California residents can usually start with the state’s Digital Vaccine Record portal to download a vaccination record from the California Immunization Registry. This guide explains what CAIR shows, how to use the portal, what to do when doses are missing, and how California school, college, work, travel, and immigration situations use vaccine proof.
The fastest official way to get a California immunization record is the CDPH Digital Vaccine Record portal. It can provide a complete vaccination record from CAIR or a COVID-19-only record, depending on what you request and what has been reported. A California DVR can be used for school or childcare entry and work, but missing doses may still require help from your provider, pharmacy, school, local health department, or CAIR support.
Start with the official portal. If it cannot find your record, use the troubleshooting steps below before assuming your vaccine history is lost.
💉 Immunization Record Tools
Free interactive tools to find, verify, and plan your vaccine records — all data verified May 2026
🏛️ Instant State IIS Record Finder
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🔬 Titer Test Need Calculator
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⚡ Emergency Record Guide — How Long Do You Have?
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What Is the California Immunization Registry?
The California Immunization Registry, usually called CAIR, is California’s secure statewide immunization information system. It is used by health care providers and authorized users to track vaccines, reduce missed opportunities, and help Californians of all ages stay up to date.
Most of California uses CAIR2. CDPH also notes that the greater San Joaquin Valley uses different software called RIDE to access patient immunization records. For a normal resident trying to get a record, the main starting point is still the California Digital Vaccine Record portal.
Use the CDPH Digital Vaccine Record portal before calling old doctors or schools.
California providers who administer immunizations are required to submit vaccine information into a California registry.
Some doses may be missing because of delayed reporting, provider participation issues, or records from outside California.
How to Get Your California Immunization Record Online
Use this order when you need your California vaccine proof quickly. It starts with the official state portal, then moves to provider and CAIR support options only when needed.
- Open the California Digital Vaccine Record portal. Go to the official CDPH DVR portal at myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov. Use the same name, date of birth, and contact information that may have been used when the vaccine was given.
- Choose the record type you need. California’s DVR can provide access to a complete vaccination record from CAIR or a COVID-19-only record. For school, childcare, college, work, or personal history, choose the broader immunization record when available.
- Check your name and birth date carefully. A small mismatch can stop the system from finding your record. Try legal name, old last name, hyphenated name, or the spelling used by the clinic or pharmacy.
- Open the text or email link from CDPH. The portal sends a secure link to access your record. Save the record as a PDF or print it if your device allows it.
- Review every vaccine date before submitting it. Check the vaccine name, date, and whether required school or employer doses are present. Do not submit a partial record without checking whether missing doses can be added or documented another way.
- If the record is missing or incomplete, troubleshoot instead of starting over repeatedly. Contact the provider or pharmacy that gave the vaccine, check MyChart or another patient portal, and then use CAIR support if the dose should have been reported.
What a California Digital Vaccine Record Includes
CDPH describes the DVR as an official record that can include name, date of birth, vaccination dates, vaccines received, and future vaccine recommendations. The complete record depends on what providers and pharmacies reported to CAIR.
| Record item | Why it matters | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Name and date of birth | Confirms the record belongs to the right person. | Check spelling, old names, hyphenation, and birth date format. |
| Vaccination dates | Schools and employers usually need exact dates, not only vaccine names. | Look for complete dose series such as MMR, varicella, hepatitis B, or Tdap. |
| Vaccines received | Shows which vaccines were reported into California’s registry. | Compare against the school, employer, college, or travel requirement list. |
| Future recommendations | Can show vaccines that may be due or overdue. | Ask a clinician before assuming a recommendation equals a legal requirement. |
| COVID-19 QR code | The COVID-19 vaccine record can include a QR code for digital verification. | Regenerate a new record after a new COVID-19 dose if the old QR code is outdated. |
California SMART Health Card, QR Code, and Digital Proof
California’s COVID-19 Digital Vaccine Record can include a QR code that works with SMART Health Card readers. That QR code is mainly for COVID-19 vaccine verification. The broader California immunization record can show routine, childhood, and adult vaccines reported to CAIR, but not every routine vaccine record will function like a COVID-19 SMART Health Card.
