Need Tennessee immunization records for school, child care, preschool, college, work, healthcare training, travel, immigration paperwork, military records, a lost COVID card, or your own family file? Tennessee uses the Tennessee Immunization Information System, called TennIIS. The key detail is that a regular TennIIS record copy is not always the same document as the Official Tennessee Immunization Certificate required for child care and school attendance.
To request Tennessee immunization records online, start with the Tennessee Department of Health immunization page and the TennIIS immunization record request form. TDH can search TennIIS for vaccines that were reported to the registry. If a matching record is found, TDH may mail a copy of the immunization history to the address on record for the vaccinated person.
Official starting page: Tennessee Department of Health Immunization ProgramIf you need an Official TN Immunization Certificate for child care, preschool, or K–12 school, do not stop at the record request. TDH says that the TennIIS record request is not the Official TN Immunization Certificate. The certificate is available from a local Tennessee health department or a medical office with TennIIS access.
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What Is TennIIS?
TennIIS is the Tennessee Immunization Information System. It is Tennessee’s statewide immunization registry, managed by the Tennessee Department of Health, and it is designed to help keep vaccination information in one secure system for Tennessee residents.
Official registry: TennIIS homepageTennIIS is used by authorized healthcare providers, pharmacists, schools, and child care administrators. These users may access or update vaccination records, and authorized users can use the Immunization Certificate Validation Tool, often called ICVT, to print validated Official Immunization Certificates for children in Tennessee.
Official TDH overview: TDH Vaccine-Preventable Diseases and Immunization ProgramUse the TDH record request route for a copy of reported TennIIS immunization history.
Open record request formParents or legal guardians can request a child’s record, but school may require an Official TN Certificate.
See child record stepsChild care, preschool, and K–12 usually need the Official TN Immunization Certificate.
See certificate sectionHow to Request Tennessee Immunization Records Step by Step
Use this order when you need a Tennessee shot record for work, school, college, child care, travel, immigration, a healthcare program, or your own files.
- Start with the official TDH immunization page. The Tennessee Department of Health keeps the current TennIIS record request instructions, school certificate explanation, contact information, and local health department links on its immunization page.
- Open the TennIIS immunization record request form. The online request form is the public route for an individual’s TennIIS immunization history. Use the legal name, date of birth, previous names, current contact details, and address information carefully.
- Use the right requestor. Adults age 18 or older must complete the request themselves. Parents and legal guardians may request a child’s record when they are authorized.
- Understand that TDH searches reported TennIIS data. TDH can provide a copy only if a matching record exists in TennIIS. The record lists vaccines reported to TennIIS, not every vaccine ever given in a person’s life.
- Wait for TDH follow-up or mailed copy. If a record is found, TDH guidance says a copy may be mailed to the address on record for the vaccinated person, generally the address provided to the vaccine provider.
- If you need it urgently, call your provider or local health department. TDH specifically recommends contacting your healthcare provider or local health department during regular business hours if records are needed more urgently.
- If nothing is found, search backup sources. Check providers, pharmacies, old schools, colleges, military or VA records, employers, family files, and previous state registries.
Official TN Immunization Certificate vs TennIIS Record Copy
This is the biggest Tennessee-specific mistake. TDH says the TennIIS immunization record request is not an Official TN Immunization Certificate. If the record is for child care, preschool, pre-K, K–12 school, kindergarten, 7th grade, or a new Tennessee school enrollment, ask for the certificate requirement first.
Official certificate information: TDH immunization requirements and certificate guidance| Document | Best for | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| TennIIS immunization record copy | Personal history, work review, college upload, provider review, general vaccine proof when accepted. | TDH online record request route, provider, pharmacy, or local health department. |
| Official TN Immunization Certificate | Child care, preschool, pre-K, K–12, school attendance requirements. | Local Tennessee health department or medical office with TennIIS access. |
| Validated certificate through ICVT | Children with complete records that meet Tennessee attendance requirements. | Authorized TennIIS users can print it through the Immunization Certificate Validation Tool. |
| Temporary certificate | A child who is as up to date as possible but still needs a future catch-up dose. | Authorized TennIIS user or local health department if the child qualifies. |
| Provider or pharmacy printout | Adult shots, COVID/flu/RSV/shingles/Tdap proof, employer or college backup. | Doctor, clinic, hospital portal, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, Kroger, Costco, or other pharmacy. |
Adult Tennessee Immunization Records
Adults often need Tennessee vaccine records for healthcare jobs, nursing school, college, immigration medical exams, travel clinics, caregiver work, military paperwork, public safety jobs, or personal medical history. Adults age 18 or older should complete their own TDH record request. A parent cannot use the child request route for an adult child.
