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North Carolina law requires individuals attending a college or university, whether public, private or religious, to receive certain immunizations. The registrar of the college or university is responsible for assuring the required immunizations have been received by all new (undergraduate and graduate) students enrolling in college at any time during the year.
The statute applies to all students except students residing off-campus and registering for any combination of:
If at any time the above student status changes to on-campus courses, course load of more than four (4) credit hours, on-campus residence, and/or enrollment in day-time courses, a Certificate of Immunization or record of immunization must be presented on or before the date the person first registers for a quarter or semester.
| Vaccine | Number Doses Required Before School Entry* |
|---|---|
| Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis | 3 doses |
| Polio | 3 doses |
| Measles | 2 doses |
| Mumps | 2 doses |
| Rubella | 1 dose |
| Hepatitis B (Hep B) | 3 doses |
| Varicella | 1 dose |
| Meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) | 2 doses |
*Please read below for further information
Find answers to common questions here: Frequently Asked Questions for Colleges and Universities on North Carolina Immunization Requirements.
Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis
Three doses are required for individuals entering college or university. Individuals entering college or university for the first time on or after July 1, 2008, must have had three doses of tetanus/diphtheria toxoid; one of which must be tetanus/diphtheria/pertussis.
Three doses are required for individuals entering college or university. An individual attending school who has attained his or her 18th birthday is not required to receive polio vaccine.
Two doses at least 28 days apart are required for individuals entering college or university. The requirement for a second dose does not apply to individuals who entered school, college or university for the first time before July 1, 1994. A person who has been diagnosed prior to January 1, 1994, by a physician (or designee such as a nurse practitioner or physician assistant) as having measles (rubeola) or an individual who has been documented by serological testing to have a protective antibody titer against measles is not required to receive measles vaccine. Individuals born before 1957 are not required to receive measles vaccine except in measles outbreak situations.
Two doses are required for individuals entering college or university. A physician's diagnosis is not acceptable for mumps disease(s). Individuals must be immunized or have laboratory confirmation of disease or have been documented by serological testing to have a protective antibody against mumps. Individuals born before 1957 are not required to receive the mumps vaccine. Individuals that entered college or university before July 1, 1994, are not required to receive the vaccine. Individuals that entered school, college, or university before July 1, 2008, are not required to receive the second dose of mumps vaccine.
One dose is required for individuals entering college or university. A physician's diagnosis is not acceptable for rubella disease(s). Individuals must be immunized or have laboratory confirmation of rubella disease or have been documented by serological testing to have a protective antibody titer against rubella. Any individual who has attained his or her fiftieth birthday is not required to receive rubella vaccine except in outbreak situations. Any individual who entered college or university after his or her thirtieth birthday and before February 1, 1989, is not required to receive rubella vaccine except in outbreak situations.
Three doses are required for individuals entering college or university. Hepatitis B vaccine is not required if an individual was born before July 1, 1994.
One dose is required for individuals entering college or university that were born on or after April 1, 2001. An individual who has laboratory confirmation of varicella disease immunity or has been documented by serological testing to have a protective antibody titer against varicella, or who has documentation from a physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant verifying history of varicella disease is not required to receive varicella vaccine. The documentation shall include the name of the individual with a history of varicella disease, the approximate date or age of infection, and a healthcare provider signature. Individuals born before April 1, 2001, are not required to receive varicella vaccine.
Two doses. One dose is required for individuals entering the seventh grade or by 12 years of age, whichever comes first, on or after July 1, 2015. A booster dose is required for individuals entering the 12th grade or by 17 years of age, whichever comes first. Individuals who entered seventh grade before July 1, 2015 are not required to receive the first dose. The booster dose does not apply to individuals who entered the 12th grade before August 1, 2020. If the first dose is administered on or after the 16th birthday, a booster dose is not required. Individuals born before January 1, 2003 shall not be required to receive meningococcal conjugate vaccine.
North Carolina law requires children receive certain vaccines. But in order to be fully protected from vaccine-preventable diseases, children should receive all age-appropriate immunizations.
For more information about vaccine preventable diseases and immunizations recommended, please refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and the Immunize.org.
Information on vaccination requirements and resources for communicating with parents can be found on our Resources for Schools page.
Updated: July 29, 2024
