Enrolling in school after moving to South Florida: records, forms and proof of address

What does a Florida public school ask for at enrolment?

The Florida Department of Education's attendance and enrolment answers list four records required to enrol a student in a Florida school. Broward County Public Schools and the School District of Palm Beach County each publish their own registration forms and accepted proofs of residence, set out in the sections below.

• Proof of age. Section 1003.21 of the Florida Statutes (2026) lists the accepted evidence in order, starting with a duly attested transcript of the child's birth record. The list also includes a passport or certificate of arrival in the United States showing the child's age.
• Form DH 680. The Florida Certification of Immunization, completed by a Florida physician or a Florida county health department.
• Medical examination. Evidence of a medical examination completed within the 12 months before the child's school entry date.
• Proof of residence. Official documentation that the parent or guardian lives in the district attendance area.

How does a child arriving from outside Florida get Form DH 680?

The Florida Department of Health states that Form DH 680 is not available to the public and is completed by a licensed Florida physician, advanced practice registered nurse or Florida county health department. The department recommends that parents obtain the child's complete immunisation history before leaving the current state of residence.

A Florida county health department or other Florida health care provider uses that history to enter the child's immunisations into the Florida SHOTS registry.

Which immunisations does a Florida school require?

The Florida Department of Health's school immunisation requirements for kindergarten through grade 12 list the doses below, checked on 2 November 2026. Children entering, attending or transferring to grade 7 in a Florida school also complete one dose of tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis (Tdap), in addition to every other requirement.

The department adds that the varicella vaccine is not required where a health care provider has documented a history of varicella disease.

Which school-entry health examination counts?

The Florida Department of Health states that students in prekindergarten through grade 12 making their initial entry into a Florida school present a record of a school-entry health examination completed within one year before enrolment, signed by a health care provider licensed to perform physical exams in the U.S. The department recommends Florida's School Entry Health Exam form, DH 3040.

For students transferring to a Florida school, the department also accepts a comparable form from another state, performed by a health care provider licensed to perform physical exams and completed within one year before enrolment. The Florida Department of Education adds that parents may give the school a copy of an examination from the child's current physician, obtained before moving to Florida, as long as it meets the 12-month requirement.

Independent healthcare professionals deliver the advice; Le Strand coordinates it into the Landing Plan.

Which documents prove a family's address in Broward County?

Broward County Public Schools asks a family that owns or rents its home for one document from each of two lists, and every document is current, valid and shows the residential address used for enrolment.

• Column A: property tax bill; homestead exemption or homestead renewal receipt; deed; mortgage statement; home purchase contract with a specified closing date within 30 days of enrolment, with a copy of the deed provided within 30 days of the closing date; properly executed, notarised lease with the names and contact information of tenant and landlord; current rent receipt with the same details.
• Column B: utility bill (electric, water or waste); home or mobile telephone bill; verification of tenancy letter from a homeowners' or condominium association; Declaration of Domicile form from the County Records Department; State of Florida driver licence or identification card; vehicle registration; vehicle insurance policy; credit card statement; two consecutive bank statements.

Broward County Public Schools also lists its enrolment forms: the Student Registration Form, Emergency Contacts Form, Shared Housing Form, Request for Educational Records Form and Student Housing Questionnaire. Its Find My School tool assigns a school from the street address and the child's grade.

What does Palm Beach County ask a new student for?

The School District of Palm Beach County lists six required forms for new students and four required documents, checked on 2 November 2026. The district names the school as the first option for new registrations, with its Admissions and Family Experience department in support.

• Required forms: Student Registration (PBSD 2688); Student Contact and Pickup Information (PBSD 2687); Student Health Information and Parent/Guardian Consent for School Health Services (PBSD 2667); Informed Notifications, Consents and Releases for Student Registration (PBSD 2690); Parent Release or Transfer of Student Information From Previous Educational Institution (PBSD 2689); Student Housing Questionnaire (PBSD 2479).
• Required documents: two proofs of residence in Palm Beach County; a record of immunisations (DH 680 or DH 681); a record of physical examination (DH 3040, pages 1 and 2); proof of birth, such as a birth certificate, passport or religious record.

The district also lists an Affidavit of Residence (PBSD 1866) for extenuating circumstances. Palm Beach County School Choice dates for 2027–28 are in Palm Beach County School Choice deadlines for 2027–28.

At what age can a child start school in Florida?

Section 1003.21 of the Florida Statutes (2026) makes children who will be 5 on or before 1 September of the school year eligible for public kindergarten in that year, and requires children who are 6, or will be 6 by 1 February of the school year, up to age 16, to attend school regularly.

The Florida Department of Education states that no Florida statute or State Board of Education rule provides a waiver of the kindergarten age requirement.

The Florida Department of Education describes Voluntary Prekindergarten as a free programme for children who are 4 by 1 September and who live in Florida. UK school year to US grade sets England's year groups beside these Florida entry ages.

How does Le Strand bring enrolment into the move?

The Le Strand Landing Plan is a written, sequenced plan with dependencies and dates. It places the proof of residence, the DH 680 appointment, the school-entry examination and the registration date beside the home search and the arrival date, and Florida real estate representation is delivered directly by Le Strand.

Independent education advisers deliver the advice; Le Strand coordinates it into the Landing Plan. Serena Orgin is the founder and principal of Le Strand, a practising attorney admitted in New York and a Florida real estate broker. Le Strand serves families in Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. The International Families Guide and Schools and family set out the wider order of a family's first months.

Enrolling in a South Florida school: questions and answers

What documents does a Florida public school ask for at enrolment?

The Florida Department of Education lists proof of age, Form DH 680, the Florida Certification of Immunization, evidence of a medical examination completed within 12 months before the school entry date, and official documentation that the parent or guardian lives in the school district attendance area.

Can a passport show a child's age for Florida school enrolment?

Yes. Section 1003.21 of the Florida Statutes (2026) lists a passport or certificate of arrival in the United States showing the age of the child among the accepted evidence of age, after a duly attested transcript of the child's birth record and the other records the section lists in order.

How is Form DH 680 issued for a child arriving from outside Florida?

The Florida Department of Health states that a licensed Florida physician, advanced practice registered nurse or Florida county health department completes Form DH 680. A Florida provider enters the child's immunisation history into the Florida SHOTS registry.

Does a Broward County home purchase contract count as proof of address?

Yes, in Column A. Broward County Public Schools accepts a home purchase contract with a specified closing date within 30 days of enrolment, with a copy of the deed provided within 30 days of the closing date. A family that owns or rents its home pairs one Column A document with one Column B document.

Is there a waiver for the Florida kindergarten age?

The Florida Department of Education states that no Florida statute or State Board of Education rule provides a waiver of the kindergarten age requirement. Section 1003.21 of the Florida Statutes (2026) makes children who will be 5 on or before 1 September of the school year eligible for public kindergarten in that year.

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Related: Schools and family · Palm Beach County School Choice deadlines for 2027–28 · UK school year to US grade · International Families Guide

Sources (checked 2 November 2026): Florida Department of Education, Attendance and Enrollment; Florida Department of Health, School Enrollment and Immunizations: Parents, Children and Adolescents; Broward County Public Schools, Register My Child; School District of Palm Beach County, Student Registration; Florida Statutes (2026) s. 1003.21; Le Strand, About.