At a glance
Proper vaccine storage and handling practices play a very important role in protecting individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccine quality is the shared responsibility of everyone, from the time vaccine is manufactured until it is administered.
Toolkit Resources
CDC's Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit Resources
This PDF provides a set of tools to help healthcare professionals properly store and handle vaccines, manage temperature excursions, and develop standard operating procedures (SOPs).
Additional CDC Resources
Vaccine Storage and Handling SOPs
Vaccine Storage and Handling SOPs Worksheet
This worksheet contains structured fields intended to help staff document essential vaccine storage and handling procedures for easy reference.
Labels
Vaccine Labels (January 2026)
Organizing vaccines within the storage unit with labels is a best practice that can minimize vaccination errors. Storage labels are formatted to print on 4" x 3-1/3" adhesive labels.
Temperature Information
Recommended Vaccine Storage Temperatures
This resource includes the recommended temperatures for vaccines stored in the refrigerator, freezer, and ultra-cold freezer.
Purpose-Built Vaccine Storage Units
Purpose-Built Vaccine Storage Units Reference Sheet
This reference sheet explains the design and benefits of purpose-built vaccine storage units, which are engineered to maintain vaccine temperature stability.
Warning Signs
Do Not Turn Off Circuit Breaker Warning Sign
Do Not Unplug the Refrigerator or Freezer Warning Sign
These warning signs serve as visual reminders that vaccine storage units must remain connected to power. Each sign is available in both English and Spanish and is intended to prevent accidental power interruption.
Best Practices
Refrigerated Vaccines Storage Best Practices
Fahrenheit (F) | Celsius (C)
Frozen Vaccines Storage Best Practices
Fahrenheit (F) | Celsius (C)
These fact sheets illustrate best practices for storing refrigerated and frozen vaccines. Each contains an area where you can insert your agency's logo.
Temperature Log
Use this universal temperature log (°C and °F) to record daily temperatures for vaccine refrigerators, freezers, and ultra-cold storage units, and to monitor for temperature excursions.
Temperature Monitoring Best Practices
Refrigerated Vaccines Temperature Monitoring (Feb 2018)
Fahrenheit (F) | Celsius (C)
Frozen Vaccines Temperature Monitoring (Feb 2018)
Fahrenheit (F) | Celsius (C)
These fact sheets illustrate best practices for monitoring temperatures of refrigerated and frozen vaccines. Each contains an area where you can insert your agency's logo.
Handling a Temperature Excursion in Your Vaccine Storage Unit
This guidance document describes immediate corrective actions following a temperature excursion in your vaccine storage unit.
Vaccine Storage Troubleshooting Worksheet
This worksheet helps healthcare professionals assess and document any vaccine storage problem—such as temperature excursions—so they can determine vaccine viability, take corrective action, and prevent future issues.
Packing Vaccines
Packing Vaccines for Transport During Emergencies
Learn how to pack refrigerated vaccines during emergencies like equipment failures, power outages, or natural disasters to protect your vaccine supply.
Vaccine Transportation Temperature Logs
Refrigerated Transportation Temperature Log
Frozen Transportation Temperature Log
These temperature logs can be used to track temperatures when transporting refrigerated or frozen vaccines.
Sharps Disposal During a Mass Vaccination Campaign
Protect yourself from needlestick injuries while administering vaccines or helping at vaccination sites.
You Call the Shots
You Call the Shots: Vaccine Storage and Handling Module
An interactive, web-based module which provides learning opportunities, self-test practice questions, reference and resource materials, and an extensive glossary. Continuing education credit is available.
Pink Book
Pink Book Webinar: Vaccine Storage and Handling Module
This one-hour web-on-demand video provides comprehensive recommendations and best practices on vaccine storage and handling.
Partner Resources
State and Local Health Department Immunization Programs
Find state and local public health immunization program websites by clicking on the map of the United States, using the drop-down menu, or clicking the external link.
Immunize.org's Storage and Handling Clinical Resources
Immunize.org has developed several helpful resources to safeguard your vaccine supply. These include a Vaccine Storage Troubleshooting Record, a Checklist for Safe Vaccine Storage and Handling, Don't Be Guilty of These Preventable Errors in Vaccine Storage & Handling, package inserts, temperature logs, warning signs, and more.
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): Vaccine Storage and Handling Research
The NIST Reliable Vaccine Storage Program partners with CDC to study provider-level vaccine storage and temperature monitoring methods to develop best practice guidance for public health audiences.
Vaccines for Children Program: Vulnerabilities in Vaccine Management
This report contains recommendations from the HHS Office of Inspector General, released following a routine assessment of the Vaccines for Children program in 2012.
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