Documents to Enroll in an Arizona School (2026-27)

An Arizona public school asks for four things from every family: proof of your child's identity and age, one document showing where you live, the immunization record, and your own photo ID. Only the immunization record has to be in hand before your child attends. Proof of age is due within 30 days of enrolling, and the school itself requests records from the old school.

The list, and the law behind each item

Document	What satisfies it	Where it comes from	Must it be in hand on day one?
Proof of identity and age	Certified birth certificate, or an accepted alternative plus a short affidavit	A.R.S. 15-828	No: due within 30 days of enrollment
Proof of residency	One document with your name and Arizona address	A.R.S. 15-802(B)(1) and ADE residency guidelines	Usually asked for at registration; see the affidavit route below
Immunization record or exemption	Record showing month, day and year of each dose, or a state exemption form	A.R.S. 15-872 and 15-873	Yes, before attendance (with exceptions below)
Parent or guardian photo ID	Any government photo ID; an Arizona license is not required	District checklists (for example Tucson Unified)	Bring it to registration
Prior school records	Unofficial transcript, report card or withdrawal slip if you have them	A.R.S. 15-828 (school requests the official copy)	No
IEP or 504 plan	The most recent plan and evaluation	District checklists; 34 CFR 300.323(f) for IEPs	No, but bring it as early as you can
Custody or guardianship papers	Court order or guardianship document, if someone other than a parent is enrolling	District checklists (for example Chandler, Show Low)	Yes, if they apply

Proof of identity and age (A.R.S. 15-828)

When you enroll, the school must tell you in writing that within 30 days you need to provide one of the following:

a certified copy of the birth certificate;
"other reliable proof of the pupil's identity and age," which the statute says includes a baptismal certificate, an application for a Social Security number, or original school registration records, together with an affidavit explaining why you cannot provide the birth certificate; or
a letter from the agency that has custody of the child, for children in foster placement.

The school photocopies the document and returns the original to you. Passports are not named in the statute, but districts such as Mesa accept them as other reliable proof; ask your registrar.

If nothing is provided after 30 days, the school sends a written notice giving ten more days, after which the statute says the case is referred to local law enforcement. An affidavit that "appears to be inaccurate or suspicious" must also be reported. This part of the law sits alongside Arizona's missing-children rules (A.R.S. 15-829), which is why a truthful affidavit explaining a delayed birth certificate is accepted and why it is worth telling the registrar early if the document is hard to get. The identity rules in 15-828 do not apply to pupils who are homeless under federal law; see Between homes.

Proof of residency (A.R.S. 15-802 and ADE guidelines)

State law says districts and charter schools "shall require and maintain verifiable documentation of residency in this state," following guidelines from the Arizona Department of Education. In practice that is one document with your name and address: a lease, a utility bill, a pay stub, a bank statement, a W-2, a vehicle registration and several others. The Department of Education has said an Arizona driver's license is not required. If nothing is in your name because you are staying with relatives for now, a notarized affidavit from the Arizona resident you live with takes its place. The full list and the affidavit are in Proof of residency.

Immunization record or exemption (A.R.S. 15-872 and 15-873)

This is the one document that gates attendance. A pupil "shall not be allowed to attend school without submitting documentary proof" of immunization, unless exempted. The record must show the month, day and year of each dose; a doctor's record, a printout from another state's registry, Arizona's MyIR portal or a signed form from the prior school all count. A child who has at least one dose of each required vaccine and a written catch-up schedule may attend. Exemptions for personal beliefs (kindergarten through grade 12) and medical reasons use the current Arizona Department of Health Services forms, and must be redone when a child changes schools. Which vaccines, by age, are in Immunization requirements.

Prior school records

You do not need to bring the official record. Within ten school days of enrolling a transfer pupil, the new school "shall request directly from the pupil's previous school a certified copy of the pupil's record," and the previous school must send it within ten school days regardless of any fees owed (A.R.S. 15-828). An unofficial transcript or the last report card helps a counselor place a high school student on day one. More in School records and transcripts.

IEP or 504 plan

If your child has an Individualized Education Program, bring the most recent IEP and evaluation. Federal rules require the new district, in consultation with you, to provide services comparable to the old IEP until it evaluates your child and adopts a new plan (34 CFR 300.323(f)). Section 504 plans have no Arizona transfer rule, so hand the plan to the school and ask for a meeting. See IEP and 504 plans.

Custody and guardianship papers

Districts ask for custody documentation "if applicable" (Sedona-Oak Creek, Chandler). Bring any court order that limits who may enroll or pick up the child. If someone other than a parent is enrolling, expect to show guardianship papers; Show Low, for example, says stepparents and other extended family members may not enroll a student unless they are the legal guardian. What relatives can do, and the alternatives, are in Relatives and guardians.

Two forms the school will hand you

Enrollment packets include the Arizona Student Residency Questionnaire, whose Section B asks about temporary living arrangements and routes families to the district's McKinney-Vento liaison, and the three-question Home Language Survey, which decides whether your child takes the state English proficiency test (A.R.S. 15-756).

What is not required

A Social Security number. The ADE residency guidelines and the ACLU of Arizona both confirm it is not required.
Any proof of immigration status.
An Arizona driver's license or state ID.
Payment of fees owed to the previous school: the record must be sent anyway.

When a document is missing

No birth certificate. Enroll now; use an accepted alternative plus a truthful affidavit within 30 days, or order the certificate and tell the registrar when to expect it.
Nothing in your name for residency. Use the notarized affidavit route, or, if your family is between permanent homes, ask for the McKinney-Vento liaison, who must enroll your child immediately without it.
No immunization record. Ask the previous doctor or the prior state's registry for a printout. Arizona's MyIR portal prints certificates for children already in the state registry. A child with at least one dose of each vaccine and a catch-up plan can attend. Children covered by McKinney-Vento have until the fifth calendar day after enrollment (A.R.S. 15-872(H)).
Old school is slow. The ten-school-day rule applies to them. Ask the new school's registrar to send the request and keep a copy.

Sources and where to verify

Frequently asked questions

Can my child start school without a birth certificate?

Yes. Proof of identity and age is due within 30 days of enrolling, and the law accepts alternatives such as a baptismal certificate or original school registration records with an affidavit explaining why the birth certificate is unavailable.

Does the school keep my child's original documents?

No. Under A.R.S. 15-828 the school photocopies the document and returns the original.

No. Neither a Social Security number nor proof of immigration status is required for enrollment in an Arizona public school.

Does a charter school need the same documents?

Yes for residency and immunization: A.R.S. 15-802 applies the residency requirement to charter schools, and A.R.S. 15-872 applies to every school. Charter schools also use the 15-828 identity rules. Each charter publishes its own checklist, so confirm with the school.

Can a grandparent or other relative enroll my child?

Usually only with legal guardianship or custody papers; districts such as Show Low say extended family members may not enroll a student otherwise. If your child is staying with a relative because your family is between homes, McKinney-Vento rules may apply; see Relatives and guardians.

Will the old school withhold records because we owe fees?

It is not allowed to. A.R.S. 15-828 requires the previous school to forward the record within ten school days "notwithstanding any financial debt owed by the pupil."

Is a passport accepted as proof of age?

Passports are not named in the statute, but districts such as Mesa list them as acceptable "other reliable proof." Ask your district's registrar before you rely on one.

Last reviewed October 11, 2026. Figures change; the sources above are where to check.