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North Carolina Immunization Program (NCIP) Requirements

Enrollment Requirements

The North Carolina Immunization Program (NCIP) works in conjunction with the federal vaccine supply program, called the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, to provide vaccines free of cost to health care providers across the state.

Participating health care providers must administer these vaccines according to NCIP guidelines. Providers may not charge patients for the cost of the vaccines, but they can charge an administration fee for each state-supplied vaccine given in an encounter. The administration fee may not exceed the rate established by the state's Medicaid program.

Over ninety percent of pediatricians who administer childhood immunizations in North Carolina are NCIP participants.

Click here for the North Carolina Vaccines for Children (VFC) onboarding roadmap with more information on becoming a VFC program provider.

Provider Responsibilities

NCIP participants must submit to the requirements of our program. These requirements include but are not limited to:

• Signing a legally-binding program agreement annually (only physicians licensed to practice medicine in North Carolina may sign an NCIP Provider Agreement),
• Allowing N.C. Immunization Branch staff to perform periodic site visits,
• Administering vaccines according to required guidelines,
• Maintaining correct storage and handling procedures for vaccines, and
• Accounting for every dose of state-supplied vaccine received.
• Annually participating in an approved CDC educational requirement training opportunity.

NCIP Procedures and Best Practices

Access the following resources to learn more about program and procedure information on the NCIP:

Storage and Handling

• Emergency Vaccine Management Plan (PDF, 192 KB)
• Emergency Vaccine Management Plan (DOC, 34 KB)
• Routine Vaccine Management Plan (PDF, 160 KB)
• Routine Vaccine Management Plan (DOC, 57 KB)

Program Enrollment, Annual Recertification & Withdrawing

• Sample Local Health Department Vaccine Agreement (PDF, 1.18 KB)
• Sample Private Provider Vaccine Agreement (PDF, 1.74 KB)
• NCIP Vaccine Enrollment FAQs (PDF, 198 KB)
• Re-Enrollment Statement (PDF, 21 KB)
• Withdrawing from NCIP (PDF, 8 KB)

Who Should Join

Health care providers who administer vaccines to children eligible for the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program should join the NCIP program. Children through 18 years of age that meet at least one of the following criteria are eligible for VFC vaccine:

• Medicaid enrolled - a child who is eligible or enrolled in the Medicaid program.
• Uninsured - a child who has no medical insurance coverage.
• American Indian or Alaskan Native
• Underinsured (Can only be served by deputized providers) -
  • children who have commercial (private) health insurance but the coverage does not include vaccines,
  • children whose insurance covers only selected vaccines (VFC-eligible for non-covered vaccines only), or
  • children whose insurance caps vaccine coverage at a certain amount - once that coverage amount is reached, these children are categorized as underinsured.

Providers who serve only adult patients or insured children cannot join the NCIP

How to Join

To become an NCIP provider, please call (919) 707-5598.

Note: NCIP enrollment is not open to pharmacies. To learn more information on how to join the North Carolina Immunization Registry and access training materials, visit our Pharmacy section.

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