To opt your child out of required school or child care vaccinations in Arizona, you file an Arizona immunization exemption form issued by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS). There are three: a personal belief form for K–12 students, a religious belief form for child care, preschool, and Head Start, and a medical exemption form that works in any setting. You submit the completed form to your child’s school or facility, not to ADHS, and it needs to be on file before the first day of attendance.
Which Form You Need
The right form depends on two things: your child’s setting and your reason for declining vaccination. A form filed under the wrong category will be rejected.
Personal Belief Exemption (K–12 Only)
If your child is in kindergarten through twelfth grade and you’re declining vaccines for non-religious personal reasons, use the personal belief form. Under A.R.S. § 15-873, you sign a statement confirming you’ve received ADHS information about the benefits of vaccination and the risks of not vaccinating, and that you do not consent based on personal beliefs.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 15 Section 15-873 – Exemptions; Nonattendance During Outbreak Only your signature is required. No doctor is involved.
This form is not accepted at child care centers, preschools, or Head Start programs.2Arizona Department of Health Services. Arizona Immunization Handbook for Schools and Child Care Programs
Religious Belief Exemption (Child Care and Preschool Only)
For children in child care, preschool, or Head Start, the non-medical option is the religious belief form under A.R.S. § 36-883. You state that immunization conflicts with the tenets and practices of a recognized church or religious denomination of which you or your child is a member.3Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 36-883 – Standards of Care; Rules; Classifications Your signature is the only one needed.4Arizona Department of Health Services. Religious Beliefs Exemption Form for Child Care, Preschool, and Head Start Programs The form is limited to child care and preschool settings and cannot be used for K–12.
Medical Exemption (Any Setting)
A medical exemption is valid from child care through twelfth grade. It requires a licensed physician (MD or DO) or registered nurse practitioner to certify that one or more required vaccines may be harmful to your child’s health. The provider names the specific medical condition and marks the exemption as permanent or temporary.5Justia Regulations. Arizona Administrative Code R9-6-706 – Exemptions From Immunizations A temporary exemption must include the exact date it ends. A permanent medical exemption has no expiration and does not need to be resubmitted as long as your child stays at the same school or facility.2Arizona Department of Health Services. Arizona Immunization Handbook for Schools and Child Care Programs
If your child has already had a vaccine-preventable disease and developed natural immunity, that’s also handled on the medical exemption form. A provider signs a statement of immunity. For measles and rubella specifically, the provider must have serologic (blood test) evidence of immunity before signing, so plan to attach lab results.6Legal Information Institute. Arizona Administrative Code R9-6-704 – Standards for Documentary Proof of Immunization or Immunity
How to Fill Out the Form Correctly
ADHS forms are the only versions schools and child care facilities are allowed to accept, and they cannot be altered.2Arizona Department of Health Services. Arizona Immunization Handbook for Schools and Child Care Programs A homemade letter or modified form will be rejected. You can download the forms from the ADHS Bureau of Immunization Services website or pick one up from your child’s school or facility.
Each form asks you to mark which specific vaccines you’re declining. You can exempt from all required vaccines or only some. The form lists the vaccines required for your child’s setting so you can check the ones that apply.7Arizona Department of Health Services. Arizona Guide to Immunizations Required for Entry Grades K-12
Personal Belief and Religious Belief Forms
Both non-medical forms use the same basic structure. You fill in:
- Your name as parent or guardian
- Your child’s name and date of birth
- The specific vaccines you are declining
- A statement that the exemption is based on personal beliefs (K–12) or religious beliefs (child care/preschool)
- Your signature and the date
The personal belief form also contains ADHS information about the risks and benefits of each vaccine, and by signing you confirm you’ve reviewed it.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 15 Section 15-873 – Exemptions; Nonattendance During Outbreak Every field must be filled in. A missing signature or blank line gives the school grounds to reject it.
Medical Exemption Form
The medical form has two sections. You complete the parent portion with your child’s identifying information and sign it. The physician or nurse practitioner completes the clinical portion, which must include:5Justia Regulations. Arizona Administrative Code R9-6-706 – Exemptions From Immunizations
- Which vaccines are being exempted
- The specific medical condition making vaccination harmful
- Whether the exemption is permanent or temporary
- If temporary, the exact end date
- The provider’s signature and date
Once a temporary exemption expires, your child must receive the postponed vaccines or be excluded from attendance.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 15 Section 15-873 – Exemptions; Nonattendance During Outbreak
Where and When to Submit the Form
Turn the signed form in directly to your child’s school or child care facility, usually to the administrator, registrar, or school nurse. Do not send it to ADHS. The school reviews it for completeness and keeps it in your child’s permanent health record.
File before your child’s first day. Under A.R.S. § 15-872, a school administrator must suspend any student who lacks both proof of immunization and a valid exemption.8Arizona Legislature. Arizona Code 15-872 – Proof of Immunization; Noncompliance; Notice to Parents In child care and preschool, a child missing required vaccines must receive a dose within 15 days of enrollment or may not continue attending.9Arizona Department of Health Services. Arizona Guide to Immunizations Required for Entry – Child Care, Preschool, or Head Start Having the exemption on file from day one prevents any gap.
What an Exemption Does Not Protect Against
An approved exemption doesn’t guarantee your child stays in class year-round. During an outbreak of a vaccine-preventable disease, exempt students can be sent home. A.R.S. § 15-873(C) provides that students without proof of immunization may not attend school during outbreak periods as determined by ADHS or the local county health department.1Arizona Legislature. Arizona Revised Statutes Title 15 Section 15-873 – Exemptions; Nonattendance During Outbreak The health department notifies the school, which then excludes affected students.
The statute sets no fixed duration. Exclusion lasts as long as the health department considers the outbreak active, which for diseases like measles can run several weeks. The only way to return early is to get the relevant vaccine. This applies to every exemption type, including medical exemptions.
Transferring Between Schools or Settings
An exemption filed at one school does not follow your child to a new one. The ADHS handbook states that a new form must be completed when a student enrolls in a new school, regardless of any exemption previously on file elsewhere.2Arizona Department of Health Services. Arizona Immunization Handbook for Schools and Child Care Programs The same applies to a child moving from preschool into kindergarten: the religious belief form used in preschool doesn’t carry into K–12, and you’ll need to file the personal belief form instead.