How often should you have a tetanus shot?

Adults should get a Td booster shot every 10 years, which protects the patient from tetanus and diphtheria, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends. Protection from tetanus weakens as time passes.

Protection from tetanus should begin in infancy, with a combined diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis shot at two, four and six months and again at 15 to 18 months, according to the CDC. Children should get a DTaP booster shot at the age of 4 to 6 years. At age 11 or 12, children should get a Tdap vaccine for protection from tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis. If an adult has not received the Tdap vaccine, he should get it instead of a Td booster shot.