California · Digital Vaccine Record, COVID QR proof & CAIR recovery
Recover Your California COVID Vaccine Proof Without the Runaround
California’s official Digital Vaccine Record can provide a COVID-19 vaccination record with a SMART Health Card QR code when your information matches vaccination data in California’s immunization registry.
Use this guide to request the COVID-only record, unlock the secure link with your four-digit PIN, save or print the QR proof, retrieve a child’s record, fix missing doses and recover vaccinations held by pharmacies, federal agencies or providers outside California.
Privacy warning:
ImmunizationRecord.org cannot search California’s vaccine registry. Do not enter your date of birth, four-digit PIN, secure record link, QR code, child’s information, identity document or pharmacy login on this website or another unofficial “instant vaccine record” page. Use the official California portal and verified record holders.
Official public route
California Digital Vaccine Record.
COVID digital proof
SMART Health Card QR code.
Security
Requester-created four-digit PIN.
Link window
Open the secure link within 24 hours.
Registry support
CAIR Help Desk: 800-578-7889.
Choose the California COVID record task you need
This guide stays focused on COVID vaccination proof instead of duplicating the broader California immunization-record workflow.
First decision
COVID-19 Vaccine Record or complete California Immunization Record?
California’s DVR request form currently offers two different records. Pick the narrowest record that satisfies your real need.
This article’s main route
COVID-19 Vaccine Record with QR code
Choose this when you need COVID vaccination proof or a scannable SMART Health Card.
California’s DVR currently lists the COVID record as including a QR code, vaccine brand, dose dates for the most recent eight reported COVID doses and vaccine manufacturer.
Broader record
California Immunization Record
Choose this when the receiving organization needs other reported vaccinations in addition to COVID.
The broader record can include vaccinations reported to California’s registry and may also show recommended or overdue vaccination information generated by the system.
Privacy rule:
If an employer or other organization asks only for COVID proof, do not automatically send a broader lifetime immunization record containing unrelated health information.
Open the official California Digital Vaccine Record portal
Verify that the page is hosted at myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov before entering personal information.
Select “I want my COVID-19 Vaccine Record with QR code”
Do not select the full immunization record unless you need additional vaccine history.
Enter the patient’s first name
Use the name most likely associated with the vaccination record.
Enter the patient’s last name
If the request later fails, consider whether the vaccination used a maiden, former or differently formatted surname.
Enter the exact date of birth
California’s form uses MM/DD/YYYY.
Start with your current mobile phone number
California currently tells users to start with current mobile contact information.
Try email if the mobile request fails to match
The current request form specifically advises trying email when a current mobile number does not produce a match.
Create a four-digit PIN
This is the PIN you will use to unlock the secure record link.
Confirm you are authorized to request the record
Submit the request only for yourself or another person whose record you are legally authorized to access.
Open the secure link when it arrives
If your submitted information matches the registry, California sends the record-access link to the matching contact route.
Enter your PIN within the 24-hour window
Use the same four digits created during the request.
Review and save the record
Confirm the identity information and COVID dose history before using the record as proof.
Details that can determine whether California finds the record
Patient’s first name
Patient’s last name
Exact date of birth
Current mobile number
Email address
Four-digit PIN you create
Access to the phone/email receiving the link
Authority to request the person’s record
Keep these backup matching details nearby
Former or maiden surname
Hyphenated-name variation
Old mobile number
Old personal email
Pharmacy account email
Work or school email used at vaccination
Parent contact used for a minor
Vaccinating provider or pharmacy name
Do not guess repeatedly without checking the source.
If the DVR still cannot match the record, look at the pharmacy, provider or appointment confirmation to identify the name and contact information actually used during vaccination.
Critical access rule
Your secure DVR link expires for retrieval after 24 hours
Link delivery
If California finds a matching registry record, a link is sent to the email address or mobile number associated with the request.
PIN unlock
Enter the same four-digit PIN you created when requesting the record.
Save immediately
After successfully opening the record, save a private copy rather than relying on the time-limited access link.
Forgot your PIN or missed the 24-hour window?
California’s current DVR FAQ directs you to start a new request and create a new PIN.
iPhone message tip:
California notes that a DVR text may appear in the “Unknown Senders” area of iMessages depending on the phone’s settings.
SMART Health Card
What is inside the California COVID QR record?
