Yellow fever

On this page

1. Vaccination clinics
2. Fast facts
3. For travellers and professionals
4. For immunisation providers
5. For yellow fever vaccination centres and providers

Vaccination clinics

Enter your suburb or postcode in the search tool to find the nearest yellow fever vaccination clinic.

Fast facts

• Yellow fever is a viral disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes in some regions of Africa, Central and South America.
• Yellow fever can lead to serious illness and even death.
• It is called ‘yellow fever’ because in serious cases the skin turns yellow in colour. This is known as ‘jaundice’.
• Yellow fever is prevented by a safe, effective and affordable vaccine.
• It is strongly recommended that all travellers to a yellow fever risk country who are 9 months of age or older be assessed and vaccinated for yellow fever vaccination if appropriate
• People who are one year of age or older must hold an international vaccination certificate if, within six days before arriving in (or returning to) Australia, they have stayed overnight or longer in a declared yellow fever infected country.

For travellers and professionals

Yellow fever is a quarantinable disease in Australia under the provisions of the International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR). The purpose of the IHR is to prevent the international spread of disease.

Many countries require arriving travellers who have come from, or travelled through, a yellow fever risk area to hold a valid International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis or valid letter of exemption before entering these countries.

The yellow fever vaccination requirements for entry into each country vary considerably. Travellers should check the yellow fever vaccination entry requirements for the countries they intend to enter or transit through before they leave Australia. You can contact the country’s foreign embassy or consulate in Australia or visit Smartraveller for vaccination requirements for other countries.

Where can I find a list of declared yellow fever infected countries?

Find up-to-date information about the risk of yellow fever in travel destinations from:

• World Health Organization (WHO) - International travel and health
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - Travellers' health

Who can have a yellow fever vaccination?

Travellers should seek medical advice on vaccination for their individual medical circumstances, particularly about the suitability of yellow fever vaccine for infants, pregnant women and those who are immuno-compromised.

Additional information on yellow fever vaccination can be found in The Australian Immunisation Handbook

Where can I get a yellow fever vaccination and vaccination certificate?

Yellow fever vaccinations must be provided by an approved yellow fever vaccination clinic. These clinics will provide a vaccination certificate in the form approved by the WHO, and completed according to WHO requirements. The World Health Organisation has recently recommended that a single dose of yellow fever vaccine provides life-long immunity to the disease.

Enter your suburb or postcode in the search tool to find the nearest yellow fever vaccination clinic.

Further information on yellow fever for travellers and professionals can be found in the Australian Government's Yellow Fever fact sheet.

For immunisation providers

The yellow fever vaccine has international certification requirements which must be completed in line with the WHO’s International Health Regulations (2005). The yellow fever vaccine can only be administered by accredited providers at an approved Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre.

Immunisation providers wishing to become an approved yellow fever vaccination clinic must complete the Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre application package and contact their local Public Health Unit on 1300 066 055.

Only those providers who are approved by the Public Health Unit, and are issued an individually numbered stamp, are authorised to purchase and provide yellow fever vaccination.

For yellow fever vaccination centres and providers

The yellow fever vaccine can only be administered by accredited providers at an approved Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre.

From 1 October 2024, the online Yellow Fever Vaccination Learning and Accreditation Course (formerly the Yellow Fever Vaccination Course) will be avaliable for practitioners to undertake. The course is now hosted by the Interim Australian Centre for Disease Control at the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (the department). Practitioners can access the course via the yellow fever vaccination course link on Yellow fever.

Please note: Practitioners who have completion certificates awarded by ACRRM will remain valid until the expiry date specified on the certificate.
Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres are required to comply with the conditions of their yellow fever appointment including maintaining a list of accredited practitioners in the practice and ensuring individual practitioners complete the course every 3 years.

Any change of details including change of individual practitioners must be notified to MOH-Vaccreports@health.nsw.gov.au within 7 days using the change of details form.

Additional information on yellow fever vaccination can be found in The Australian Immunisation Handbook

National Guidelines for Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres and Providers

The Australian Government Department of Health has developed National Guidelines for Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres and Providers.

The update for yellow fever vaccination centres and providers and frequently asked questions provide information on how these guidelines affect your yellow fever vaccination centre and individual practitioner accreditation requirements.

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