Immunization Waiver Information

Michigan parents or guardians opting out of the vaccinations required for their child or children to attend childcare or school, must request a waiver from their local public health department. In Washtenaw County, Washtenaw County Health Department is providing the required educational sessions.

Please note: The Washtenaw County Health Department is not providing waivers for the COVID-19 vaccine. The COVID-19 vaccine is not currently listed as one of the required childhood immunizations. As a result, we are not providing educational sessions or waivers for the COVID-19 vaccine. Please speak to your school or pediatrician for assistance.

Don’t wait for the summer rush to schedule! Depending on staffing and the volume of requests, it may take up to three weeks to get a waiver appointment. Please call (734) 544-6700 to schedule.

Waiver Required for Enrollment

If a child is not up-to-date on their vaccinations, a waiver is required for the child to enroll in:

  • A licensed childcare
  • Preschool or Head Start
  • Kindergarten
  • Seventh grade
  • A new school district (or a new charter or private school)

Parents or guardians of school-age children entering other grades and remaining in the same school district do not need to request a wavier at this time, even if their child or children are not fully vaccinated.

Filling Out a Waiver

Nonmedical waivers are completed by appointment at the Washtenaw County Health Department. Appointments take approximately 20 minutes. Please call 734-544-6700 to schedule your appointment. 

Waivers cannot be mailed or completed over the phone. Waiver appointments include a brief educational session before parents and health department staff will complete the waiver together in the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR), therefore this appointment must be held in person at the Health Department.

Informed Decisions

“There’s been a lot of debate in recent years. We can provide reliable information and local data about the benefits of vaccination and the risks of vaccine-preventable illnesses,” says Jane Nickert, MSN, MSBA, director of nursing for Washtenaw County Health Department. “Local families can then make their own informed decisions.”

Michigan allows philosophical and religious waivers, which means that no one seeking an immunization waiver for their child is denied. If a child can't receiving a vaccine because of a medical condition, they will need a medical exemption form from their doctor’s office.

More Information

In December 2014, the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules approved an educational requirement for Michigan parents opting their children out of getting vaccinated before entering school. See information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) on the change.