Legal requirements#
On 8 January 2026, the requirement for primary schools to keep immunisation records was removed. Primary schools no longer need to maintain these records.
Why this change was made#
The Aotearoa Immunisation Register (AIR), introduced in 2023, is the national record of vaccinations. It allows authorised healthcare providers to access immunisation information. Because AIR is now in place, separate immunisation registers in primary schools are no longer needed.
Read more about AIR on the Health New Zealand website.
What this means for your school or kura#
You will no longer need to collect and record immunisation information.
Retain existing immunisation records for 7 years, in line with class 3.10 of the school records retention and disposal schedule.
School records – retention and disposal schedule
Free resources are available at HealthEd.