Adult request route: TennIIS immunization record request form| Adult need | Best first step | What to ask before paying for labs |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare job | TDH request, provider portal, pharmacy record, employer health office. | Ask if they need MMR, varicella, hepatitis B, Tdap, flu, COVID, TB screening, or titers. |
| Nursing or medical program | College health portal plus TDH/TennIIS search. | Ask whether positive titers replace vaccine dates for specific vaccines. |
| Travel | Travel clinic, pharmacy, provider portal, TDH request. | Ask which travel vaccines or routine vaccine dates are needed. |
| Immigration medical exam | Civil surgeon instructions plus TDH/provider/pharmacy records. | Ask the civil surgeon which records or titers they accept. |
| Lost childhood record | TDH request, old doctor, school, military, family files, prior state registry. | Ask whether revaccination or serology is medically appropriate. |
Parents and Legal Guardians: Child Tennessee Shot Records
Parents and legal guardians can request a child’s TennIIS immunization record through the TDH request route. But for child care, preschool, pre-K, kindergarten, 7th grade, and K–12 enrollment, the practical target is often the Official TN Immunization Certificate, not just a vaccine history printout.
Ask what certificate is needed before the first day. Younger children may need updated certificates as more doses become due.
Do not wait until registration week. A missing dose, old out-of-state record, or incomplete registry entry can delay school paperwork.
Ask about Tdap and varicella documentation early. The school may ask for an updated Tennessee certificate.
Tennessee School, Child Care, Preschool and K–12 Immunization Records
TDH says Tennessee has immunization requirements for child care, preschool, and school, and that these requirements must be documented on the Official Immunization Certificate. The certificate is available through local health departments using TennIIS and may also be available at many medical offices in Tennessee.
School requirement source: TDH school immunization guidance| School situation | Likely document | Best action |
|---|---|---|
| Child care, preschool, or pre-K | Official TN Immunization Certificate. | Contact provider or local health department before enrollment. |
| Kindergarten | Official certificate showing required vaccine status. | Check early, especially if vaccines were given outside Tennessee. |
| 7th grade | Updated certificate, often with Tdap and varicella review. | Ask the school nurse or registrar what is missing before the deadline. |
| New student from another state | Tennessee certificate after record review. | Bring the previous state record to a local health department or medical office with TennIIS access. |
| Religious or medical exemption question | School-specific procedure or physician-related documentation depending on case. | Ask the school or district for the current official process. |
Tennessee College, University and Healthcare Training Records
Tennessee college and healthcare program requirements can be different from K–12 requirements. TDH lists college-related immunization requirements on its immunization page, but your college, clinical site, nursing program, employer, or licensing board may ask for a specific upload format, signed form, titer result, or booster documentation.
| Program type | Common proof requested | Smart move |
|---|---|---|
| Full-time college student | MMR, varicella, meningococcal, or other campus-specific documents. | Use the school’s official health portal and ask what format it accepts. |
| Health science student | Hepatitis B, MMR, varicella, Tdap, flu, COVID, TB screening, titers. | Ask clinical compliance office before ordering lab work. |
| Travel, mission, or study abroad | Routine vaccine history and destination-specific vaccines. | Check provider, pharmacy, travel clinic, and TennIIS records together. |
| Healthcare employer | Exact vaccine dates or positive titers. | Ask occupational health for the accepted proof list in writing. |
Tennessee COVID Vaccine Records, Pharmacy Records and Provider Portals
If you lost a COVID vaccine card, need a booster record, or need proof for work or travel, start with the same record logic: TDH/TennIIS, the provider that gave the vaccine, and the pharmacy or clinic account used at the appointment. A paper CDC card is helpful as a reminder, but the provider, pharmacy, or registry record is usually stronger proof.