Can include a QR code with COVID-19 vaccine details such as doses and dates.
Can show routine, adult, and childhood vaccines reported by providers and pharmacies.
Regenerate the record after reporting time has passed so the new dose appears.
If you need verified digital proof for a specific event, school, or job, ask whether they accept the California DVR PDF, the COVID-19 QR code, a provider printout, or an uploaded patient portal document. Requirements vary widely.
Why Your California Immunization Record May Be Missing Doses
A missing California vaccine dose does not always mean the vaccine was never given. It often means the dose was not reported, was reported under slightly different personal details, was entered into a different system, or was given outside California.
Try legal name, old last name, married name, hyphenated name, or the spelling used at the clinic.
The portal may not match if the phone or email differs from what was used during vaccination.
New doses may take time to appear after a provider or pharmacy reports them.
Vaccines given in Nevada, Arizona, Oregon, or another state may be in that state’s registry.
Some doses from federal systems may not appear in the same California registry record.
A locked CAIR record may limit visibility to other authorized CAIR users.
How to fix a missing California vaccine dose
- Search the DVR again with exact details. Use the name, date of birth, phone, or email most likely used when the vaccine was given.
- Check your provider portal. Many California systems use portals such as MyChart, Kaiser Permanente, Sutter, Stanford, UCLA Health, Cedars-Sinai, and other local health system accounts.
- Check pharmacy records. CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Costco, Safeway, and independent pharmacies may have separate vaccine records for flu, COVID-19, RSV, shingles, travel vaccines, or adult vaccines.
- Ask the vaccinating provider to review the CAIR entry. Ask whether the dose was submitted to CAIR and whether your name, birth date, phone, and email match.
- Contact CAIR support if the provider says the record was submitted. CDC lists California CAIR help at 800-578-7889 and CAIRHelpdesk@cdph.ca.gov.
California School and Childcare Immunization Record Requirements
California schools and childcare programs check immunization records for new admissions. CDPH’s school guidance says parents must show their child’s immunization record as proof for new student admission from transitional kindergarten or kindergarten through 12th grade and for students advancing to 7th grade.
| California school situation | Typical record need | Practical action |
|---|---|---|
| TK/K entry | Proof of required childhood vaccine series. | Use DVR, provider printout, or school-requested California immunization form. |
| New or transfer student | Record review for required doses before admission. | Bring all records, including out-of-state and foreign vaccine documents. |
| 7th grade advancement | Tdap proof is specifically checked for students advancing to 7th grade. | Confirm the Tdap dose was on or after the required age/date standard. |
| Childcare or preschool | Age-appropriate vaccine records. | Ask the provider which CDPH guide or form they use for review. |
| Medical exemption | California medical exemptions must follow CAIR-ME rules. | Use CAIR-ME through a California-licensed MD or DO when medically appropriate. |
California school record checklist
- Download the California DVR early, not the night before school starts.
- Check if the school wants the California School Immunization Record, also called the Blue Card, or accepts a CAIR/DVR printout.
- Compare the record against current CDPH Shots for School guidance.
- For a missing dose, contact the provider that gave the vaccine rather than asking the school to fix CAIR.
- Save one PDF copy for the parent and one copy for school upload or printing.