California describes the COVID QR record as a SMART Health Card. When read by a compatible verifier, it can show information comparable to the vaccination details on the former paper COVID vaccination card.
California COVID DVR data and practical meaning
Data
What it means
What you should do
Name
Identifies the person whose COVID vaccination history is encoded.
Check spelling before submitting the record.
Date of birth
Helps match the vaccination proof with the correct person.
Treat the QR code as private health information.
COVID dose dates
Shows available COVID vaccinations reported into the California record.
Check that expected dose dates appear.
Vaccine product / manufacturer
Identifies the vaccine information associated with each reported dose.
Contact the provider if the product or date is wrong.
SMART QR signature
Lets compatible verification tools confirm the digital record’s authenticity.
Share only with the intended receiver.
Current COVID display limit:
California’s DVR homepage currently describes the COVID record as displaying the most recent eight reported COVID doses.
Do not publish the QR code on social media.
A SMART Health Card contains verifiable personal health information. A photograph of the QR code can be more revealing than an ordinary decorative image.
Phone storage
Save the California COVID record without depending on one app
Apple devices
California’s current FAQ provides Apple Wallet/Health options for supported iOS versions. Newer supported devices can use the button shown on the QR screen, and supported iPhones can also scan a SMART Health Card QR code with the camera.
Android devices
California provides a Google Wallet route for compatible Android devices. Use the current buttons and instructions shown on the official DVR rather than an old tutorial screenshot.
Use more than one backup.
A phone wallet is convenient, but keep a private downloaded image/PDF or readable printed copy if you may need the record after changing phones or losing access to the device.
Recent COVID dose
Why a new COVID dose may not appear immediately
A COVID Digital Vaccine Record you generated earlier does not automatically update itself after another vaccination.
Allow time for provider reporting
California currently recommends waiting about five days for a newly administered COVID dose to appear in the registry-connected DVR.
Return to the official DVR request page
Do not expect a previously saved QR code to refresh.
Create a fresh request
Enter the matching information again and choose a new four-digit PIN.
Check the newly generated record
Confirm whether the new dose now appears.
Call the vaccinating provider if it is still missing
Ask the provider or pharmacy to verify its source record and California registry submission.
Use My DVR Assistant when the issue remains unresolved
Escalate the record problem through California’s official review workflow.
Old QR codes are snapshots, not live dashboards.
Generate a new DVR when you need later doses reflected.
Parents and guardians
How to retrieve a child’s California COVID vaccination record
Use the child’s identifying information
Enter the child’s first name, last name and date of birth—not the parent’s identity information in those patient fields.
Use the contact route associated with the child’s vaccination
This may be the parent’s phone number or email used to book the appointment.
Select the COVID-19 Vaccine Record with QR code
Keep the request COVID-specific when COVID proof is all that is needed.
Request one COVID record at a time
California says that when several people share one phone number or email, COVID QR requests should be entered individually.
Keep each person’s link and PIN separate
Avoid confusing siblings’ or family members’ records.
Do not assume every family-record feature applies to COVID QR records.
California’s current FAQ specifically directs users sharing one contact route to submit separate COVID record requests for each person.
Failed match
California COVID vaccine record not found: troubleshoot in this order
Mobile number mismatch
The provider may have submitted an older number.
Email mismatch
The vaccination may be tied to a pharmacy, work or school email.
Name variation
A maiden, former, hyphenated or misspelled surname may exist in the source record.
Birth-date error
A demographic error can prevent a correct registry match.
Recent reporting delay
A newly administered dose may not yet have reached the registry.
Provider submission error
The vaccine may exist in the provider’s own system but not be correctly reported.
Federal vaccination
Certain federal vaccination systems maintain their own records.
Out-of-state vaccination
The vaccination may remain in another state’s IIS or provider record.
No-match escalation
Try email if mobile did not match
This is the explicit fallback shown on California’s current request form.
Check older contact information
Review the provider, pharmacy or appointment account that was used for the vaccination.
Ask the administering organization for its record
Verify that the vaccination actually exists in the provider’s source system.
Ask whether it was reported to California’s registry
Confirm name, DOB, dose date and reporting status.
Submit My DVR Assistant review
Use California’s official record-review process if the problem remains.
