Recording immunisations

Immunisation providers in Queensland should report all immunisations directly to the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). AIR is the national immunisation register administered by Medicare Australia and records all vaccinations for adults, adolescents and children in Australia.

It is essential that immunisations are reported accurately and at the time they occur. Errors and delays can lead to:

  • Individuals being vaccinated unnecessarily or inappropriately.
  • Children being incorrectly assessed as overdue for immunisation and parents missing out on family assistance payments.
  • Children not meeting care enrolment requirements.

Where to find immunisation records

  • Child personal health record (Red Book)
  • Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)
  • Immunisation providers can print immunisation history statements directly from AIR
  • Parents and individuals can obtain immunisation history statements through myGov
  • Public health units (only available for immunisation providers)

Immunisation history statements for childcare

Under the Public Health Act 2005, recognised immunisation providers can give parents a letter which is recognised as an immunisation history statement by early childhood education and care (ECEC) services.

The letter will need to clearly indicate whether the child's immunisation status is up-to-date or not up-to-date.

Use the immunisation status letter template (DOCX 31 kB) when preparing an immunisation history statement for parents/guardians to give to their ECEC service.

Consistent with the Australian Immunisation Handbook guidelines, children are considered to have an up-to-date immunisation status if they:

  • have received the vaccines scheduled in the National Immunisation Program appropriate for their age, or
  • have a medical contraindication to one or more vaccines on the immunisation schedule, or
  • are on a recognised vaccination catch-up schedule.

Using the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR)

The Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) is a whole of life, national immunisation register, which records vaccines and immunisation products given to all people. This includes:

  • COVID-19 vaccines
  • vaccines given under the National Immunisation Program (NIP)
  • vaccines administered under State or Territory funded programs
  • vaccines administered from the private market (e.g. travel vaccines)
  • vaccines administered outside of Australia
  • immunisation products (such as nirsevimab).

In accordance with the Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015, it is a mandatory requirement for immunisation providers to report the following vaccines to the AIR:

  • vaccines given under the National Immunisation Program (NIP)
  • COVID-19 vaccines
  • influenza vaccines
  • Japanese encephalitis virus vaccines (including route of administration).

From 1 March 2025, it is also a mandatory requirement to report information whether an individual was pregnant at the time of vaccine administration.

Immunisation providers are strongly recommended to report all vaccines administered to maintain a complete AIR record.

For information about mandatory reporting obligations, health professionals can contact the AIR by emailing Immunisation.Registers@health.gov.au.

Why is reporting to AIR important

Reporting vaccinations to the AIR means the register contains a complete and reliable dataset. This allows monitoring immunisation coverage and can help health authorities manage outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases.

Keeping the AIR up to date also means that individuals have a complete record of their vaccinations (through their immunisation history statement) and can manage their health more effectively.

The AIR can also be used to:

  • check which vaccines individuals have had and when they are overdue
  • avoid unnecessary re-vaccinations
  • provide proof of vaccination for employment purposes and/or for entry to childcare and school
  • report immunisation medical exemptions online (eligible vaccination providers only)

When to report

Administration of vaccines must be reported to the AIR within 24 hours, and no more than 10 working days after the vaccination.

In accordance with the Australian Immunisation Register Act 2015, a recognised vaccination provider may be required to give information, or be given a formal warning, if the provider is not complying, or has not complied, with the requirement to report.

What to report

Elements that should be reported to the AIR include:

  • personal information: Medicare number (if applicable), Individual Healthcare Identifier (if applicable), full name, Indigenous status, date of birth.
  • vaccine information: vaccine type (NIP/Commonwealth or Other), antigen and brand name, dose number, batch number, route of administration, who performed the encounter, if it was performed at a school, date of service (vaccination) and pregnancy status.

Note that a Medicare number is not required to report vaccines to the AIR.

How to report

Information can be submitted to the AIR using your practice management software or Health Professionals Online Services (HPOS).

For detailed information about managing immunisation records, including how to report vaccinations to the AIR, visit the Services Australia website for health professionals.

More information

Last updated: 11 August 2025