Vaccine requirements for child care and school
If you’ve received a suspension order
You need to report your child’s missing vaccines to Peel Region. Suspensions are lifted within 1 to 3 business days once staff verify the records. Our call centre has extended operating hours from Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to help families report vaccines.
Infections and diseases can spread among children who are not vaccinated. You can keep your child healthy by staying up to date with their vaccinations.
Review the full vaccination requirements for each setting.
If your child is in licensed child care in a centre or home, they must either:
- Be vaccinated according to the publicly funded vaccination schedule for Ontario, or
- Have a valid child care exemption.
COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccines are recommended but not required.
The child's vaccination record must be kept up to date with the child care provider.
If you have chosen not to vaccinate your child, you can apply for an exemption. If your child has a valid exemption, they may not be allowed to attend the child care centre during a disease outbreak. Outbreaks can last for several weeks.
Requesting a vaccination exemption
There are 2 types of exemptions:
- A non-medical exemption for conscience or religious beliefs
- A medical exemption
Non-medical exemptions (conscience or religious belief)
You will need to:
- Download and complete a statement of conscience or religious belief form from the Ministry of Education under the Child Care and Early Year Act. (You may not be able to download the form using a mobile device.)
- Get the form signed by a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario.
- Give the original notarized exemption form to your licensed child care provider.
Your doctor or nurse practitioner must sign a medical exemption form. For more information, call Peel Region at 905-799-7700, or toll-free 1-888-919-7800.
Medical exemptions
Your child may qualify for a medical exemption if:
- A medical condition prevents your child from receiving vaccines.
- Your child is already protected (proven to have immunity) against certain diseases.
You will need to:
- Have your doctor or nurse practitioner download and complete a statement of medical exemption form from the Ministry of Education under the Child Care and Early Year Act. (You may not be able to download the form using a mobile device.)
- Give the original completed medical exemption form to your licensed child care operator.
Once your child starts elementary school, you will need to complete the exemption process again.
Your doctor or nurse practitioner must sign a medical exemption form. For more information, call Peel Region at 905-799-7700, or toll-free 1-888-919-7800.
If your child is in school, they must either:
- Be vaccinated against certain diseases, or
- Have a valid exemption.
You are required to provide up-to-date vaccination information for your child when registering for school for the first time and each time they get a required vaccine while attending school.
Under the Immunization of School Pupils Act, you are responsible for reporting your children's vaccinations to Peel Region so your child can attend school in Ontario. Report all vaccinations as soon as you can to avoid possible suspension from school. Report your child’s vaccinations.
Vaccination requirements align with the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedules in Ontario.
If you have chosen not to vaccinate your child, you can apply for an exemption. If your child has a valid exemption, they will not be suspended from school, however, your child may not be allowed to attend school during a disease outbreak. Outbreaks can last for several weeks.
Requesting a vaccination exemption
There are 2 types of exemptions:
- A non-medical exemption for conscience or religious beliefs
- A medical exemption
Non-medical exemptions (conscience or religious belief)
Parents and guardians considering a non-medical exemption under the Immunization of School Pupils Act for children attending school in Peel must:
- Download and complete a separate statement of conscience or religious belief form from the Ministry of Health under the Immunization of School Pupils Act for each child you are requesting an exemption. (You may not be able to download the form using a mobile device.)
- Commission the form by a commissioner for taking affidavits in Ontario. (e-notarized affidavits will not be accepted.)
Send the original commissioned form by courier or registered mail to:
Peel Region
Health Services – Immunization Records
7120 Hurontario St.
Mississauga, ON
L5W 1N4- Keep a copy of the form for your records.
If you’re interested in completing a video education session or have questions about Peel Region’s vaccination exemption process, call 905-799-7700, or toll-free 1-888-919-7800.
Medical exemptions
Your child may qualify for a medical exemption for vaccinations specifically required to attend school if:
- A medical condition prevents your child from receiving vaccines, or
- Your child is already protected (proven to have immunity) against certain diseases.
Your doctor or nurse practitioner must sign a medical exemption form. For more information, call Peel Region at 905-799-7700, or toll-free 1-888-919-7800.
COVID-19 vaccine requirements
Currently, children are not required to have the COVID-19 vaccine to attend school, under Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act.
However, some settings like sports organizations may have different requirements for COVID-19 vaccination. Contact the organization directly for further details.
If you haven't reported all your child's vaccinations, you might get a letter from Peel Region asking for the information to be submitted.
If vaccines are missing, you’ll receive two letters and a suspension notice over a three-month period. This gives families time to submit documentation or catch up on vaccinations before the suspension date.
Submit your child’s vaccination records or update missing information as soon as possible to avoid suspension. It may take 5-10 business days to process their records.
Review your child’s information in the letter, for example the spelling of your child’s name, or date of birth to make sure it’s correct. Contact your child’s school if you need to update the information.
Common reasons for getting a letter from Peel Region:
- Your child’s vaccination record is not up to date with Peel Region.
The immunization record may be missing infant/initial and or booster doses. To meet the school requirements, the record must be updated with all the required number of doses for the student’s age.
Common examples of missing vaccine doses include: - A booster dose of diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus and polio given between 4 to 6 years of age.
- A booster dose of diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus given between 14 to 16 years of age.
- Your child hasn't received a vaccine.
Your child received vaccinations that do not meet the requirements of Ontario's routine vaccine schedule.
Your child is fully protected when they receive all the needed vaccine doses at the right time and at the right age. Spacing and timing of vaccines affects how the body responds to the vaccines. If immunizations were given too early or too close together, or only some of the required doses were given, your child may not be fully protected against all the diseases for which they were vaccinated.
For example: The requirement for the measles mumps rubella (MMR) vaccine includes 2 doses. The first dose must be on or after the first birthday. The 2nd dose of MMR (as MMRV) is given at 4-6 years of age.
Certain types of vaccine, such as, MMR and chickenpox (Varicella) must be given the same day or at least 28 days apart or your child may not develop immunity for the second vaccine that was given.
Your child’s vaccinations were not given on time according to the schedule.
Vaccine schedules are different in other countries and provinces. To meet Ontario’s immunization requirements, your child may need additional doses.
- You've requested an exemption, but Peel Region hasn't received the original signed and completed medical form, commissionednotarized conscience, or religious form.
Under Ontario’s Immunization of School Pupils Act (ISPA), students can be suspended from school if their vaccination records are incomplete. Suspension only take place when the required information is not provided by the deadline in the letters you receive. Students may be suspended up to 20 days.
If a student is missing vaccines, you’ll receive two letters and a suspension notice over a three-month period. This gives families time to submit documentation or catch up on vaccinations before the suspension date. Suspension orders are being mailed to students in Grades 2 to 6 and Grades 9 to 12 who have not submitted updated vaccination records as outlined in the Immunization of School Pupils Act. These orders will be issued from January through April 2026.
Vaccination requirements align with the Publicly Funded Immunization Schedules in Ontario.
If you receive a suspension order
- Check your child’s vaccination record online to make sure it is up to date.
- If your child has received vaccines but the record isn’t up to date, report the missing vaccinations. Doctors do not report vaccinations to Public Health.
- If your child needs receive missing vaccinations, make an appointment with your doctor or health care provider.
If you have questions call Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700 or toll free at 1-888-919-7800.
After you report the vaccinations, it usually takes 5 to 10 business days for Peel Region staff to review and confirm the immunization record is up to date. We are currently working with families to speed up the process. The school will then be notified so your child can return to class. Suspensions are lifted within 1 to 3 business days once we receive confirmation of vaccination.
Our call centre has extended operating hours from Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to help families report vaccines