Yellow Fever Vaccine in Canada: How Long It Lasts, Where to Get It & What It Costs

How long does the yellow fever vaccine last?

The yellow fever vaccine lasts a lifetime. Since 2016, the World Health Organization (WHO) revised its guidelines to state that a single dose of the yellow fever vaccine provides lifelong protection for most travellers. The previous recommendation — a booster every 10 years — is no longer considered necessary for healthy adults.

This means if you received the yellow fever vaccine even 15 or 20 years ago, your protection is still valid, and your International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) is still accepted at international borders.

There are a small number of exceptions where a booster is still recommended:

• Travellers who were vaccinated before age 2 (some countries still require re-vaccination)
• Travellers who were pregnant at the time of vaccination
• People who received a bone marrow transplant after vaccination
• People who were HIV-positive at the time of vaccination

Outside these specific situations, one vaccine = lifelong protection.

When does the yellow fever certificate become valid?

The yellow fever ICVP certificate becomes valid 10 days after vaccination. This is a critical detail that catches many travellers off guard. If you arrive at a country requiring the certificate before 10 days have passed since your injection, your certificate will be technically invalid and you may be refused entry.

Plan accordingly: if your destination requires proof of yellow fever vaccination, book your appointment at least two weeks before departure to give yourself a buffer.

Where can you get the yellow fever vaccine in Canada?

Yellow fever can only be administered at designated yellow fever vaccination centres — clinics specifically registered with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to administer the vaccine and issue the official ICVP booklet. Not every travel clinic, pharmacy, or walk-in clinic is authorized to give this vaccine.

This is why yellow fever vaccination requires a bit more planning than a routine shot. You need to find a designated centre near you.

Virtual Travel Clinic is one of the designated yellow fever vaccination centres in the Greater Toronto Area. Our Toronto pharmacy is authorized to administer the Stamaril vaccine and issue the official yellow card on-site.

The process at our clinic:

1. Book a virtual consultation — a licensed Canadian physician reviews your itinerary, health history, and confirms whether yellow fever vaccination is appropriate for you.
2. Visit our Toronto pharmacy — the pharmacist administers the vaccine (single dose, subcutaneous injection) and issues the ICVP booklet on the spot.
3. Your certificate is valid 10 days later — keep the yellow card with your passport for the duration of international travel.

We serve travellers from Toronto, Mississauga, Etobicoke, Brampton, Oakville, and across the Greater Toronto Area.

How much does the yellow fever vaccine cost in Canada?

The yellow fever vaccine in Canada typically costs $150–$250 for the vaccine itself, plus the cost of the travel consultation. Prices vary by clinic and province.

At Virtual Travel Clinic, the consultation and vaccine are separate services. The pre-travel consultation (virtual) assesses your full itinerary and health history; the vaccine is administered at the pharmacy visit.

Many extended health benefit plans cover travel vaccines, including yellow fever. We provide itemized receipts for all services that you can submit to your insurer for reimbursement. Some plans cover the consultation as a medical visit as well.

Who needs the yellow fever vaccine?

There are two distinct reasons to get the yellow fever vaccine — medical protection and legal entry requirements. They often overlap but not always.

For medical protection

Yellow fever is a serious, potentially fatal disease transmitted by infected mosquitoes in parts of tropical South America and sub-Saharan Africa. If you are travelling to areas with active yellow fever transmission, vaccination is strongly recommended for health reasons regardless of whether the destination legally requires it.

High-risk regions include: jungle areas of Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador and Suriname; rural or forested areas of West and Central Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, DR Congo, Cameroon, Uganda, Kenya, and others).

For legal entry requirements

Some countries require proof of yellow fever vaccination as a condition of entry. The requirement is usually triggered by your travel history — specifically, whether you have recently been to or transited through a yellow-fever-endemic country.

A smaller number of countries require the certificate from all travellers regardless of origin — including direct flights from Canada. These include Cameroon, DR Congo, French Guiana, Gabon, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Togo, among others.

See our detailed guide on yellow fever certificate requirements by country for the full country-by-country breakdown.

Can you get the yellow fever vaccine if you're pregnant, elderly, or immunocompromised?

Yellow fever is a live attenuated vaccine, which means it contains a weakened form of the live virus. This creates important safety considerations for certain groups:

• Pregnancy — generally avoided unless travel to a high-risk area is unavoidable. The risk-benefit discussion must happen with a physician.
• Infants under 9 months — contraindicated. Infants 6–9 months may receive it only if travel to endemic areas cannot be avoided.
• Adults 60+ — can receive the vaccine but have a slightly higher risk of rare serious adverse events. The risk-benefit assessment is important and physician-led.
• Immunocompromised individuals — HIV with low CD4 count, active cancer treatment, bone marrow transplant, high-dose corticosteroids, and certain biologics are contraindications or require careful evaluation.
• Severe egg allergy — the vaccine is grown in eggs; allergy history must be reviewed.
• Thymus disease or thymectomy — contraindicated.

If you cannot receive the yellow fever vaccine for medical reasons, our physician can issue a medical exemption letter on ICVP letterhead. Most countries that require the certificate will accept a signed medical exemption letter from an authorized provider in place of the vaccine.

What is the yellow fever ICVP certificate?

The International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) — commonly called the yellow card — is a small booklet issued by your vaccination centre at the time of immunization. It contains:

• Your full name and passport number
• The vaccine name (Stamaril), lot number, and date of administration
• The signature and stamp of the administering healthcare provider
• The stamp of the issuing designated vaccination centre

This booklet is an official international travel document. Keep it with your passport throughout international travel. Digital copies and photos on your phone are not accepted by most immigration authorities as substitutes for the physical booklet.

If you lose your yellow card, replacement documentation can be arranged — but it requires records of your original vaccination, so keep a personal record of your vaccination lot number and date.

How to prepare for your yellow fever appointment

A few things to do before your yellow fever consultation:

• Gather your vaccination history — including any previous yellow fever vaccine records if applicable
• Note any medications you are currently taking, especially immunosuppressants, steroids, or biologics
• Check your destination's entry requirements to confirm whether a certificate is required and whether the 10-day validity period fits your itinerary
• Book at least 2 weeks before your departure date

Frequently asked questions: yellow fever vaccine Canada

How long does the yellow fever vaccine last in Canada?

Per the 2016 WHO guidelines, one dose of the yellow fever vaccine provides lifelong protection for healthy adults. Boosters are no longer required unless you fall into one of the specific exception categories listed above.

How long is the yellow fever certificate valid?

The ICVP certificate is valid for life as of 2016 WHO policy changes. A small number of countries may still enforce the older 10-year rule — your physician will advise based on your specific destination.

Where can I get a yellow fever vaccine in Toronto?

Virtual Travel Clinic is a designated yellow fever vaccination centre in Toronto. Book a virtual consultation online and then visit our pharmacy for the vaccine and ICVP issuance — same week appointments are typically available.

Does OHIP cover the yellow fever vaccine?

No — the yellow fever vaccine is not covered by OHIP. Many extended health benefit plans do cover it. We provide official receipts for insurance submission.

Can I get the yellow fever vaccine at a walk-in clinic or Shoppers Drug Mart?

No. Yellow fever can only be administered at clinics and pharmacies that are officially designated by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Most walk-in clinics, family doctor offices, and retail pharmacies are not designated and cannot administer the vaccine or issue the ICVP certificate.