Washington public and private schools must verify that every enrolling student's immunization history is on file before the child attends. This page covers which records Washington law requires, how to retrieve them from official sources, and what happens if records are incomplete at enrollment.
Last verified: September 8, 2026
Under WAC 246-105-030, Washington public and private schools must collect and keep immunization records for every student. The official document is the Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS), issued by Washington State Department of Health.
The CIS must show dated dose records — month, day, and year — for each of the vaccine groups required for K–12 entry under Washington's schedule:
Students entering 6th grade also require a Tdap booster and a meningococcal (MenACWY) dose.
WAIIS (Washington Immunization Information System) is Washington's statewide registry where healthcare providers file immunization records electronically. Parents may request a printed immunization history from their local health jurisdiction or authorized provider. A WAIIS-generated record is accepted by Washington schools as official documentation.
(Source: doh.wa.gov — WAIIS, accessed Aug 29, 2026)
If WAIIS doesn't have a complete record, bring existing immunization documents to your child's healthcare provider. They can verify dose dates and complete the Certificate of Immunization Status (CIS) form for school submission. The CIS form is available from your provider and from the Washington DOH.
Blank CIS forms are available from the Washington State Department of Health. Your licensed healthcare provider completes and signs the form. A parent-completed form is not accepted — provider signature is required.
(Source: doh.wa.gov/schools, accessed Aug 29, 2026)
Children who were immunized in another state or country should bring all available records to a Washington-licensed provider. The provider verifies dose dates and transfers the history onto the Washington CIS form for school submission. WAIIS can also be searched for records of children who received doses in Washington before your current enrollment.
Washington law provides a 30-day provisional admission period under WAC 246-105-040 for students who are completing their immunization requirements at the time of enrollment. During this window, the child may attend school while the family secures the missing documentation.
(Source: WAC 246-105-040, accessed Aug 29, 2026)
Kindergarten enrollment typically opens in spring. Assembling immunization records before the first day — not the first week — avoids the 30-day provisional window entirely.
(Source: RCW 28A.210.080, accessed Aug 29, 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 immunization program, or your school nurse — they send records to it, and the immunization history builds itself into one timeline.
When Washington schools ask for the CIS at enrollment — or at the 6th-grade checkpoint — the dose dates are already filed. No calling the old provider, no re-requesting from WAIIS, no searching through a drawer of paper cards.
Family Stork gives every family member a private @families.familystork.com address. Providers send immunization records to it automatically. Washington CIS records, WAIIS updates, and every dose date — organized in one place, ready for every enrollment. $99/year — about $10/month.
Start your family's record — freeWashington State recognizes two types of exemptions, governed by RCW 28A.210.080 and WAC 246-105-030:
The official exemption process and required forms are at:
More resources:
Juggling logins across multiple hospital portals? See how Family Stork compares to MyChart — one email address vs. a different portal for every clinic.
Keep your family's entire health story in one place: family health timeline software — from first heartbeat and beyond.