Vaccines

Lost Your Vaccination Card? Here Is How to Replace It

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A lost vaccination card — including a COVID-19 card — is only a lost summary, not a lost record. Your vaccine history is stored by the providers, pharmacies, and state immunization registries that administered the doses. Contact the places where you were vaccinated or request a copy from your state registry to get new official documentation.

Last updated: July 2026History

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Start where you got each vaccine

Contact the pharmacy, clinic, doctor's office, or health department where each vaccine was administered. They will have a record of what they gave you and when, and can print a replacement summary or letter.

For COVID-19 vaccines, the pharmacy or health system that administered your doses has a record on file. Many have online portals where you can download a copy directly — CVS, Walgreens, and other large chains store COVID-19 vaccine records in their patient portals.

How do I get records from my state immunization registry?

Every U.S. state runs an Immunization Information System (IIS) — a confidential, population-based database where providers and pharmacies report vaccines administered 1. Your COVID-19 vaccines, flu shots, childhood vaccines, and other immunizations given by participating providers should be there.

Contact your state health department's immunization program to request a printout. Some states have an online patient portal; others process requests by phone, mail, or in person. The CDC maintains a state-by-state directory of IIS contacts to help you find the right office 2.

Important: the CDC itself does not hold individual vaccination records — the records are at the state and provider level 2.

Are there other places to find COVID-19 vaccine records?

Several additional options exist for COVID-19 records specifically:

  • Many states issued digital vaccine records — sometimes called SMART Health Cards — through their health department websites or portals such as MyTurn (California) or VaxText.
  • If you received your COVID-19 vaccine at a mass vaccination site, that site likely reported to the state registry.
  • Your insurance company's patient portal may also show vaccine history under preventive care.

What if the records truly cannot be found?

If you genuinely cannot locate records for a specific vaccine — the provider has closed, the vaccination happened before registries were robust — a clinician can help. For many vaccines, a blood test called a titer can measure whether you have protective antibodies. The CDC notes that antibody tests can verify immunity for certain vaccine-preventable diseases, though these tests are not always completely accurate 3. If immunity is documented, that can substitute for a vaccine record in many settings (school, employment, travel). If not, re-vaccination is generally safe — the CDC states it is safe for your child (or you) to repeat a vaccine received earlier 3.

How can I avoid losing records again?

Take a photo of every vaccination card you receive and store it in a secure place — a photo cloud backup, a health app, or your patient portal. Ask for a printed record after every vaccine visit 3. Keeping a simple folder, physical or digital, with your immunization history saves significant hassle in the future.

Common questions

Contact the state registry and your original provider at the same time. Let the school, employer, or travel health clinic know you are actively retrieving records — many will allow a brief grace period while you pursue legitimate channels.

Vaccines given abroad will not appear in a U.S. state registry. If original foreign documentation is lost, a titer blood test is usually the most reliable path — it can confirm immunity regardless of where you were vaccinated.

Often yes, but this must be confirmed with the specific school, employer, or authority requiring proof. A clinician can order the titer and provide documentation of the result in a format most institutions will accept.

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A note on replacement records

This article is general health information, not a personalized medical recommendation. For guidance specific to your immunization history and record recovery options, consult a licensed clinician or your state health department.

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References

  1. 1.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024). Immunization Information Systems (IIS). CDC.gov. link ✓Immunization Information Systems are confidential, population-based computerized databases that record all immunization doses administered by participating providers; they serve as the primary source of official immunization records in each state
  2. 2.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024). Contacts for IIS Immunization Records. CDC.gov. link ✓CDC does not hold individual vaccination records; this page provides the state-by-state directory of IIS contacts where individuals can request their vaccination history — updated August 2, 2024
  3. 3.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2024). Keeping Track of Records — Childhood Vaccines. CDC.gov. link ✓CDC guidance on keeping and recovering childhood vaccination records; notes it is safe to repeat a previously received vaccine and that antibody tests can verify immunity for certain vaccine-preventable diseases — updated August 9, 2024

3 sources, numbered by first appearance. General health information, not medical advice. AI-assisted editorial content — every citation independently verified. Editorial policy

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