Yes, there is a highly effective vaccine for hepatitis B, and it has been available since the 1980s. It is one of the most widely used vaccines in the world and is recommended for all infants at birth and for all adults up to age 59. The vaccine provides protection for at least 30 years in people vaccinated as infants, and likely longer.
How the Vaccine Works
The hepatitis B vaccine does not contain any live virus. Instead, it uses a small, non-infectious protein found on the surface of the hepatitis B virus. Scientists insert the gene for this protein into yeast cells, which then produce the protein in large quantities. Once purified and injected, this protein trains your immune system to recognize and attack the real virus if you’re ever exposed.
Because the vaccine contains only a single protein rather than a whole virus, there is no possibility of getting hepatitis B from the shot. Your body responds by producing antibodies that target the virus’s outer surface, neutralizing it before it can infect liver cells.
Who Should Get Vaccinated
The CDC recommends hepatitis B vaccination for all newborns, with the first dose given within 24 hours of birth. Despite this recommendation, fewer than half of all newborns worldwide received a birth dose as of 2022.
For adults, the CDC updated its guidelines in 2024 to recommend universal hepatitis B vaccination for everyone aged 19 to 59, regardless of risk factors. Adults 60 and older can also be vaccinated, particularly if they have risk factors like chronic liver disease, exposure to blood through their work, or sexual contact with an infected partner. Previously, adult vaccination was only recommended for specific high-risk groups, so many people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s may have never been vaccinated as children and don’t realize they’re unprotected.
Available Vaccines and Schedules
Several hepatitis B vaccines are currently licensed in the United States. The traditional options, such as Engerix-B and Recombivax HB, require three doses given over six months. A newer option called Heplisav-B requires only two doses given one month apart, making it a more convenient choice for adults who want to complete the series quickly. PreHevbrio, a three-antigen vaccine, follows the traditional three-dose, six-month schedule but uses a slightly different formulation.
For infants, the standard schedule spaces three doses across the first six months of life. Completing the full series is important. A single dose starts building protection, but the final dose is what pushes antibody levels high enough for long-lasting immunity.
How Long Protection Lasts
Studies show that immunity persists for at least 30 years in healthy people who were vaccinated before six months of age. Many researchers believe protection likely lasts a lifetime for most people, because the immune system retains “memory cells” that can rapidly produce antibodies if the virus appears, even after circulating antibody levels decline.
Booster doses are not routinely recommended for healthy people who completed the original series. However, certain groups, such as people on dialysis or those with weakened immune systems, may need periodic testing and boosters. A blood test can check your antibody level: a result of 10 mIU/mL or higher is considered protective.
Side Effects and Safety
The hepatitis B vaccine has one of the longest safety track records of any modern vaccine, with billions of doses administered worldwide since the 1980s. The most common side effects are mild: soreness at the injection site, low-grade fever, and fatigue that typically resolves within a day or two.
The vaccine is not appropriate for anyone who has had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose or who has a known hypersensitivity to yeast, since the vaccine is produced using yeast cells. If you’re moderately or severely ill at the time of your appointment, your provider will typically suggest waiting until you recover before getting the shot.
Checking Your Vaccination Status
If you’re unsure whether you were vaccinated as a child, a simple blood test can tell you. The test measures antibodies against the hepatitis B surface protein. If your level is 10 mIU/mL or above, you’re considered immune. If it’s below that threshold, you can start or restart the vaccine series at any age.
There’s no harm in getting vaccinated again even if you were vaccinated previously and lost your records. The vaccine is safe to repeat, and it’s a straightforward way to ensure you’re protected against a virus that causes chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer in hundreds of thousands of people each year.