Using a California Immunization Record for College, Work, Travel, and Immigration
California immunization records are commonly requested by colleges, health care employers, travel clinics, military-related programs, and immigration medical exam offices. A CAIR/DVR printout may be enough in some situations, while others require upload into a school health portal, occupational health portal, or civil surgeon file.
| Use case | What they may request | California-specific tip |
|---|---|---|
| UC campuses | MMR, varicella, Tdap, meningococcal rules, and TB screening depending on policy. | Upload early because campus review can take time and holds may apply. |
| CSU campuses | CSU Executive Order 803 immunization and TB screening requirements. | Some campuses give processing windows after upload, so do not wait until registration. |
| Community college | May not require broad immunization proof for general enrollment, but health programs can. | Nursing, allied health, EMT, and clinical programs often have stricter requirements. |
| Health care job | MMR, varicella, hepatitis B, Tdap, flu, COVID-19, TB, and sometimes titers. | Ask occupational health whether CAIR printout, MyChart, lab titer, or pharmacy proof is preferred. |
| Travel | Routine vaccine proof plus travel-specific vaccines when needed. | CAIR helps with routine history; a travel clinic may issue separate documentation. |
| Immigration medical exam | Vaccine history reviewed by a USCIS-designated civil surgeon. | Bring DVR plus provider, pharmacy, foreign, or titer records; the civil surgeon decides what counts. |
| Personal archive | A readable PDF or paper record. | Save DVR, provider portal, pharmacy, and school copies in one folder. |
California CAIR Lock, Unlock, and Privacy Options
California gives patients, parents, and guardians the right to review the CAIR record for accuracy and to decline sharing with other CAIR users through the lock process. CDPH explains that a locked record can later be unlocked if the patient or parent changes their mind.
Limits visibility of the CAIR record to other authorized CAIR users while retaining access through the medical provider.
Restores sharing with authorized CAIR users if you decide the record should be visible again.
Patients and parents have the right to review the record and ask providers to correct vaccine details.
If a California provider, school, or childcare program says they cannot see a record that should exist, ask whether the record may have been locked or entered under different personal details.
Hard California Immunization Record Problems and What to Do
Your California doctor retired or the clinic closed
Start with the DVR portal because the old provider may have reported doses to CAIR before closing. If the record is incomplete, search for the clinic’s successor organization, health system, or medical records custodian. You can also check the Medical Board of California license lookup for provider details and ask your current provider or local health department for help reconstructing vaccine history.
You moved to California from another state
Vaccines from Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Texas, New York, or another state may not automatically appear in California CAIR. Use the CDC IIS contact directory to request records from the state where the vaccine was given. Keep both state records together if you need a complete history.
You were vaccinated outside the United States
Bring foreign vaccine documents to a California clinician, school, college health office, civil surgeon, or local health department. They may need vaccine names, dates, translations, and dose spacing. Foreign records do not automatically appear in CAIR unless a provider reviews and enters the information where appropriate.
You need same-day proof
Use the DVR first. If it fails, check the provider portal and pharmacy account. For a school or employer deadline, ask whether a provider printout, pharmacy record, titer, or temporary documentation will be accepted while the CAIR issue is corrected.
Your wildfire, flood, or disaster destroyed paper records
Digital records can be especially useful after a California disaster. Use DVR, MyChart, pharmacy apps, school records, and old employer occupational health files. If all standard routes fail, ask the requesting organization whether titers or revaccination are acceptable alternatives.
Titer Tests as Proof When California Vaccine Records Are Missing
A titer test is a blood test that looks for antibodies showing immunity. California colleges, health care employers, and clinical programs may accept positive titers for certain vaccines, especially MMR, varicella, and hepatitis B. Acceptance depends on the organization and the vaccine.
| Titer situation | Often used for | Before you pay |
|---|---|---|
| UC or health professional program | MMR, varicella, sometimes hepatitis B | Confirm the campus or program accepts the exact lab result format. |
| Health care employer | MMR, varicella, hepatitis B surface antibody | Ask occupational health whether a quantitative or qualitative result is required. |
| Immigration medical exam | Depends on USCIS civil surgeon review | Ask the civil surgeon before ordering tests independently. |
| K-12 school | Varies and may be limited | Follow CDPH school rules and school instructions before relying on a titer. |
Official California Immunization Record Resources
Use official California and federal sources first. This page is an independent guide and is not part of CDPH, CAIR, CDC, any school, any university, or any health care provider.
