Registering for school after a move: residency, age, health and records

What districts ask for, when you can register, the kindergarten age rule, immunization requirements, the language survey and how records follow a student.

Schools & enrollment · Last updated 2026-10-29

Key points

Each district sets its own document list and timing. Lexington lets families begin once they have occupancy; Brookline registers by appointment after an online form; Boston uses an online portal and Welcome Centers.
Expect proof of residency (deed, mortgage, tax bill or lease) plus recent bills in a parent’s name. State guidance says districts must work with families who cannot produce a listed document and may not ask about immigration status.
Attendance is required from September of the calendar year a child turns six. Kindergarten entry age is set by each district, and the cutoff dates differ.
Bring immunization records and a recent physical, report cards and any IEP or 504 plan. The new school can obtain records from the old one.

When registration can start

There is no single statewide calendar. Lexington says you may begin registering once you and your student have occupancy of your Lexington residence, and registration runs through the Registration Gateway website, where documents can be uploaded. Brookline registers by virtual appointment, booked after the online registration form is submitted. Newton uses an online enrollment portal. Boston Public Schools registers through an online portal and four Welcome Centers.

If you are buying or signing a lease, ask the district which document it will accept before you move in and whether it can process registration before your closing or lease start date. Some will not finalize anything until you live there.

Proof of residency: two district examples

Use the district’s current checklist, since categories and date windows differ. Two examples as of October 2026:

State guidance from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Executive Office of Education and the Attorney General says districts may ask families to confirm a student’s age and residence, but may not limit proof to a narrow list such as government photo ID, may not require information about immigration status, and must work with families to find alternatives. Students experiencing homelessness must be enrolled immediately even without residence documents.

District	What it asks for
Brookline	One proof of residency (mortgage payment, property tax bill, settlement statement plus payment, or an active lease) and two proofs of occupancy, such as utility bills or homeowner’s or renter’s insurance dated within 45 days of the appointment, in the parent’s or guardian’s name
Boston	Two proofs of Boston residency from different categories, such as a utility bill (not water or cell phone) from the past 60 days, a deed or recent mortgage payment, a current lease or BPS Landlord Affidavit, a recent pay stub, or a recent bank statement

Age and kindergarten

Under 603 CMR 8.00, every district must provide kindergarten, and each child must attend school beginning in September of the calendar year in which the child turns six. Each school committee may set its own minimum age for entry, provided it is not older than that mandatory age.

So kindergarten cutoff dates differ. Newton asks that a child be five on or before August 31 of the school year. For 2027-2028, Boston’s K2 (kindergarten) requires age five on or before September 1, 2027. Ask the district for its cutoff and its registration window: Newton, for example, has no registration deadline but recommended registering kindergarten students by March 20, 2026 for the 2026-2027 year.

Districts usually ask for a birth certificate. State guidance says a district may accept a parent’s affidavit of the child’s date of birth when no birth certificate is available, and Brookline asks for authorized translations of documents not in English.

Immunizations and a physical

State law bars admission to school without a physician’s certificate of immunization, with exemptions for a physician-certified medical reason or, unless the Department of Public Health has declared an emergency or epidemic of disease, a written statement that vaccination conflicts with sincere religious beliefs (M.G.L. c.76 §15). The Department of Public Health sets the vaccine list in 105 CMR 220.000 and publishes the requirements by school year and grade.

Districts also ask for a recent physical. Newton states that enrollment is not finalized without a current immunization record or a catch-up schedule, and that kindergarten physicals must include vision and lead screening results. Boston asks for a physical exam record from within the last year. Records from another country may need review by the school nurse, so bring originals early.

The language survey and English learner services

Every newly enrolling student’s family completes the Massachusetts Language Survey, often called a home language survey, from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. If any answer in its first section names a language other than English, the district gives an English proficiency screening. DESE’s protocol notes that federal law requires English learners to be identified within 30 days of enrollment.

The survey must be available in the parent’s primary language, and DESE says it is not used to ask about citizenship status. Answer it accurately: it decides whether your student is screened, not whether your student is admitted.

Records from the previous school

Under the state student records regulation, staff of the school a student seeks or intends to transfer to may obtain the student’s record without the parent’s consent, provided the school the student is leaving gives notice that it forwards records to such schools (603 CMR 23.07(4)(g)). In practice, still bring recent report cards, transcripts, and any IEP, 504 plan or testing, so placement is not delayed while records travel.

General information about Massachusetts public school rules, current as of the date shown. School assignment is decided and confirmed only by the school district. No listing, seller, landlord or real estate agent can guarantee that an address is assigned to a particular school or that a student will be enrolled or admitted anywhere. Confirm with the district’s registration office, and ask an attorney about contract questions.