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When should kids get the HPV vaccine?

The HPV vaccine is recommended at age 11-12, but can be started as early as age 9. Kids who start before age 15 only need 2 doses; starting later requires 3.

Starting earlier gives a stronger immune response and protects kids before any possible exposure to the virus.

Strength of evidence

Strong

Recommendation is based on national guidelines (CDC/ACIP, AAP) built on immunogenicity trials and over 15 years of safety and effectiveness monitoring data.

What the evidence says

Major health authorities agree: the HPV vaccine should routinely be given at age 11 or 12, though it can be started as young as age 9. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends starting the HPV vaccination series between 9 and 12 years, at an age that the provider deems optimal for acceptance and completion of the vaccination series.

Timing matters for the number of shots needed. Children ages 11 to 12 years should get two doses of HPV vaccine, given 6 to 12 months apart. Kids who start on or after their 15th birthday need three doses instead of two, spread out over 6 months.

Starting early isn't just about convenience. Pre-teens produce more antibodies after HPV vaccination than older teens, and vaccinating at a younger age also protects kids before they are exposed to the virus, since HPV is spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact later in life.

If your child missed the vaccine as a preteen, it's not too late. Catch-up vaccination is recommended for everyone through age 26 years who wasn't adequately vaccinated earlier, and some adults 27 through 45 can discuss it with their doctor, though benefits are lower since more people in that age range have already been exposed to HPV.

Sources

✓Reviewed by CH, MD, FRCPC

Reviewed by a specialist physician certified by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, who has read this answer against the sources listed above and confirmed it reflects them. That is not medical advice about your child. How we review

Answer checked July 24, 2026

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