New Zealand vaccine schedule & requirements
Oceania · NZ
Last updated: 2026-07-18
💉 Vaccination Schedule
6 weeks
3 months
5 months
12 months
15 months
4 years
🏫 School & Institutional Requirements
▶ 🏫 Public Schools (K–12)
New Zealand runs a funded National Immunisation Schedule. School-entry legal mandates are limited; documentation and outbreak exclusion powers may apply.
▶ 🏛 Private Schools
Private schools typically follow national immunisation recommendations.
▶ 👶 Daycare / Child Care
Early childhood education services encourage full immunisation; exclusion during outbreaks may be authorised.
▶ 🎓 Postsecondary / University
Health-professional programmes have occupational vaccine requirements.
▶ 🏥 Healthcare Workers
Occupational health programmes cover standard blood-borne and airborne pathogen vaccines.
📊 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) |
| 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: Physician-documented medical contraindication recognised by the national immunisation programme.
Renewal: As clinically indicated.
Approving authority: Licensed physician
🙏 Religious
Not AvailableFor religious beliefs
✋ Personal Belief
Not AvailableFor philosophical or personal convictions
🏠 Homeschool Information
Requirements
Homeschool immunisation rules in New Zealand follow national education and public health law. Many countries do not impose the same documentation checks as public schools; verify locally.
Reporting
Reporting obligations vary; contact the Ministry of Education / Health.
Exemptions
Medical contraindications remain the primary formal exemption pathway where mandates exist.
Notes
This summary is informational. Local statutes and municipal rules may differ.
🔗 Official Government Resources
📅 Recent Legislative & Policy Changes
2026-07-18
New Zealand national immunisation overview added to the Vaccine Schedule & Exemption Navigator.
🔬 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
▶ Where can I find the official New Zealand childhood schedule?
Start with the national immunisation page (https://www.health.govt.nz/our-work/immunisation) and cross-check ECDC/PAHO/WHO comparators. Schedules change; confirm before clinical decisions.
▶ Does New Zealand require vaccines for school?
Rules differ. Some countries mandate selected vaccines for school entry; others run voluntary programmes with strong uptake. See School & Institutional Requirements on this page and the official authority link.