Official record review
When to use My DVR Assistant
California directs users who cannot locate or correctly update their DVR to My DVR Assistant. The DVR site explicitly says the record cannot be located or updated over the phone.
Good reasons to use Assistant
DVR cannot find the record.
Personal information is wrong.
Contact information is wrong.
The record remains unresolved after provider checking.
You need formal record review.
Current eligibility context
You must be a California resident.
You need at least one vaccine dose administered in California.
A parent/legal guardian normally submits for a person younger than 18.
The Assistant currently notes an exception for an emancipated minor age 16 or older.
ID.me identity verification:
California’s DVR FAQ says record-review requests through My DVR Assistant use ID.me to verify identity. Begin the verification only from the official California Assistant workflow.
Response expectation:
California’s current FAQ says people requesting record review are generally notified of findings and follow-up actions within about a week.
Wrong identity information and wrong vaccine information use different routes
Who should fix each California COVID record problem?
Problem
Start here
Why
Record not found
Try another contact route, then My DVR Assistant.
The problem may be identity matching rather than vaccination data.
Wrong name/contact information
My DVR Assistant / record review.
California directs DVR personal/contact corrections into record review.
Missing COVID dose
Vaccinating provider or pharmacy.
The source organization must verify and submit the missing vaccination data.
Wrong dose date
Original administering provider.
The source administration record is the evidence for correcting the date.
Wrong vaccine product
Original administering provider.
The provider must validate the actual product administered.
Provider says it corrected data but DVR is still wrong
My DVR Assistant, then CAIR Help Desk if needed.
The issue may require registry review after the provider-side correction.
CAIR Help Desk does not add missing doses.
California’s current DVR site says users with missing vaccines should work with their healthcare provider to make sure dose information is submitted to a California immunization registry.
Missing-dose provider script
“My California COVID Digital Vaccine Record is missing the dose administered by your location around [date]. Please verify the original administration record, check my name and date of birth, and confirm whether the dose was successfully submitted to the California immunization registry.”
Why reporting matters
California vaccine-reporting rules help explain modern record coverage
California requires vaccination reporting more broadly today than it did during the early years of electronic immunization-record use.
COVID program era
Providers participating in California’s COVID-19 vaccination program were required to report administered COVID doses.
Pharmacies
California pharmacists had reporting obligations for administered vaccinations before the broader 2023 requirement.
January 1, 2023+
California law requires vaccine doses administered in California to be reported to the applicable California immunization registry.
Reporting law does not guarantee a perfect DVR.
Data can still be delayed, mismatched, incomplete, duplicated or held in a system that does not feed the California record you are requesting.
Pharmacy vaccination recovery
CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart and other pharmacy records
Sign into the pharmacy account used for vaccination
Look for Immunizations, Vaccine History, Health Records or clinical records rather than only purchase receipts.
Check old contact details
A pharmacy appointment may have used an older phone number or email.
Call the exact store that administered the vaccine
Ask for the COVID vaccine administration record.
Ask whether the dose was sent to the California registry
Confirm that the patient’s identifying information and vaccination date were correctly submitted.
Ask the pharmacy to correct a verified reporting error
The provider should use its normal California registry correction process.
Generate a fresh DVR after correction
Do not expect the old QR copy to update itself.
Pharmacy script
“I received a COVID vaccination at this location around [date], but it is missing from my California Digital Vaccine Record. Can you provide the administration record and verify whether the dose was successfully reported with my correct name and date of birth?”
Federal agency vaccination
VA, Department of Defense and other federal COVID vaccine records
California’s official vaccine-record guidance says certain vaccinations administered by federal facilities may not be submitted to or documented in CAIR.
Veterans Affairs
Check VA health records or contact the VA facility that administered the vaccination.
Department of Defense
Use the applicable military medical-record system or contact the military facility.
Indian Health Service / other federal facility
Contact the specific federal agency or clinic when the dose does not appear in California’s DVR.
Do not keep retrying California DVR for a record California never received.
If the dose was administered and retained only in a federal system, the federal record holder is the correct source.
Out-of-state COVID vaccination
What if one of your COVID doses was given outside California?
Recover the official record from the state where the dose was administered
Use that state’s immunization registry, provider or pharmacy.
Keep the original outside record
Save it even if you later ask a California provider to add the history.
Show the verified outside record to a California provider
California’s healthcare-provider DVR guidance explains that providers can submit historical vaccination information.
