Since 1978, Michigan law has required children to be up to date with required immunizations ON or BEFORE the first day of school or a licensed childcare program.

• A child who is not up to date with required immunizations will not be allowed to attend school or childcare without an immunization (vaccine) waiver, either a medical waiver signed by the child’s healthcare provider, or a nonmedical waiver certified by the local health department.
  
  
• Michigan State Law requires that to receive a nonmedical waiver, the parent or guardian must meet with health department staff to discuss questions or concerns about vaccination and to talk about the risks of what can happen if a child is not vaccinated, as well as about the benefits and potential risks of being vaccinated. Each conversation takes the specific needs and concerns of the family into account.
  
  
•  Michigan state law requires a new waiver appointment at the following times:
  
  
• Before starting childcare or preschool
• Before starting kindergarten
• Before starting 7th grade
• If the child has completed some, but not all, of the required vaccine series since the last waiver was signed
• When changing to a school outside the district for which the waiver was originally signed