Related internal guide: COVID-19 vaccine record guideCheck the same pharmacy account, phone number, and email used at the appointment.
Use MyChart or your health system portal if a clinic, hospital, or doctor gave the vaccine.
Ask the employer, contractor, or clinic operator where records were stored or reported.
Why Tennessee Immunization Records May Be Missing
TDH warns that TennIIS records are only as complete as the information reported by immunization providers. A missing TennIIS result does not always mean a vaccine was never given. It may mean the vaccine was not reported, was reported under a different name, was given in another state, or remains only in a pharmacy, clinic, school, military, or paper record.
| Problem | What it may mean | What to try next |
|---|---|---|
| No TennIIS match | Wrong name, old last name, date of birth mismatch, or no reported record. | Try old names and contact the provider or local health department. |
| Paper record only | Older vaccines may never have been entered into TennIIS. | Ask a local Tennessee health department or medical office with TennIIS access whether the paper record can be entered. |
| Out-of-state vaccines | Doses may be in Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, North Carolina, Virginia, Missouri, or another state registry. | Use CDC’s IIS contacts to find the state where the vaccine was given. |
| Pharmacy dose missing | COVID, flu, RSV, shingles, travel, or Tdap shots may be easier to find in the pharmacy account. | Call the pharmacy location or check the app profile used at the appointment. |
| Opt-out issue | If someone opted out, records may not be added or updated in TennIIS. | Contact TennIIS Help Desk for current opt-out or re-entry instructions. |
| Military, VA, tribal, or federal care | Some records may be outside the regular civilian registry workflow. | Check VA, TRICARE, base clinic, federal, or service medical records. |
- Search the original provider first. Ask the doctor, clinic, pharmacy, or hospital system that gave the vaccine.
- Ask about old names. Maiden names, hyphenated names, nicknames, and spelling differences can hide a record.
- Use local health department help. Bring any paper shot record you have and ask about TennIIS entry or certificate options.
- Search previous states. Registries are state-based, and one state may not show every out-of-state shot.
- Ask before repeating vaccines. A school, employer, college, or clinician may accept titers or may require a specific vaccine record format.
Titers, Paper Records and Alternative Proof of Immunity
A titer is a blood test that may show immunity to certain diseases. TDH guidance recognizes alternative proof of immunity for certain vaccines, such as positive serology for measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, or varicella, when properly documented. But the organization asking for proof decides what it will accept.
| Situation | Titers may help with | Ask before paying |
|---|---|---|
| Healthcare job | MMR, varicella, hepatitis B. | Ask occupational health exactly which lab report format is accepted. |
| Nursing or medical school | MMR, varicella, hepatitis B. | Ask whether a positive IgG titer replaces vaccine dates. |
| K–12 certificate issue | Limited cases depending on official school/certificate guidance. | Ask the school nurse, provider, or local health department first. |
| Immigration medical exam | Civil-surgeon-reviewed proof. | Ask the civil surgeon before ordering labs. |
Local Tennessee Help: Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga and Rural Counties
Local health departments are often the most practical backup when a record is missing, a paper record needs review, or a child needs an Official TN Immunization Certificate. Tennessee has local health departments across all counties, and the larger metro counties have locally governed health departments that may have their own record pickup or appointment process.
Official local directory: Tennessee local health departments| Area | Common record need | Best backup path |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville / Davidson County | School certificates, college, healthcare jobs, pharmacy records. | Provider, Metro health department, school nurse, pharmacy, TDH/TennIIS route. |
| Memphis / Shelby County | School records, child care, public clinic records, pharmacy shots. | Shelby County Health Department, provider, pharmacy, TDH request. |
| Knoxville / Knox County | K–12 certificates, college and healthcare training records. | Provider, Knox County health office, college health portal, pharmacy records. |
| Chattanooga / Hamilton County | School entry, out-of-state Georgia/Alabama records, pharmacy vaccines. | Hamilton County health department, provider, pharmacy, previous state registry if needed. |
| Tri-Cities / Sullivan and Northeast TN | Virginia/North Carolina/Tennessee split vaccine history. | TDH/TennIIS, local health department, previous state registry, provider records. |
| Rural Tennessee counties | Older paper records, child care certificates, public health vaccines. | County health department, original clinic, school records, family paper files. |
Official Tennessee Immunization Record Links
Use official sources first. This page is an independent guide and is not TDH, TennIIS, CDC, a local health department, a school, a pharmacy, a healthcare provider, or a government office.