Allow time for the update
Historical information does not necessarily appear instantly.
Request a fresh DVR
Generate a new record after the provider says the historical information has been submitted.
Use verified digital/provider proof instead of recreating a card
California DVR
Request the COVID-only digital record and SMART Health Card QR code.
Provider or pharmacy
Request the source vaccination administration record.
Private backup
Save one digital copy and print one readable copy if you may need future documentation.
Never create your own replacement vaccine card.
Do not guess dates, edit a QR code, alter an official PDF or recreate proof from memory.
Submitting proof
Ask the receiving organization what it accepts today
An official California COVID DVR can be valid health documentation and still not be the exact format a particular organization wants.
Practical COVID record submission questions
Use
Possible record
Ask before submitting
Employer / occupational health
COVID DVR, QR proof or provider record.
Is COVID vaccination documentation currently required, and which format is accepted?
College / training program
DVR, provider record or institution-specific upload.
Does the program want COVID-only proof or complete immunization history?
School / child care
Only when COVID proof is specifically requested.
Does the office need COVID information at all, or another California immunization document?
Travel
SMART Health Card plus provider/paper backup when useful.
Does the destination or organization currently accept SMART Health Card proof?
Personal medical file
DVR plus source provider information.
No external requirement; retain a secure lifetime copy.
COVID-only is not a complete immunization history.
If the receiver needs MMR, hepatitis B, varicella, Tdap or other vaccines, request the broader California Immunization Record or the appropriate provider documentation.
Record privacy
Treat the PIN, secure link and QR code as private health information
Use myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov
Keep the four-digit PIN private
Do not post the secure link online
Do not post the QR code on social media
Save files in a protected folder
Delete copies from public/shared computers
Use secure employer/school upload portals when provided
Share only the record the receiver actually needs
Official California support
Contact the correct office for the exact problem
California COVID record support routing
Problem
Official route
Important detail
Request COVID QR record
Digital Vaccine Record request form
Choose the COVID-19 Vaccine Record with QR code option.
Record cannot be found
My DVR Assistant
California says DVR cannot be located or updated over the phone.
Wrong personal/contact information
My DVR Assistant
Identity verification may be part of the review.
Missing or wrong vaccine dose
Vaccinating provider/pharmacy
The source provider must validate and correct dose data.
Unresolved registry issue
CAIR Help Desk — 800-578-7889
Include your My DVR Assistant ticket number when appropriate.
CAIR email support
CAIRHelpDesk@cdph.ca.gov
Do not send unnecessary sensitive documents in ordinary email.
CAIR fax
888-436-8320
Use only when a current official process tells you to fax documentation.
Official CAIR pages currently show conflicting Help Desk hours.
One current CDPH Help Desk page lists Monday–Thursday 9 a.m.–4 p.m. and Friday 10 a.m.–4 p.m., while another current CAIR contact page lists 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday. Verify the live contact page before timing an urgent call instead of relying on a fixed schedule copied elsewhere.
Universal record-recovery script
“I am trying to document a COVID-19 vaccination administered around [date] at [location]. My California Digital Vaccine Record is [not found / missing the dose / showing incorrect information]. Please verify the original administration record and tell me whether the vaccination was submitted with my correct name and date of birth.”
Mistakes to avoid
Common CA COVID vaccination record problems
Requesting a complete record when COVID-only proof is enough
Limit unnecessary health-data disclosure.
Using only current contact information
The dose may be associated with older provider or pharmacy contact details.
Forgetting the four-digit PIN
You need it to unlock the time-limited secure link.
Expecting an old QR record to refresh
Generate a new DVR after a later dose is reported.
Calling CAIR to add a dose
Missing-dose correction begins with the vaccinating provider.
Assuming no DVR means no vaccination
Check provider, pharmacy, federal and out-of-state sources.
Posting the QR code publicly
It contains verifiable health information.
Sending complete vaccine history when COVID-only proof was requested
Share the minimum necessary record.
Waiting until the deadline
Provider corrections and Assistant reviews can require additional time.
Editing or recreating proof yourself
Use only authentic DVR, provider, pharmacy, state or federal records.
