Table of Contents:

1. I. REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL AND CHILDCARE ATTENDANCE.

   II. EXEMPTIONS.

   III. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

   IV. COMPLIANCE.

2. I. REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL AND CHILDCARE ATTENDANCE.

   1. A. No child or person shall be admitted to or retained in any public, private, or parochial school, grades kindergarten through twelve (K-12), or any public or private childcare facility as defined in Code Section 63-13-20 without a valid South Carolina Certificate of Immunization. To be valid, the South Carolina Certificate of Immunization must be signed by a licensed physician or his/her authorized representative. Exemptions to this requirement are authorized in Section II of this regulation.
   2. B. A South Carolina Certificate of Immunization must be presented to school or childcare officials on admission and as required to document any subsequent immunizations required by the Department. School and childcare officials shall keep a copy of the Certificate with the child’s or person’s record.
   3. C. The standard to obtain a South Carolina Certificate of Immunization shall be compliance with the schedule of required immunizations for school and childcare attendance published by the Department. The schedule of required immunizations shall apply to any child attending school or childcare after the effective dates indicated in the schedule unless otherwise stipulated by the Department.
   4. D. Blank forms for the South Carolina Certificate of Immunization will be provided to licensed physicians and their authorized representatives by the Department. The Certificate of Immunization may also be generated for signature using the statewide immunization registry.
   5. E. Registered family childcare homes are exempt from requirements of this regulation.

   6. F. “Childcare facility” and “childcare” in this regulation have the meaning given in Code Section 63-13-20 and are intended to include the terms child care, childcare facility, day care facility, child day care facility, day care, and family day care homes, as used in Code Section 44-29-180.

      II. EXEMPTIONS.

   7. A. Students may be exempt from the immunization requirements of this regulation for the following reasons:

      1. 1. Medical Exemption.

         A Medical Exemption, may be granted when a licensed physician has determined, for medical reasons, that a particular vaccine(s) required by this regulation is not advisable for the child. The exemption is granted when the physician or his/her authorized representative completes and signs the South Carolina Certificate of Immunization containing the Medical Exemption. The physician must indicate whether the exemption is permanent or temporary. If the exemption is temporary, an updated South Carolina Certificate of Immunization showing proof of immunization must be presented to the school or childcare by the end of the exemption period.

      2. 2. Religious Exemption.

         A South Carolina Certificate of Religious Exemption may be granted to any student whose parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis signs the appropriate section of the South Carolina Certificate of Religious Exemption stating that one or more immunizations conflicts with their religious beliefs. The Certificate of Religious Exemption form may only be obtained from the local health department.

      3. 3. Special Exemption.

         1. A. A South Carolina Certificate of Special Exemption, signed by the school principal, authorized representative, or childcare director may be issued to transfer students while awaiting arrival of medical records from their former area of residence or to other students who have been unable to secure immunizations or documentation of immunizations already received. At the expiration of this special exemption, the student must present a valid South Carolina Certificate of Immunization, or a valid South Carolina Certificate of Medical Exemption, or a valid South Carolina Certificate of Religious Exemption. Completion of the Medical Exemption section of the Certificate of Immunization satisfies the requirement for the South Carolina Certificate of Medical Exemption.

         2. B. Blank forms for the South Carolina Certificate of Special Exemption will be provided by the Department to school and childcare administrators.

            III. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS.

            Forty five (45) calendar days after the beginning of each school year, school principals must submit to the local health department, on forms provided by the Department, the numbers of students admitted to school with South Carolina Medical Exemptions, South Carolina Certificates of Religious Exemption, and South Carolina Certificates of Special Exemption as provided in Section II of this regulation.

            IV. COMPLIANCE.

            Representatives of the Department will audit school and childcare records to insure compliance with this regulation.

Statutory Authority

S.C. Code Sections 44-29-40(A) and 44-29-180 (2002 & Supp. 2012)).

HISTORY: Amended by State Register Volume 16, Issue No. 4, eff April 24, 1992; State Register Volume 38, Issue No. 6, Doc. No. 4434, eff June 27, 2014; State Register Volume 38, Issue No. 7, Doc. No. 4434, eff July 25, 2014 (errata). Transferred from 61-8 by SCSR 49-5 Doc. No. 5352, eff May 23, 2025.