Netherlands childhood vaccination schedule
The vaccinations in the Dutch National Immunisation Programme (Rijksvaccinatieprogramma, RVP) for babies, children and teenagers, by age. Run by RIVM and given by the youth health service (consultatiebureau and GGD).
Vaccines by age
This is the standard schedule. In the Netherlands, babies and children are vaccinated at the consultatiebureau (child health clinic), not at the GP.
| Age | Vaccine | Protects against |
|---|---|---|
| First RSV season | RSV antibody (nirsevimab), one dose | RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) |
| 6 to 9 weeks | Rotavirus (drops by mouth) 6-in-1 vaccine (DTaP/IPV/Hib/HepB), only if the mother wasn't vaccinated against whooping cough in pregnancy | Rotavirus Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, Hib, hepatitis B |
| 3 months | 6-in-1 vaccine Pneumococcal (PCV) Rotavirus, 2nd dose | Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, polio, Hib, hepatitis B Pneumococcal infections Rotavirus |
| 5 months | 6-in-1 vaccine PCV, 2nd dose | As at 3 months |
| 12 months | 6-in-1 booster PCV booster | As at 3 months |
| 14 months | MMR MenACWY | Measles, mumps, rubella Meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y |
| 3 years | MMR, 2nd dose | Measles, mumps, rubella |
| 5 years | DTaP booster | Diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough |
| 10 years | HPV, 2 doses 6 months apart | Cancers and genital warts caused by HPV |
| 14 years | DT-IPV booster MenACWY | Diphtheria, tetanus, polio Meningococcal groups A, C, W and Y |
RSV: babies born October to March get the antibody within two weeks of birth. Babies born April to September get it in September or October. Pregnant women are offered a whooping cough vaccine at 22 weeks, which protects the baby in the first months. The Dutch programme doesn't include chickenpox, MenB or a yearly flu vaccine for healthy children.
If your child was born earlier
The programme has changed in recent years. A few changes matter for older children:
RSV antibody (since September 2025)
For babies born from 1 April 2025, in their first RSV season. Older children don't need it.
Rotavirus (since 2024)
Only for babies, up to about 6 months. Older children who missed it don't catch up.
Second MMR dose
Now given at 3 years. Children born from 2016 to 2021 get it between 5 and 9 years, as part of the switch from the old age of 9.
Not sure what your child has had? Ask the consultatiebureau or, for school-age children, the GGD youth doctor. They check the record and plan missing doses.
Moving to the Netherlands with children
- Coming from Germany? See moving from Germany to the Netherlands.
- Register your address with your municipality. The youth health service (JGZ) then contacts you, and babies and toddlers are invited to the consultatiebureau.
- Bring your child's vaccination records from abroad, ideally translated into Dutch or English.
- The consultatiebureau or GGD compares them with the Dutch programme and offers missing doses.
- Vaccinations in the programme are free and not compulsory.
- Common differences: the Netherlands gives MenACWY at 14 months, doesn't vaccinate against chickenpox or MenB, and has no yearly flu vaccine for healthy children.
Moving away from the Netherlands
- Request an overview of your child's vaccinations before you leave, through MijnRIVM or the request form on the RVP website.
- Keep the vaccination booklet (vaccinatiebewijs) you received.
- Your new country may schedule vaccines differently. For example, the UK and Germany vaccinate babies against MenB, and Germany and Spain vaccinate against chickenpox.
Questions
Are vaccinations compulsory in the Netherlands?
No. Vaccination in the Netherlands is voluntary. The National Immunisation Programme offers all vaccinations free of charge and invites every child.
Where do children get vaccinated in the Netherlands?
Babies and young children are vaccinated at the consultatiebureau (child health clinic). From about 4 years, the GGD youth health service sends invitations, for example for the vaccinations at 9 or 10 and 14.
What if my child had vaccines in another country?
Take the records to the consultatiebureau or GGD. They check them against the Dutch programme and offer any missing doses.
Why didn't my baby get the first 6-in-1 vaccine at 6 to 9 weeks?
That dose is only for babies whose mother wasn't vaccinated against whooping cough during pregnancy. If she was, the baby starts at 3 months.
Keep track with VaxFile
VaxFile shows your child's Dutch schedule, reminds you of upcoming doses, and keeps records from every country you've lived in. Free on iOS and Android.
Sources: RIVM, vaccination schedule · RIVM, RSV protection for babies · RIVM, vaccination overview
This page summarises the Dutch National Immunisation Programme for information only. It isn't medical advice. The consultatiebureau or youth doctor decides which vaccinations your child needs.
Last checked against the official sources: 6 October 2026.