Japanese Encephalitis Vaccination (JEV)

In NSW, pharmacists can vaccinate eligible people aged 5 years and over. For children under 5, speak to your GP.

A free JE vaccine is available for people aged 2 months and over who:

•     live or work (including volunteer deployments) in one of the high-risk local government areas (LGAs) listed below, or

•     until 31 January 2027, are travelling to one of these LGAs for outdoor recreation, such as camping, caravanning, boating, hunting or fishing.

High-risk LGAs in NSW

Albury • Armidale • Ballina • Balranald • Bathurst • Berrigan • Bland • Blayney • Bogan • Bourke • Brewarrina • Broken Hill • Byron • Cabonne • Carrathool • Central Darling • Cobar • Coolamon • Coonamble • Cootamundra-Gundagai • Cowra • Dubbo Regional • Edward River • Federation • Forbes • Gilgandra • Glen Innes Severn • Goulburn Mulwaree • Greater Hume • Griffith • Gunnedah • Gwydir • Hay • Hilltops • Inverell • Junee • Kyogle • Lachlan • Leeton • Lismore • Liverpool Plains • Lockhart • Mid-Western • Moree Plains • Murray River • Murrumbidgee • Narrabri • Narrandera • Narromine • Oberon • Orange • Parkes • Richmond Valley • Tamworth • Temora • Tenterfield • Tweed • Unincorporated Far West Area • Upper Hunter • Upper Lachlan • Uralla • Wagga Wagga • Walcha • Walgett • Warren • Warrumbungle • Weddin • Wentworth • Yass Valley

Not sure which LGA you're in? Check the NSW Health Japanese encephalitis map.

A free JE vaccine is also recommended for people anywhere in NSW who:

•     work at, live at or visit a piggery. This includes farm workers and their families living on site (including children aged 2 months and over), pig transport workers, veterinarians (including veterinary students and nurses) and others who care for pigs

•     work at, live at or visit a pork abattoir or pork rendering plant

•     work with mosquitoes through surveillance or control, such as environmental health officers and entomologists

•     work in a diagnostic or research laboratory where they may be exposed to JEV.

The vaccine is free if you're eligible, and you don't need a Medicare card. Some pharmacies charge a consultation or administration fee, so check when you book.

Not eligible for a free vaccine?

Book a private JE vaccination here:

You’ll pay for the vaccine plus a consultation fee, so call ahead to confirm the price of the vaccine beforehand. Pharmacists can vaccinate people aged 5 years and over in NSW.

In QLD, pharmacists can vaccinate eligible people.

A free JE vaccine is recommended for people who are at risk of mosquito bites and who live or work in, or have a planned visit to, one of the high-risk locations listed below.

High-risk locations in QLD

• Roma

• Hemmant (Brisbane)

High-risk LGAs in QLD

Aurukun • Balonne • Banana • Burke • Cairns • Carpentaria • Central Highlands • Cherbourg • Cook • Doomadgee • Goondiwindi • Hope Vale • Kowanyama • Lockhart River • Lockyer Valley • Mapoon • Mornington • Napranum • North Burnett • Northern Peninsula Area • Pormpuraaw • Quilpie • South Burnett • Southern Downs • Southwest area of Toowoomba Regional Council (surrounding and including Millmerran) • Torres Strait • Weipa Town • Western Downs • Woorabinda Aboriginal Shire • Wujal Wujal

A free JE vaccine is also recommended for people anywhere in QLD who:

•     work at, live near or plan to visit a piggery. This includes farm workers and their families living at the piggery (including children aged 2 months and over), transport workers, veterinarians, students and others who care for pigs

•     work at, live near or plan to visit a pork abattoir or pork rendering plant

•     are pig doggers or hunters

•     work with mosquitoes through surveillance (in the field or a laboratory) or control, such as environmental health officers and entomologists

•     work in a diagnostic or research laboratory where they may be exposed to the virus

•     may need to work outdoors in at-risk areas, in a paid or volunteer role.

The vaccine is free if you're eligible. Some pharmacies charge a consultation or administration fee, so check when you book.

Not eligible for a free vaccine?

Book a private JE vaccination here:

You’ll pay for the vaccine plus a consultation fee, so call ahead to confirm the price of the vaccine beforehand. Pharmacists can vaccinate people from 2 months of age in QLD.

In SA, pharmacists can vaccinate eligible people.

For a limited time, SA Health is offering a free JE vaccine to people who:

•     own a property in one of the eligible local government areas (LGAs) listed below

•     live in an eligible LGA as their main place of residence

•     do emergency or critical work in an eligible LGA and regularly spend time outdoors

•     are employed in an eligible postcode and spend at least 4 hours a day outdoors on most days as part of their job.

