Is childhood vaccination compulsory in Lithuania and can nurseries refuse unvaccinated kids?
No - childhood vaccination is not compulsory in Lithuania: every vaccine is given only with the consent of the parents or legal guardians, and you can refuse without facing any fine. The national preventive vaccination calendar covers about 14 communicable diseases (tuberculosis, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, measles, rubella and others), and these jabs are free for children, but never forced. The widespread myth that 'no jabs means no nursery' is inaccurate: although a few years ago a ministerial order tried to bar unvaccinated children from nurseries, that provision was contested, and there is currently no binding requirement to vaccinate simply to attend nursery. Still, the key point people miss: during an outbreak of a specific communicable disease, a child not protected against it (unvaccinated) can be temporarily suspended from attending the institution for the quarantine period. Proposals to make vaccination compulsory and to fine parents up to 115 Eur have so far remained only draft bills and have not taken effect.
📋 The rules
- Vaccination in Lithuania is voluntary - given only with the consent of parents or guardians
- The national calendar covers about 14 diseases, and its childhood jabs are free
- There is no fine for refusing to vaccinate a child - parents may decline
- There is no binding rule requiring vaccination just to get a child into nursery
- During an outbreak, an unvaccinated child may be temporarily suspended for the quarantine period
🔓 Exceptions
- During an outbreak, a child not protected against that disease may be temporarily kept out of the group for the quarantine period
- Before starting nursery a child health form (form 027-1-a) is submitted, but it is not the same as compulsory vaccination
- Extra vaccines may be recommended for certain risk groups or for travel, and these too are given voluntarily
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There is no fine for parents in Lithuania simply because a child is unvaccinated - vaccination stays voluntary, so no financial penalty applies. The consequences, however, are not financial: the family doctor and public-health specialists record vaccination status, and during an outbreak of measles, whooping cough or another disease a child not protected against it can be temporarily suspended from nursery or school for the whole quarantine (incubation) period. In that case parents may have to arrange childcare at home. What people miss: even a private institution cannot force vaccination on its own, but during an outbreak it must follow the instructions of the NVSC. Proposals repeatedly debated in the Seimas to make vaccination compulsory, with a warning or a fine of up to 115 Eur for parents, have not taken effect, so no such penalty exists today - to present it as being in force would be a mistake.
📎 Official sources
- NVSC · childhood preventive vaccination and FAQ →
- Ministry of Health · vaccination policy →
- National Health Insurance Fund · reimbursed childhood vaccines →
❓ Frequently asked
Can a nursery refuse to admit an unvaccinated child?
At present there is no legal act that would allow a nursery to refuse a child solely because they are unvaccinated, so a lack of jabs is not in itself a ground to turn the child away. During an outbreak of a specific communicable disease, a child not protected against it can be temporarily suspended from attending, but that relates to quarantine rather than to general admission.
Can parents refuse to vaccinate their child?
Yes, vaccination in Lithuania is voluntary and is carried out only with the consent of the parents or legal guardians, so you can refuse without incurring any fine. Even so, it is worth discussing the risks with your family doctor first, because an unvaccinated child remains exposed to serious diseases and may be restricted during an outbreak.
How much do the calendar vaccines cost?
The vaccines included in the national preventive vaccination calendar are free for children - their cost is covered by the state, and parents pay nothing. For vaccines outside the calendar (for example some travel or optional ones) you may have to pay, so it is worth checking the exact price at your clinic.
Is there a fine for not vaccinating a child?
No, at present no fine is applied to parents for not vaccinating a child, because a compulsory vaccination requirement has not been enacted. Proposals debated in the Seimas to introduce a warning or a fine of up to 115 Eur have remained only draft bills, so quoting such a sum as being in force would be incorrect.
Which diseases are on the vaccination calendar?
The national calendar covers about 14 communicable diseases, among them tuberculosis, hepatitis B, diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, measles, rubella, mumps and pneumococcal infection. The exact schedule by the child's age is published by the Ministry of Health and the NVSC, and it is carried out by the family doctor or a nurse.
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