Main Tennessee Department of Health page for immunization requirements, TennIIS, record request, and certificate guidance.
Open TDH immunization pageOfficial online starting route for individuals, parents, guardians, and adults requesting TennIIS records.
Open request formOfficial Tennessee Immunization Information System page for registry information and authorized users.
Open TennIISUse this if you need urgent help, a school certificate, paper-record entry, or local immunization services.
Find local health departmentCDC policy page identifying Tennessee’s IIS as TennIIS and confirming all-age registry scope.
Open CDC Tennessee IISUse this when vaccines were given outside Tennessee and may be in another state registry.
Open CDC IIS contactsSource Check and Trust Note
This guide was built from official Tennessee Department of Health immunization guidance, TennIIS information, TDH local health department information, CDC Tennessee IIS policy information, CDC IIS contact guidance, and checked-live related ImmunizationRecord.org pages. Record access, school requirements, certificate rules, contact details, registry reporting, opt-out procedures, accepted proof formats, and provider participation can change. Verify final requirements with TDH, TennIIS, your provider, pharmacy, local health department, school, employer, college, military record holder, or civil surgeon.
Tennessee Immunization Records FAQs
Start with the Tennessee Department of Health immunization page and the TennIIS immunization record request form. TDH can search TennIIS for vaccines reported to the registry and may mail a copy when a matching record is found.
Open the Tennessee record request formTennIIS is the Tennessee Immunization Information System. It is Tennessee’s statewide immunization registry managed by the Tennessee Department of Health.
Open TennIISNo. TDH says the TennIIS record request is not the Official TN Immunization Certificate. Child care, preschool, and K–12 schools may require the official certificate.
TDH certificate guidanceTDH says the Official TN Immunization Certificate is available at local Tennessee health departments and at medical offices with TennIIS access.
Find a local health departmentYes. Adults age 18 or older should complete their own request form. TDH says if the record is for an adult 18 or older, the request form must be completed by that individual.
Yes. Parents and legal guardians can request a child’s TennIIS record. For school or child care, ask whether the child needs the Official TN Immunization Certificate.
TennIIS records depend on what providers reported. Older doses, paper-only records, out-of-state vaccines, pharmacy doses, military records, or records under a previous name may not appear in the first search.
TDH says paper immunization records can be entered into TennIIS by a local Tennessee health department or by a medical office with TennIIS access. Bring the most complete record you have.
Ask the school what document it requires. For child care, preschool, and K–12, the usual document is the Official TN Immunization Certificate from a local Tennessee health department or medical office with TennIIS access.
Contact the provider, pharmacy, health system, or immunization registry in the state where the vaccine was given. Use CDC’s IIS contacts to find the correct state registry.
CDC IIS contactsStart with TDH/TennIIS, then check the pharmacy, clinic, employer event, or provider that gave the COVID vaccine. Pharmacy and provider portals are often the fastest backup.
COVID vaccine record guideThey may show if reported and matched correctly, but pharmacy accounts are often the fastest backup for adult vaccines such as COVID, flu, RSV, shingles, Tdap, pneumonia, hepatitis, and travel vaccines.
Sometimes. Titers may help for certain diseases, but the school, employer, college, healthcare program, or civil surgeon decides what it accepts. Ask before paying for lab tests.
Official TDH contact pages list TennIIS support at 800-342-1813. The TDH immunization page also lists TennIIS.Records@tn.gov for record request questions.
TDH TennIIS contact pageNo. ImmunizationRecord.org is an independent informational guide. Use TDH, TennIIS, CDC, your provider, pharmacy, school, local health department, employer, college, military record holder, or civil surgeon as the final authority.