South Carolina Code Section 44-29-180 (A) requires schools to maintain records of vaccinations or immunizations. Annually, South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH, formally DHEC) requires public and private schools to complete the School Summary of Student Immunization Status to obtain the number of students enrolled in South Carolina schools that are adequately protected against certain vaccine-preventable diseases (DPH Regulation 61-8). Principals/school administrators submit this report, which includes the number of students admitted to school with exemptions, within forty-five (45) calendar days after the beginning of each school year. This process also ensures that schools identify students who are not adequately protected and can either refer them to a health care provider for vaccination or have an available list in the case of a disease outbreak. In the case of an outbreak, students who are not vaccinated against the disease will be recommended to be excluded from school until the outbreak has been declared over.

Below are descriptions of the various categories of students enrolled who have received all required immunizations for school entry, religious exemptions, and medical exemptions for the last five (5) school years.

View the Number and Rates of Students in Each of the Below Categories

South Carolina Students Enrolled in Public and Private Schools with Required Immunizations in Last Five School Years 

Students with required immunizations for school entry have presented a valid Certificate of Immunization documenting receipt of all required vaccines at appropriate intervals and with no medical reason not to be vaccinated. 

South Carolina Students Enrolled in Public and Private Schools with Medical Exemptions in Last Five School Years 

Students with medical exemptions have presented a valid Certificate of Immunization with medical reasons not to reasons not to receive one or more vaccines as authorized by a licensed health care provider.  

South Carolina Students Enrolled in Public and Private Schools with Religious Exemptions in Last Five School Years 

Students with a religious exemption have presented a valid Certificate of Religious Exemption. A religious exemption may be granted to any student whose parent(s), legal guardian, or person in loco parentis signs and has notarized the Statement of Religious Objection of the South Carolina Certificate of Religious Exemption.