Official CDPH portal to request your California vaccine record.
Open DVR PortalOfficial CDPH page explaining how to access a California immunization record.
Open CAIR RecordsOfficial CDPH explanation of CAIR, CAIR2, RIDE, and authorized registry access.
Open About CAIROfficial California school and childcare immunization requirement resources.
Open Shots for SchoolOfficial CDPH page for locking or unlocking a CAIR record.
Open CAIR FormsFederal directory listing California CAIR contact details and other state registries.
Open CDC IIS ContactsOfficial University of California immunization requirement information.
Open UC RequirementsCalifornia State University immunization and TB screening requirement reference.
Open CSU RequirementsSource Verification for This California Guide
This guide was checked against CDPH CAIR record access pages, the California Digital Vaccine Record portal, CDPH About CAIR, CDPH Shots for School, CDPH CAIR lock/unlock forms, CDPH AB 1797 registry guidance, CDC IIS contacts, and California college immunization sources. Because vaccine rules, portal behavior, and school requirements can change, verify final details directly with CDPH, CAIR, your provider, your school, your employer, your university, or your civil surgeon before submitting documents.
California Immunization Record FAQs
Use the official California Digital Vaccine Record portal at myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov. It can provide access to a complete vaccination record from CAIR or a COVID-19-only record, depending on what you request and what has been reported.
CAIR stands for California Immunization Registry. It is California’s secure statewide immunization information system used by providers and authorized users to track vaccine records.
Yes. CDPH describes the DVR as an official record from CAIR that can be used for school or childcare entry and work, although the organization requesting proof decides what format it accepts.
It can show vaccines reported to CAIR by providers and pharmacies. Some doses may not appear if a provider has not reported them, if there is a delay, or if the vaccine was given outside California or in another system.
California’s main official public access route is the CDPH Digital Vaccine Record portal, not MyIR Mobile. Use the CDPH DVR portal first for California CAIR records.
Common reasons include a name mismatch, different phone or email, delayed reporting, a provider that did not report the dose, out-of-state vaccination, a locked CAIR record, or records entered into a different system.
The CDC IIS contact directory lists California CAIR phone support as 800-578-7889 and email as CAIRHelpdesk@cdph.ca.gov.
CDPH says the DVR can be used for school or childcare entry. However, each school may ask for a specific upload, Blue Card process, or additional review, so always follow the school’s current instructions.
CDPH says students advancing to 7th grade need a record of Tdap. Schools also review required immunization records for new admissions, so check current CDPH Shots for School guidance and your school’s instructions.
CDPH says new medical exemptions for California school and childcare entry must be issued through CAIR-ME by MDs or DOs licensed in California. Parents and schools should use the current CDPH CAIR-ME process.
Pharmacy vaccines may appear if they were reported correctly to CAIR. If a dose is missing, check your pharmacy account and ask the pharmacy whether it reported the dose and whether your personal details match.
Yes. CDPH provides CAIR forms that allow patients, parents, or guardians to request that a CAIR record be locked or unlocked. Locking limits sharing with other CAIR users, while unlocking restores access for authorized users.
Search the DVR first. If the record is incomplete, look for the clinic’s successor organization or medical records custodian, check old patient portals, contact the Medical Board of California if needed, and ask your current provider or local health department for help.
Not always. Vaccines given in another state may remain in that state’s immunization registry. Use the CDC IIS contact directory to request the old state record and keep it with your California DVR.
Sometimes. Colleges, clinical programs, and health care employers may accept positive titers for certain vaccines such as MMR, varicella, or hepatitis B. Ask the organization before paying for a titer.
No. ImmunizationRecord.org is an independent informational guide. Always use CDPH, CAIR, CDC, your school, provider, employer, university, or civil surgeon as the final authority.