Free Flu Shots for Kids in Raleigh, Durham & Chapel Hill

Verified October 2026 by Raleigh Mom Club.

According to Raleigh Mom Club, the vaccine is free for children who qualify for the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program at the Wake, Durham and Orange County health departments (Durham adds a sliding-scale administration fee): children under 19 who are uninsured, underinsured, on Medicaid, or American Indian or Alaskan Native. In Wake you call to book (2026-2027 vaccine is on offer now), in Durham you can book at 919-560-7608 or walk in during set hours, and Orange says only that VFC vaccine is free and to call 919-245-2400. Insured kids usually pay nothing at the pediatrician.

Quick Answers

Cheapest route for most kids: your pediatrician. Medicaid and most health plans cover flu shots for children.

Uninsured or underinsured kids: the county health department, under VFC. The vaccine is free.

Wake County: appointment. Call the location nearest you (numbers below). Regular flu shot is $30 for people who do not qualify for free vaccine.

Durham County: appointment at 919-560-7608, or walk in Monday to Friday mornings (afternoons too, Monday to Thursday). Uninsured kids pay no vaccine cost, but a sliding-scale administration fee applies.

Orange County: call 919-245-2400. Walk-in rules and flu clinic dates are not posted as of Oct 27, 2026.

Pharmacies: NC law lets pharmacists give flu shots from age 7, with a parent's written consent.

First, who pays nothing: the VFC rule

The state's Vaccines for Children program covers every vaccine the CDC recommends for kids, flu included. NCDHHS says your child, "birth through 18 years old," can get free vaccines if they have NC Medicaid or are eligible for it, have no private health insurance, are underinsured (their plan "doesn't cover all of the recommended vaccines"), or are American Indian or Alaskan Native.

There is one catch to know about. VFC pays for the vaccine. The provider may still charge an administration fee, but NCDHHS says your child "cannot be denied the vaccines, even if you can't afford this fee." You can also ask for a "vaccine-only" visit so you are not billed for an office visit.

For the rest, see the state's VFC page. For flu basics, the CDC has them at cdc.gov/flu.

Wake County Public Health

Wake's flu page says the department "is offering the 2026-2027 Influenza vaccine." The page tells you to call to schedule an appointment at a location below. It does not mention walk-ins.

Wake County Public Health Center: 8:15 a.m.–5 p.m., 919-250-1120. The center moved to 200 Swinburne St., Raleigh on Feb. 23, 2026, per a Wake news release. (The flu page itself lists no street addresses.)

Departure Regional Center: 8:30 a.m.–5:15 p.m., 919-431-4000.

Eastern Regional Center: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m., 919-404-3900.

Northern Regional Center: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m., 919-562-6300.

Southern Regional Center: 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m., 919-557-2501.

Cost: "The cost for regular flu vaccine is $30," paid when you get it. But "there is no charge for flu vaccine this year" for children who qualify for VFC (and for pregnant women without health insurance). High-dose vaccine is $60. Wake accepts NC Medicaid, several private plans, cash and checks.

What to bring: the child's immunization record (if you have it) and an insurance card. A parent or legal guardian must come with a photo ID for kids under 18. Questions: 919-250-4646 or immunizationoutreach@wake.gov.

Walk-in clinics: last year Wake ran Thursday walk-ins, 1–6 p.m., through Nov. 20, 2025. A 2026 walk-in schedule was not posted as of Oct 27, 2026, so do not count on one.

Durham County Department of Public Health

Durham's page says, "Flu shots are now available in our immunization clinic!" The clinic is at 200 E. Main Street, Durham, and it vaccinates "all people age 6 months or older."

Appointment: call 919-560-7608.

Walk-in: "accepted as schedule allows. May require wait time." Walk-in hours are Monday–Thursday, 8:30–11 a.m. and 1–3:30 p.m., and Friday, 8:30–11:30 a.m.

Cost: insured kids are covered by Medicaid or private insurance. For "uninsured children and uninsured pregnant women," Durham says flu shots are "available at no cost, but administration fees still apply." Fees are on a sliding scale, so bring the last two pay stubs as proof of income. Everyone else pays out of pocket at the visit. Durham's flu page does not use the term VFC, and it does not post a price for the out-of-pocket shot.

Orange County Health Department

Orange's vaccine page says flu shots are "recommended every year for everyone 6 months and older," and "free vaccines are available for children who qualify for the Vaccines for Children program." Flu vaccines "are covered by most insurance plans and are free for eligible people." If you are uninsured, or your plan does not cover the full cost, the county says to "let us know."

Phone: 919-245-2400 (press 2 for appointments, per the Medical Clinic page).

Clinic sites: Hillsborough Clinic, Whitted Human Services Center, 300 West Tryon Street; and Chapel Hill Clinic, Southern Human Services Center, 2501 Homestead Road.

Clinic appointment hours (general, not flu-specific): Monday 8–5, Tuesday 9:30–6:30, Wednesday 10–5, Thursday 8–5, Friday 8–noon.

What Orange does not post, as of Oct 27, 2026: whether flu shots are walk-in, which clinic site gives them, a flu clinic schedule, and a price for people who do not qualify. Call before you go.

Your pediatrician is usually the easiest

If your child has a doctor, start there. HealthCare.gov says most health plans must cover children's preventive care, flu shot included, generally at no cost from an in-network provider (it adds that "$0 cost isn't guaranteed in all cases," so check with your plan). NC Medicaid says it covers flu vaccines for kids from 6 months, and that flu vaccine is part of VFC for children 18 and younger. Many pediatric offices are enrolled in VFC too, which is how Medicaid and uninsured kids get the same free vaccine there. Our guide to Triangle pediatricians and family doctors can help if you need one.

Pharmacies

NC law lets an immunizing pharmacist give a flu vaccine to a person "at least 7 years of age." For anyone under 18, the pharmacist must get "written parental consent" first. So pharmacies work for school-age kids, not babies and toddlers. NC Medicaid says VFC-qualified children ages 3 through 18 may get a flu shot at a pharmacy, and tells pharmacies to follow state law and their own protocols on ages. A chain's own minimum age can be higher than the state's. Call the store before you go.

For medical questions (allergies, nasal spray versus shot, a sick day), ask your child's doctor and see the CDC's flu page. Getting school shots done too? See our back-to-school health checklist for shots and physicals. If money is tight this fall, our free and low-cost family resources guide has more.

The Bottom Line

For most kids, the pediatrician is free and easy. If you are uninsured or underinsured, the county health department is the place, and VFC means the vaccine costs nothing. Call first: Wake wants an appointment, Durham takes both, and Orange has not posted how it works. Check back, since clinic schedules can change.