Ontario vaccine schedule & school immunization requirements
Canada · ON
Last updated: 2026-07-08
💉 Vaccination Schedule
Birth
2 months
As DTaP-IPV-Hib (5-in-1)
(opens in a new tab) 💉 Polio (IPV) Dose 1Included in combination
(opens in a new tab) 💉 Hib Dose 1Included in combination
(opens in a new tab) 💉 PCV (Pneumococcal) Dose 1 (opens in a new tab) 💉 Rotavirus Dose 1Oral
(opens in a new tab) 💉 Meningococcal MenC conjugate (opens in a new tab)4 months
6 months
12 months
15 months
4–6 years
Grade 7 (age ~12)
14–16 years
🏫 School & Institutional Requirements
▶ 🏫 Public Schools (K–12)
Provincial law requires proof of immunization for designated diseases.
▶ 🏛 Private Schools
Private school requirements generally follow provincial standards.
▶ 👶 Daycare / Child Care
Licensed child-care centres require age-appropriate immunizations.
▶ 🎓 Postsecondary / University
Postsecondary institutions may have program-specific requirements (e.g., health sciences).
No specific provincial vaccine mandates at this level.
▶ 🏥 Healthcare Workers
Healthcare workers should follow NACI recommendations.
📊 Required Vaccines by Setting
| Vaccine | School | Daycare | Postsecondary | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DTaP / Tdap | ✓ | ✓ | — | View → (opens in a new tab) |
| Hepatitis B | — | — | — | View → (opens in a new tab) |
| Hib | — | ✓ | — | View → (opens in a new tab) |
| Influenza | — | — | — | View → (opens in a new tab) |
| Meningococcal | ✓ | — | — | View → (opens in a new tab) |
| MMR | ✓ | ✓ | — | View → (opens in a new tab) |
| PCV (Pneumococcal) | — | ✓ | — | View → (opens in a new tab) |
| Polio (IPV) | ✓ | ✓ | — | View → (opens in a new tab) |
| Varicella | ✓ | ✓ | — | View → (opens in a new tab) |
📝 Vaccine Exemptions
🏥 Medical
AvailableFor medical contraindications
Documentation: Submit Form 014-4897-64 signed by a physician or nurse practitioner to the school. The form must specify which vaccines are medically contraindicated and the reason.
Renewal: Must be updated if the medical condition changes; does not require automatic annual renewal.
Approving authority: Physician (MD) or Nurse Practitioner (NP)
🔗 Find the current exemption form on the official site → (opens in a new tab)🙏 Religious
AvailableFor religious beliefs
Documentation: Parent/guardian must complete the Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form AND complete a vaccine education session. The education session must be completed before the exemption form is processed. After completing education, submit the notarized (or commissioner-signed) form to the school.
Renewal: One-time for the student's time at that school level. Education session must be completed once.
Approving authority: Parent/guardian (with notarization/commissioner, plus mandatory education session)
🔗 Find the current exemption form on the official site → (opens in a new tab)✋ Personal Belief
Not AvailableFor philosophical or personal convictions
🏠 Homeschool Information
Requirements
Homeschool students in Ontario are not explicitly required to be immunized under the Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA). ISPA requires students 'attending school' to provide proof of immunization. Homeschool families are not required to submit immunization records to their local public health unit, though public health units may request records if an outbreak occurs or if public health concerns arise.
Reporting
No routine immunization reporting required. Local public health units have the authority to request records during disease outbreaks or under the Health Protection and Promotion Act, but homeschool students are not included in routine school-based immunization surveillance.
Exemptions
If requested by public health, the same exemption process applies: medical exemption (physician/nurse practitioner Statement of Medical Exemption) or religious/conscience exemption (Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief, with vaccine education session completion). However, this process is rarely triggered for homeschool families.
Notes
Ontario's ISPA (§7) applies to 'pupils attending schools.' Since the Education Act differentiates between school attendance and home schooling under §21(2)(a), homeschool students are generally not covered by ISPA. The Ontario Federation of Teaching Parents and HSLDA Canada both advise that homeschool families are exempt from ISPA's immunization requirements.
🔗 Official Government Resources
📅 Recent Legislative & Policy Changes
2026-07-01
Ontario immunization data added to Parent Decision Center.
🔬 Related Vaccine Evidence Pages
Each card links to the full VaccineDataNavigator evidence page — including clinical trials, VAERS data, pharmacovigilance, ingredients, and references.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
▶ What vaccines are required for kindergarten and school in Ontario?
Provincial law requires proof of immunization for designated diseases. Source: Ontario Ministry of Health.
▶ What vaccines does Ontario require for daycare and preschool?
Licensed child-care centres require age-appropriate immunizations.
▶ Does Ontario allow religious or personal-belief vaccine exemptions?
Ontario allows medical and religious exemptions; personal-belief exemptions are not available. Ontario uniquely requires a mandatory vaccine education session for all non-medical exemptions. Once the education module is completed and the notarized form submitted, the exemption generally remains valid throughout the student's enrollment at that school level.
▶ How do I get a vaccine exemption in Ontario?
Medical: Submit Form 014-4897-64 signed by a physician or nurse practitioner to the school. The form must specify which vaccines are medically contraindicated and the reason. Religious: Parent/guardian must complete the Statement of Conscience or Religious Belief form AND complete a vaccine education session. The education session must be completed before the exemption form is processed. After completing education, submit the notarized (or commissioner-signed) form to the school. Official forms and links for every state and province are in the exemption forms directory.
▶ What vaccines are required for college in Ontario?
Postsecondary institutions may have program-specific requirements (e.g., health sciences).