Many parents maintained their own vaccine records for their children.  This is especially common for students who were vaccinated before doctors’ offices had computerized records.  Very often, these immunization cards will be long fold-out cards that medical providers used stamps and old-fashioned handwriting to document vaccines given.    We can oftentimes accept a good digital photo of this full document as proof of immunity. Parents often tuck these records away with baby books and other childhood mementos. Sometimes they’re tucked with important papers like birth certificates. Be sure to take photos of the full record and upload it.

Your doctor’s office will often have a copy of these records on hand. If you turned 18 recently (within the last ten years or so) and switched from a pediatrician to another primary care physician, your pediatrician’s office may still have these records. Your current medical provider may also have a number of vaccine records for you. In order to obtain these records, your doctor may ask you to complete a Release of Information form. That process usually takes about a week to complete.

In many states, students are required to submit vaccines at some point during their primary and secondary education.  For students who have graduated from high school within the last several years, try contacting your school system and asking for a copy of your vaccination records.

If you have previously enrolled in or attended another college or university, you may have been required to provide them with immunizations.  Records are often held for multiple years.  You may also have received immunizations at their health center that could help you meet SDSU's requirement.  Search the univeristy's website for information about obtaining records.

If you enlisted in any branch of the military and completed military service, you very likely have vaccine records on file with them.  Contact your last military healthcare provider for records.  The military tends to prefer titers (blood tests) and we are happy to accept those tests that show positive immunity.  And thank you for your service!

In many states, doctors' offices are required to upload vaccines given to children directly into a statewide vaccine registry system.  Many states have portals where citizens of that state (or former citizens of that state) can access records.

If you are a California resident, SDSU already has an interface with the California immunization registry and has imported any records that this system had on file for you. 

For residents of other states, you can use the information from the Centers for Disease Control to locate contact information for your state's registry.  

Don't forget--you want to contact the registry for the state where you lived when you were a child.  Many of the vaccines SDSU requires were likely given when you were a small child, though some of the vaccines would have been given during your middle and high school years.

If you cannot locate records, but you recall getting vaccinated as a child, you can provide laboratory evidence of immunity to meet a few of the requirements.  Your medical provider can order blood tests to check for immunity to the following: 

• Measles, Mumps, Rubella
• Varicella (chickenpox)
• Hepatitis B

Currently enrolled students may plac an online order request for titers on the Forms tab in HealtheConnect using the Immunity Test Order Request Form.