Traveling to Brazil? Yellow fever vaccination is not required to enter Brazil, but CDC recommends it for many travelers aged 9 months and older based on the places they plan to visit. The answer is not the same for every Brazil itinerary.
CDC recommends yellow fever vaccine for travel to many states, including the states containing Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Brasília, much of the Amazon, and Iguaçu Falls. It is not recommended for travel limited to certain areas, including the cities of Fortaleza and Recife. Your exact stops—not simply “Brazil”—determine whether it makes sense for you.
Last reviewed by Runway Health: September 22, 2026. Guidance checked against current CDC Brazil Traveler View, the CDC Yellow Book Brazil chapter, and Brazil’s Ministry of Health travel guidance. Recommendations and onward-travel requirements can change; confirm your complete itinerary before departure.
Is the yellow fever vaccine required to enter Brazil?
No. Brazil does not require proof of yellow fever vaccination for entry. That does not mean the vaccine is unnecessary for every traveler: entry rules and health recommendations are different questions.
CDC recommends yellow fever vaccination for eligible travelers going to areas of Brazil where yellow fever risk is present. Brazil’s Ministry of Health also advises international visitors to be up to date on recommended vaccines before arrival, particularly when traveling to areas where yellow fever vaccination is recommended.
Which parts of Brazil have a yellow fever vaccine recommendation?
CDC recommends yellow fever vaccination for travelers aged 9 months and older going to Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Distrito Federal—including Brasília—Espírito Santo, Goiás, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, Pará, Paraná, Piauí, Rio de Janeiro—including the city of Rio de Janeiro and coastal islands—Rio Grande do Sul, Rondônia, Roraima, Santa Catarina, São Paulo—including the city of São Paulo and coastal islands—and Tocantins. CDC also recommends vaccination for designated areas of Bahia and for travelers going to Iguaçu Falls.
CDC does not recommend yellow fever vaccination for travel limited to areas not listed above, including the cities of Fortaleza and Recife. This is why a beach trip in one part of Brazil can have a different recommendation from a Rio, São Paulo, Amazon, Brasília, Pantanal, or Iguaçu itinerary.
If your trip includes multiple stops, use the most complete itinerary when discussing vaccination. Adding a few days in a recommended area can change the plan.
Rio, São Paulo, Brasília, and Iguaçu Falls: what travelers should know
These popular destinations are worth calling out because travelers often assume large cities or famous sites are exempt. CDC includes the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brasília, and Iguaçu Falls among destinations where yellow fever vaccination is recommended for eligible travelers.
Recommendation does not mean every traveler should receive the vaccine automatically. A clinician should weigh destination-specific risk against your age, medical history, previous yellow fever vaccine record, pregnancy status, immune status, and potential risk of vaccine adverse events.
When should you get the yellow fever vaccine before Brazil travel?
For travel to a recommended area, plan to receive yellow fever vaccine at least 10 days before departure. That gives your body time to develop protection after a first dose. Planning early also leaves time to find an authorized yellow fever vaccination center and discuss whether the vaccine is appropriate for you.
Although Brazil does not require a yellow card for entry, keep your International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) if you receive the vaccine. Nearby countries may require proof of yellow fever vaccination from travelers with recent travel to Brazil. If you are adding Bolivia, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Suriname, or another destination after Brazil, check that country’s current rules before you leave the United States.
Who should speak with a clinician before vaccination?
Yellow fever vaccine is not appropriate for everyone. CDC identifies contraindications and precautions that can include certain immune-system conditions, severe allergy to vaccine components, pregnancy-related considerations, and age-related risk. The decision should be individualized, especially when a traveler has health conditions or is visiting an area with a lower potential for exposure.
If a yellow fever vaccine is medically contraindicated, an authorized provider may issue a medical waiver for destinations that require proof of vaccination. Brazil itself does not require that proof to enter, but a waiver may matter for onward travel. Acceptance is decided by the destination country, so confirm requirements with the relevant embassy or consulate.
Do you need malaria pills for Brazil?
It depends on where you are going. CDC recommends prescription malaria prevention for certain malaria-risk areas, including all areas of Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Rondônia, and Roraima. Risk is also present in Maranhão, Mato Grosso, and Pará, although cases are rare in their capital cities. CDC notes rare cases or sporadic transmission in rural and forested areas of several other states.
