How to Fill Out New Jersey’s Rabies Vaccination Exemption Form VPH-28

New Jersey’s rabies vaccination exemption Form VPH-28 is a certificate a licensed veterinarian signs when a dog’s medical condition makes the rabies vaccine unsafe, and it takes the place of a standard vaccination certificate when you apply for your municipal dog license.¹ You can download a blank copy from the New Jersey Department of Health at nj.gov/health/forms/vph-28.pdf.²

Who Qualifies

Under N.J.A.C. 8:23A-4.3, the municipal licensing official must grant the exemption when a licensed veterinarian certifies in writing that the dog cannot be vaccinated because of an infirmity, other physical condition, or an ongoing course of therapy.³ Common qualifying situations include dogs on chemotherapy or immunosuppressive medications and dogs with documented severe reactions to a previous rabies dose. The standard is medical: the dog must be physically unable to tolerate the vaccine, not simply an animal whose owner prefers to skip it.

A positive rabies antibody titer does not satisfy the requirement. No blood test substitutes for a vet’s written certification of a medical condition, and a healthy dog with existing antibodies still needs the shot.

How to Fill Out VPH-28

The form has three parts plus your signature. Your veterinarian handles the medical section, but check the rest yourself before it goes to the clerk.

Owner Information

Print your full name, telephone number, and street address with city, state, and ZIP at the top. The entries must match what appears on your dog license application so the municipality can link the exemption to the right record.²

Animal Identification

The animal section asks for your dog’s name as used at the vet practice, species, breed (or “mixed”), sex and whether spayed or neutered, approximate age, current weight, and coat color.² The species field exists because the same template is used for other animals; write “dog.”

Veterinarian Certification

Your vet completes the examination date, printed name, New Jersey veterinary license number, and practice address. The critical field is the medical narrative, where the vet must describe the specific infirmity, physical condition, or therapy that prevents vaccination.³ Vague wording like “general poor health” risks rejection by the municipality. The vet should name the diagnosed condition and explain why the vaccine is unsafe.

The vet also enters a “valid until” date, which cannot exceed one year from the last examination.² If the medical condition resolves before that date, your dog needs to be vaccinated to remain compliant with state law.

Owner Signature

You sign and date the bottom. The signature is an acknowledgment that your dog is exempt from the rabies vaccine and that you understand the exposure consequences that apply to unvaccinated animals.

Where to Submit It

Give the signed VPH-28 to the municipal clerk or whichever official handles dog licensing in your town, together with your license application.⁴ The certificate substitutes for the rabies vaccination certificate that would otherwise be required to issue the license.¹

Dogs seven months or older must be licensed annually in the municipality where the owner lives, and proof of rabies immunity must extend through at least ten months of the twelve-month licensing period. Municipal fees are set locally and run roughly $1.50 to $21 per dog.⁵

What the Exemption Does Not Change

The certificate solves the licensing problem. It does not change how public health authorities treat your dog in a rabies situation. An exempt dog is still considered unvaccinated for exposure purposes.⁶ The form itself spells out two scenarios:²

If your dog is exposed to a rabid or suspect-rabid animal, the local health agency will require either euthanasia or a six-month quarantine.
If your dog bites or otherwise potentially exposes a person to rabies, the dog must be confined for ten days under the direction of the local health agency.

Weigh the six-month quarantine seriously before pursuing the exemption. Some owners facing that timeline choose euthanasia instead.

Travel, Boarding, and Daily Life

VPH-28 satisfies New Jersey’s municipal licensing requirement and nothing more.⁶ Other states may not recognize a New Jersey medical waiver, and some do not allow medical exemptions at all. Check the destination state’s health department before you travel with an unvaccinated dog.

Boarding kennels, groomers, doggy daycares, and dog parks typically require current rabies vaccination as a condition of entry, regardless of any legal exemption. These are private businesses with their own policies, and a VPH-28 certificate usually will not satisfy them. The AVMA recommends keeping exempt animals confined away from wildlife, unvaccinated pets, and the public.⁶

Renewing Each Year

Because the certificate cannot exceed one year, you repeat the process every licensing cycle for as long as the medical condition continues.² That means a fresh veterinary examination, a new form with an updated medical narrative, and a new submission to your municipal clerk alongside your annual license renewal. If the vet determines the dog can now safely be vaccinated, the dog gets the shot and you file a standard rabies certificate instead.

1
Justia. New Jersey Code 4:19-15.2a – Evidence of Inoculation With Rabies Vaccine or Certification of Exemption; Requirement for License
2
New Jersey Department of Health. Certificate of Exemption From Rabies Vaccination
3
Cornell Law Institute. New Jersey Administrative Code 8:23A-4.3 – Certification of Exemption
4
Montgomery Township, NJ. Dog and Cat Licensing – Section: Exemption of Rabies Vaccination
5
New Jersey Department of Health. Dog Licensing
6
American Veterinary Medical Association. Annual Rabies Vaccination Waiver