Final quality check
Before you send your California COVID record
Name is correct
Date of birth is correct
Expected COVID dose dates appear
Vaccine manufacturer/product is correct
Newest reported dose appears
QR code displays clearly
Saved file opens correctly
Printed copy is readable
Receiver accepts the format
You are not sharing unrelated vaccine history
A private backup is saved
PIN/QR code has not been posted publicly
Plain-English terminology
California COVID vaccination record glossary
DVR
Digital Vaccine Record, California’s public service for requesting available vaccination information from the state immunization registry.
CAIR
California Immunization Registry, a secure statewide immunization information system.
COVID-19 Vaccine Record
The DVR option that provides available COVID vaccination information plus a SMART Health Card QR code.
California Immunization Record
The broader DVR record containing other available vaccinations reported to California’s registry.
SMART Health Card
A digitally verifiable health-record format that can encode vaccination information in a QR code.
My DVR Assistant
California’s official DVR record-review route for problems such as failed matching or incorrect personal information.
Four-digit PIN
The requester-created PIN required to unlock the secure DVR link.
CAIR Help Desk
California registry support for CAIR-related issues and appropriate DVR escalation; it does not add missing vaccine doses for residents.
ID.me
The identity-verification service currently used for certain My DVR Assistant record-review requests.
Historical dose
A vaccination given previously and later entered into the California registry from verified outside documentation.
Frequently asked questions
CA Covid Vaccination Records FAQs
How do I get my CA COVID vaccination record online?
Use California’s official Digital Vaccine Record request form. Choose the COVID-19 Vaccine Record with QR code, enter the patient’s first and last name, date of birth and mobile number or email, create a four-digit PIN and open the secure record link if a matching registry record is found.
What is the official California COVID vaccine record website?
California’s official public Digital Vaccine Record service is hosted at myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov.
How long do I have to open the California DVR link?
California’s current DVR FAQ says you have 24 hours after receiving the link to enter your four-digit PIN and retrieve the record. If the link expires or the PIN is forgotten, start a new request.
Why is my newest COVID dose missing?
California recommends waiting about five days for a newly administered COVID dose to appear. A previously saved record does not update automatically, so request a new DVR after allowing time for reporting.
Can a parent request a child’s California COVID QR record?
An authorized parent or legal guardian can request an available minor’s COVID record. When multiple family members share one phone number or email, California directs users to submit the COVID record requests one at a time.
What should I do if California cannot find my COVID vaccine record?
Try email if the mobile request did not match, check historical contact information, contact the provider or pharmacy that gave the vaccination and then use My DVR Assistant if the problem remains unresolved.
Can CAIR Help Desk add a missing COVID dose?
No. California’s current DVR guidance says CAIR Help Desk cannot add missing vaccine doses. Contact the provider or pharmacy that administered the vaccination and ask it to verify and correct its registry submission.
Can I use the California COVID QR record outside California?
The record uses the SMART Health Card format, and California says it may be accepted in select states and countries. The receiving organization or jurisdiction decides whether it accepts that proof, so verify current requirements first.
What if my COVID vaccine was given by VA or the military?
Certain federal agencies maintain their own vaccination records and may not submit the information to CAIR. Contact the Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Defense, Indian Health Service or other applicable federal record holder directly.
Can an out-of-state COVID dose be added to my California record?
California’s provider guidance allows verified historical vaccination information to be submitted to the registry. Obtain official proof from the outside state or provider and ask your California healthcare provider whether it can add the documented historical dose.
Independent information guide — not a medical office or government registry
ImmunizationRecord.org is an independent informational website. It is not the California Department of Public Health, California Immunization Registry, Digital Vaccine Record service, My DVR Assistant, ID.me, CDC, a county health department, pharmacy, school, employer, federal agency, hospital, healthcare provider or government registry.
We cannot search, access, modify, certify, receive or release your personal vaccination record. Do not send this website your four-digit PIN, secure DVR link, SMART Health Card QR code, date of birth, photo identification, pharmacy password, child’s private health information or vaccination documents.
This guide explains record-retrieval and documentation routes. It does not provide medical advice and does not determine whether you should receive, repeat, delay or avoid a COVID-19 vaccine or any other vaccine. It also does not determine employment, school, child-care, travel, immigration, licensing or exemption requirements.
California Digital Vaccine Record, CAIR and My DVR Assistant procedures can change. Verify current portal behavior, support routes, accepted documentation and deadlines directly with California CDPH, the administering provider and the organization requesting your record.