CDC reports no malaria transmission in the cities of Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, or São Paulo, and none at Iguaçu Falls. Still, those destinations can carry a yellow fever vaccine recommendation. Yellow fever and malaria maps overlap in some places but not everywhere, so each decision needs its own itinerary-based answer.
For malaria-risk areas, a clinician may consider options such as atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine, or tafenoquine based on your health history, activities, and travel dates. In areas where malaria cases are rare, CDC may recommend mosquito avoidance rather than prescription prevention. Read Runway’s Brazil malaria guide before your trip.
Other health preparations for Brazil
- Typhoid: Consider discussing typhoid vaccination if you will visit areas with poor sanitation or unsafe water, stay for a month or more, or visit friends and relatives. See Runway’s Brazil typhoid guide.
- Hepatitis A and B: CDC recommends travelers review these vaccines, especially when they are not already up to date.
- Traveler’s diarrhea: Food and water precautions matter, and a clinician can help decide whether a treatment plan is appropriate. Review traveler’s diarrhea planning for Brazil.
- Mosquito-bite prevention: Use EPA-registered insect repellent, wear protective clothing when practical, and use screened or air-conditioned accommodations. These measures remain useful even if you have been vaccinated against yellow fever.
Your Brazil travel-health checklist
- List every stop. Include cities, states, national parks, rural areas, and any onward countries.
- Check yellow fever recommendation by destination. Brazil has no entry requirement, but CDC recommends the vaccine for many popular destinations.
- Plan at least 10 days ahead. Allow time for vaccination, clinical questions, and protection before entering a recommended area.
- Assess malaria separately. A yellow fever recommendation does not automatically mean you need malaria pills, and no malaria risk in a city does not remove a yellow fever recommendation.
- Check onward travel rules. A neighboring country may ask for vaccine proof after time in Brazil, even though Brazil did not require it for entry.
Can Runway Health help with Brazil travel planning?
A Runway physician can review your itinerary and health history, discuss whether yellow fever vaccination is appropriate, and, if appropriate, prescribe yellow fever vaccine for local administration. Travelers who need an ICVP for onward travel should confirm that their vaccination site is an authorized yellow fever center that can issue and validate it.
Runway can also help eligible travelers evaluate prescription options for malaria prevention, traveler’s diarrhea, nausea, and other destination-specific travel needs. A consultation does not replace checking current requirements with the embassies or consulates for every country on your route.
Start your Brazil travel-health consultation
Frequently asked questions
Do U.S. travelers need a yellow fever vaccine to enter Brazil?
No. Brazil does not require yellow fever vaccination for entry. CDC still recommends it for eligible travelers visiting many areas of Brazil, so use your itinerary to determine whether it is appropriate.
Do I need the yellow fever vaccine for Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo?
CDC recommends vaccination for eligible travelers going to the states of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, including the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo and their coastal islands. Discuss your health history and itinerary with a clinician before vaccination.
Do I need malaria medication for Brazil?
Only for certain areas. CDC recommends prescription prevention for several malaria-risk regions, including parts of the Amazon, but reports no malaria transmission in the cities of Brasília, Rio de Janeiro, or São Paulo and none at Iguaçu Falls.
Do I need a yellow card for travel after Brazil?
Possibly. Some nearby countries may require proof of yellow fever vaccination after recent travel to Brazil. Check the entry rules for every country after Brazil, as well as any long transit points.
The bottom line
Brazil does not require yellow fever vaccine for entry, but CDC recommends it for eligible travelers visiting many destinations—including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Brasília, much of the Amazon, and Iguaçu Falls. Check each stop, plan at least 10 days ahead when vaccination is appropriate, and assess malaria prevention separately based on your route.
Review your Brazil medication plan with Runway Health
For a broader explanation of yellow fever vaccine recommendations, certificate rules, transit considerations, and timing, see Runway’s yellow fever vaccine travel guide.
Sources
- CDC Travelers’ Health: Brazil
- CDC Yellow Book: Brazil
- CDC Yellow Book: Yellow Fever Vaccine and Malaria Prevention Information by Country
- Brazil Ministry of Health: Travel Vaccines
