Locating vaccination records

Please note that the information below is about routine vaccinations. If you are looking for information about BC's vaccine card for proving COVID-19 vaccinations, click here.

Vaccination records (also called immunization records) provide a history of the vaccines you (or your child) have received. Keeping current vaccination records for you (and your children) is important. You may need these records for certain jobs, travel, or school registration. 

Tips for finding vaccination records: Children

Health units in B.C. maintain an electronic registry of childhood vaccination provided by Public Health (public health nurses). If your child was vaccinated at a doctor’s office, at a pharmacy, or in a First Nations community, their record might not be in the Public Health registry.

If you do not have a copy of your child's vaccination records, there are several places you can look:

• Check your home for your child’s paper record of vaccinations. Try looking through baby books or other saved documents. In B.C. childhood vaccinations are most often recorded in the Child Health Passport.
• Check with your local health unit if your child was vaccinated at the health unit or in school.
• Check with your child’s doctor if your child was vaccinated at their doctor’s office.
• Check with your pharmacist if your child was vaccinated at your local pharmacy.
• Check with your community health nurse if your child was vaccinated in a First Nations community.
• Register for Health Gateway, an online website that provides a single place for BC residents to access their health records. It is accessible by anyone 12 and older with the BC Services Card app.

Children without vaccination records (or proof of immunity to disease) are considered unvaccinated and unprotected. These children should generally be vaccinated (or revaccinated) to ensure protection. It is safe to repeat vaccines. Blood tests to determine immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases are not routinely recommended or available for all diseases. Your health care provider can help determine what is best for your child.

Are you looking for COVID-19 vaccine records? Check the Health Gateway. After getting your COVID-19 vaccine, be sure to keep a paper copy of your vaccination record in a safe place. By registering for B.C.’s Health Gateway, you will also be able to access a digital copy of your COVID-19 vaccine record.

Tips for finding vaccination records: Adults

If you need a copy of your vaccination  records, there are several places you can look:

• Check your home for your paper record of vaccination. Try looking through baby books or other saved documents from your childhood.
• Check with your parents or other caregivers to see if they have a record of your vaccination.
• Check with your current and previous family doctors. Keep in mind that vaccination records are kept at doctors’ offices for a limited time.
• Check with your local health unit if you were vaccinated at your local health unit or in school.
• Check with your pharmacist if you were vaccinated at your local pharmacy.
• Check with your community health nurse if you were vaccinated in a First Nations community.
• Register for Health Gateway, an online website that provides a single place for BC residents to access their health records. It is accessible by anyone 12 and older with the BC Services Card app.

Without a record of vaccination (or proof of immunity to a disease), a person is considered unvaccinated and unprotected. They should generally be vaccinated (or revaccinated) to ensure protection. It is safe to repeat vaccines. Blood tests to determine immunity to vaccine-preventable diseases are not routinely recommended or available for all diseases. Your health care provider can help determine what is best for you.

Are you looking for COVID-19 vaccine records? Check the Health Gateway. After getting your COVID-19 vaccine, be sure to keep a paper copy of your vaccination record in a safe place. By registering for B.C.’s Health Gateway, you will also be able to access a digital copy of your COVID-19 vaccine record.