Eligible LGAs in SA

Alexandrina Council • Berri Barmera • Coorong District Council • District Council of Loxton Waikerie • Karoonda East Murray District Council • Mid Murray Council • Renmark Paringa Council • Rural City of Murray Bridge • Southern Mallee • Unincorporated areas next to the Murray River within postcodes 5330, 5341, 5342, 5343, 5344 and 5345.

A free JE vaccine is also available for people who:

•     work at, live at or have a planned visit that can't be put off to a piggery, including farm workers and their families living there (including children aged 2 months and over), transport workers, veterinarians and others who care for pigs

•     work at or visit a pork abattoir or pork rendering plant

•     work with mosquitoes through surveillance or control, such as environmental health officers and entomologists

•     work in a diagnostic or research laboratory where they may be exposed to the virus.

Proof of eligibility

Bring one of the following to your appointment:

•     proof of property ownership or main residence in an eligible LGA, such as a rates notice, electricity bill or the address linked to your Medicare card

•     a completed employer letter if you work in an eligible postcode. SA Health provides a template for employers.

Guests and visitors staying with residents are not eligible, and the program does not cover vaccination for overseas travel. In SA, the free program uses the Imojev vaccine. If you can't have Imojev, ask your pharmacist about other options. The vaccine is free if you're eligible. Some pharmacies charge a consultation or administration fee, so check when you book.

Not eligible for a free vaccine?

Book a private JE vaccination here:

You’ll pay for the vaccine plus a consultation fee, so call ahead to confirm the price of the vaccine beforehand. Pharmacists can vaccinate people from 2 months of age in SA.

In VIC, pharmacists can vaccinate eligible people aged 5 years and over. For children under 5, speak to your GP.

A free JE vaccine is available for people aged 2 months and over who live or work (including volunteer work) in one of the high-risk local government areas (LGAs) listed below.

High-risk LGAs in Victoria

Alpine • Benalla • Buloke • Campaspe • Gannawarra • Greater Bendigo • Greater Shepparton • Hindmarsh • Horsham • Indigo • Loddon • Macedon Ranges • Mansfield • Mildura • Mitchell • Moira • Northern Grampians • Strathbogie • Swan Hill • Towong • Wangaratta • West Wimmera • Wodonga • Yarriambiack

A free JE vaccine is also available, wherever you are in Victoria, for people who:

•     work at, live at or have a planned visit that can't be put off to a piggery. This includes farm workers and their families living at the piggery, transport workers, veterinarians (including veterinary students and nurses) and others who care for pigs

•     work at, live at or have a planned visit that can't be put off to a property confirmed or suspected to be infected with JEV, or a pork abattoir or pork rendering plant

•     work with mosquitoes through surveillance or control, or manage surveillance systems that use sentinel animals, such as environmental health officers and entomologists

•     work in a diagnostic or research laboratory where they may be exposed to the virus.

Boosters in Victoria: a free booster is recommended 1 to 2 years after the first course for people who are still eligible and who had Imojev before they turned 18, or had JEspect at any age. Adults who had one dose of Imojev at 18 or older don't need a booster.

The vaccine is free if you're eligible, and you don't need a Medicare card. Some pharmacies charge a consultation or administration fee, so check when you book.

Victorian pharmacists can't give the JE vaccine for overseas travel. If you need it for travel, see your GP or a travel clinic.

In the ACT, pharmacists can vaccinate eligible people aged 5 years and over. For children under 5, speak to your GP.

The ACT Government funds JE vaccines for people at higher risk. You can get a free JE vaccine if you:

Work with pigs

•     work or live at a piggery, or are planning a piggery visit that can't be put off

•     transport pigs, are a veterinarian, or care for pigs

•     work at or need to visit a pork abattoir or rendering plant.

This includes family members living at piggeries, including children aged 2 months and over.

Work with mosquitoes or the virus

•     work in mosquito surveillance or control

•     are an environmental health worker, entomologist or similar specialist

•     work in a laboratory handling JEV or infected mosquitoes.

Work outdoors in high-risk areas

•     do prolonged outdoor work in a JE high-risk area

•     are involved in work such as flood clean-up where there is stagnant water.

Travel to high-risk areas

Until 31 January 2027, and while supply lasts, ACT residents who plan outdoor recreation in a JE high-risk area are eligible. This includes camping, hiking, fishing, boating, caravanning and hunting. High-risk areas are in parts of:

•     New South Wales

•     Northern Territory

•     Queensland

•     South Australia

•     Victoria

•     Western Australia

The vaccine is free if you're eligible, and you don't need a Medicare card. Some pharmacies charge a consultation or administration fee, so check when you book.

Your pharmacy may need to order the vaccine for you, so book a few days ahead.

Not eligible for a free vaccine?

Book a private JE vaccination here:

You’ll pay for the vaccine plus a consultation fee, so call ahead to confirm the price of the vaccine beforehand. Pharmacists can vaccinate people aged 5 years and over in the ACT.