vaccine groups for K–12 entry include:
South Carolina does not require Hepatitis A for school entry (unlike Maryland or Virginia). Always verify the current year's requirements with SC DHEC.
SIMON (South Carolina Immunization Record) is the state's immunization registry. Healthcare providers report doses to SIMON electronically. Ask your pediatrician to print a SIMON record at your child's next visit, or contact your county health department for a printout.
(Source: SC DHEC — SIMON, accessed Aug 31, 2026)
Your healthcare provider completes and signs the immunization certificate based on the SIMON record and any paper documentation you bring. This certificate is the document you submit to the school.
If the record shows missing doses, your pediatrician can advise on a catch-up schedule. South Carolina allows a 30-day provisional enrollment period while catch-up vaccinations are in progress — contact your school health office for the current policy.
Children immunized in another state or country should bring all available records to a South Carolina healthcare provider. The provider reviews the history, verifies dose dates, and can enter documented prior doses into SIMON. An SC DHEC immunization certificate can then be completed for school submission.
South Carolina requires two additional vaccines specifically for 7th grade entry:
If your child is entering 7th grade and hasn't received either vaccine, schedule with your pediatrician well before the start of the school year. These are the two most commonly missing vaccines at the 7th-grade checkpoint — always confirm scheduling with your child's provider.
(Source: SC DHEC — School Immunization Requirements; SC Code §44-29-180, accessed Aug 31, 2026)
Under SC Code §44-29-180, immunization documentation must be on file before a student can attend school. South Carolina does allow a 30-day provisional enrollment period for students whose records are incomplete but who are actively in the process of completing required vaccinations.
(Source: SC Code §44-29-180, accessed Aug 31, 2026)
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, your county health department, or your school nurse — they send records to it, and the immunization history builds itself into one timeline.
When South Carolina schools ask for the immunization certificate — or at the 7th-grade Tdap and MenACWY checkpoint — the dose dates are already filed. No last-minute requests to SIMON, no hunting through old paper cards before the enrollment deadline.
Family Stork gives every family member a private @families.familystork.com address. Providers send immunization records to it automatically. SC DHEC certificates, SIMON records, and every dose date — organized in one place, ready before enrollment. $99/year — about $10/month.
Start your family's record — freeSouth Carolina recognizes medical and religious exemptions from school immunization requirements under SC Code §44-29-180. Medical exemptions require documentation from a licensed physician. Religious exemptions require a written statement.
For exemption forms and the official process, contact the SC DHEC — Immunization Program.
More resources:
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