How to locate your immunization/vaccination records

Unfortunately, there is no national database of immunization/vaccination records. The only records that exist are the documents you or your parents were given when you were vaccinated, and the medical records kept by the doctor or clinic where you were vaccinated.[2690] If you need official copies of your immunization/vaccination records, there are several places you can look:[2691]

    Ask a parent or guardian if they kept the records of your childhood immunizations/vaccinations;
    Check with your elementary school, high school and/or college for records of any immunizations (generally, records are kept only for 1-2 years after students leave the school system);
    Check with your correctional facility’s health care services department to see if it has kept records of your immunizations/vaccinations;
    Check with previous employers (including the military) that may have required immunizations/vaccinations;
    Check with your doctor (immunization records are kept at doctors’ offices for a limited number of years);
    Contact your state’s health department. Some states have registries that include adult immunizations/vaccinations.

NOTE: California does have a registry, but it is relatively new (within the last 10 years only), and it is not used by all doctors’ offices. For more information, visit: The California Department of Health at: http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/immunize/PG.s/FindingOldImmunizationRecords.aspx; or The California Immunization Registry at: http://www.ca-siis.org/.

  1. 2690

    Ctrs. for Disease Control & Prevention, Vaccine Information for Adults: Keeping Your Vaccine Records Up to Date, http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/vaccination-records.html#record-vacc.

  2. 2691

    Ctrs. for Disease Control & Prevention, Vaccine Information for Adults: Keeping Your Vaccine Records Up to Date, http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/vaccination-records.html#record-vacc; see also Cal. Dep’t of Public Health Programs, Finding Old Immunization Records, http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/immunize/PG.s/FindingOldImmunizationRecords.aspx.