How to Tell if a COVID-19 Vaccine Card is Real or Fake

Last Updated: May 21, 2022 References

When a US resident wants to enter a space that has a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, they'll need to show their official CDC-stamped vaccine card as proof of immunization. But because vaccine cards are just simple black-and-white printed cardstock, they're very easy to fake. So how can you spot a fake COVID-19 vaccine card? While it can be tricky to know if your employee, student, or friend has a counterfeit vaccine card, there are a few telltale signs to look out for. This wikiHow article will teach you tips for determining whether someone's COVID-19 vaccine card is real or fake.

1

Match up the person's name with their ID.

Does the card have a different name than the person's government ID? The name written on the vaccine card should be the same name that's on the person's official identification cards. Always inspect a person's ID when checking their vaccine card.

2

Feel the card material.

Official COVID-19 vaccine cards in the United States are printed on thin white uncoated cardstock. The edges should be smooth and even. If the card is on a thinner sheet of paper or a thicker piece of cardboard or has jagged edges, it could be fake.
- Check the date of the person's most recent vaccination and compare it to the quality of the card. It would be rare (but not impossible) to have a pristine-condition vaccination card if the most recent vaccination date was over a year ago.
- If a person lost their original vaccine card, they might have a state-issued digital card, or a proof of vaccination from their pharmacy. These are more difficult, though not impossible, to fake.

3

Measure the card size.

CDC-approved COVID-19 vaccination cards are 3" tall and 4" wide. If the vaccine card is larger than that, it's likely a fake. If you don't have a way to measure the card, compare it to the size of a vaccine card that you know is authentic.
- If the card is smaller, it could be because the owner trimmed off the extra white space so the card would fit better into their wallet or vaccine card holder.
- On a real CDC vaccine card, the horizontal lines do not touch the edges of the card. If someone cut their card to be smaller, it's likely the lines would touch the edges or come close.
- If the card is too small and there's still extra white space on the left and right sides, it's likely a fake.
- There might be situations in which a person was issued a non-standard vaccine card. To find out for sure, contact the organization that performed the first vaccination on the card to ask if they are using a non-standard card.^{[1]
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4

Make sure all pertinent information is there.

Each shot should have the product name, lot number, date of administration, and location. Sometimes this information will be handwritten by the person who administered the shot, and other times you'll see printed stickers containing some or all of the information.
- There's no standard for writing or typing the information onto the card, so it's normal to see both handwriting and printed stickers on a card.
- Unless the person got two shots at the same small pharmacy, it's unlikely that the handwriting for multiple shots would match exactly.
- Some vaccines may also list an expiration date, but this is not required.
- The lot numbers should be different for each vaccination. It's not possible to look up a batch number or match it to a date unless you are a pharmacy, public health organization, or healthcare organization.^{[2]
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5

Consider the vaccine dates.

The dates on the vaccine card should be realistic. The three COVID-19 vaccines approved in the United States have different approval dates and dosing schedules. In most cases, peoples' vaccine cards will match up with the standard schedules, but there will always be exceptions.
- Moderna: Most people receive a 2-dose primary series, with about 4-8 weeks between doses.^{[3]
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  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services
  Go to source} Moderna's vaccine is only available to people 18 and older.
  - People in the US started getting Moderna shots December 21, 2020.^{[4]
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- Pfizer: Most people receive a 2-dose primary series, with about 3-8 weeks between doses.
  - The date for a person's first Pfizer shot could be as early as December 14, 2020.
- Janssen (Johnson & Johnson): This is a one-shot vaccine, and only available to people 18 and older.
  - The vaccine date should be March 1 2021 or later.^{[5]
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6

Check the print quality.

Vaccine cards are printed with professional laser printers. The official files are printed in high-resolution—you should not see any print defects, such as bleeding ink around letters, or low-quality lines and text. While cards can fade over time, the printing should remain clear.
- If there are printed stickers on the card, those stickers will be of varying qualities.

7

Look for misspelled words.

Check for spelling mistakes in the print. In late 2021, US Customs and Border Protection officers seized thousands of fake COVID-19 vaccine cards that contained multiple obvious misspelled words, including "COVLID-19" instead of COVID-19.^{[6]
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Trustworthy Source
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Federal law enforcement agency responsible for monitoring U.S. borders, facilitating international trade, and upholding customs laws
Go to source} If you have more than a few seconds to glance at the card, check the black text printed on both the front and back of the card for incorrect spelling and odd punctuation.