Independent cost reference. Not a pharmacy, not an insurance carrier, not a clinic finder, not a medical practice. For an injury that may require a tetanus shot, contact a healthcare provider promptly.

Last verified: April 2026
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Cost overview

How much does a tetanus shot cost? 2026 pharmacy, insurance, and free-shot pricing

A 2026 Tdap booster cash-pays at $50 to $95 across major US pharmacy chains, $0 with most ACA-compliant insurance in-network, and is free through Section 317 and FQHC pathways for those who qualify. Urgent care visits push the total above $125. Most cost-shopping confusion comes from conflating the vaccine, the administration fee, and the visit fee.
Cost data verified: April 2026

The cash range, in one sentence

For an adult getting a routine Tdap booster at a major US pharmacy in April 2026, cash prices range from around $50 (Sam's Club Boostrix) to $95 (CVS MinuteClinic). Td (Tenivac, no pertussis component) tends to run $40 to $85. With ACA-compliant insurance in-network, the patient pays $0 at the counter.[4]

Cost by component

Headline prices conflate three things. Knowing the breakdown is the difference between a $0 visit and a $300 visit.

ComponentRange, USDNotes
The vaccine alone$38–$95Boostrix, Adacel, or Tenivac (Tdvax discontinued 2024). CDC private-sector contract price near $46–$49.[1]
Administration fee$7–$20Sometimes broken out separately; coupons usually do not cover this.
Visit fee, pharmacy walk-in$0Most major chains do not charge a separate clinic visit for vaccine-only walk-ins.
Visit fee, Walmart Care Clinic$59–$99Care Clinic visits include a clinic charge separate from the vaccine.
Visit fee, urgent care$100–$250Plus shot. Use only if there is a wound or other reason for clinical assessment.
Total: pharmacy walk-in, no insurance, no coupon$50–$115Vaccine + administration fee at typical chain.
Total: pharmacy walk-in, with GoodRx$35–$80Boostrix coupon from $60.86.[2] Coupon does not cover administration fee.
Total: ACA-compliant insurance, in-network$0ACA preventive-care rule covers ACIP-recommended vaccines at $0 in-network.[4]

Three worked example budgets

Example A: insured adult, routine 10-year booster

A 42-year-old with employer-sponsored insurance walks into an in-network CVS MinuteClinic for a Tdap booster. Under the ACA preventive-care rule, the ACIP-recommended Tdap is covered with no cost-sharing.[4] The adult pays $0 and the chain bills the insurer.

Expected total: $0

Example B: uninsured adult, routine booster

A 35-year-old with no insurance walks into a Walmart pharmacy. Walmart's published Tdap cash range runs around $56 to $80 at the Care Clinic depending on metro.[7] Without a coupon, the patient might pay $65. With a GoodRx Boostrix coupon (~$60.86), the patient pays the coupon price plus an administration fee, often netting around $70 to $80.

Expected total: $56 to $80

Example C: uninsured adult after a dirty wound

A 28-year-old who stepped on a rusty nail in the garden, last booster more than 5 years ago, visits an urgent care clinic. Under CDC wound-management guidance, a tetanus booster is indicated for a dirty wound when the last dose was more than 5 years ago.[8] Without insurance, the urgent-care visit runs $100 to $250, plus the shot ($25 to $150). Some clinics may add wound-cleaning and dressings.

Expected total: $125 to $400

Tdap vs Td price difference

Tdap (Boostrix, Adacel) typically runs $10 to $30 more cash than Td (Tenivac). Tdap covers tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis; Td covers tetanus and diphtheria only. With insurance, both are typically $0. GoodRx Tenivac starts at $51.93[3]. Tdvax, the other Td brand, was discontinued by MassBiologics in 2024, leaving Tenivac the only Td vaccine in the US. The full clinical decision tree (which one is appropriate for which person) is on /tdap-vs-td-vs-dtap.

What is usually NOT included in the headline price

  • Administration fee. Sometimes invisible until the receipt.
  • Visit fee at urgent care or doctor's office. Pharmacy walk-ins do not have one; clinics typically do.
  • Wound-care charges. Cleaning, suturing, and antibiotic decisions if the visit is post-injury.
  • Co-administered vaccines. A flu shot bundled with the Tdap stacks the costs.

Cost at named major chains

Cash Tdap by chain in April 2026: Sam's Club $50 to $65 (no membership required) and Costco around $53 to $60 are the warehouse-club pharmacies and the lowest of the major chains, then Walmart $56 to $80 (Care Clinic), Walgreens $70 to $90, Kroger $70 to $90, and CVS MinuteClinic $75 to $95. Full per-chain detail and source URLs: /by-pharmacy.

Why prices vary by location

Chain published prices are national, but local stores can deviate. Some states regulate pharmacist-administered vaccines differently, which affects whether the patient must see a clinician for the shot (and therefore pays a separate clinic fee). Warehouse-club pharmacies (Costco, Sam's Club) follow federal rules that allow non-members to purchase pharmacy services in many states. The clinical decision remains the same regardless of where the shot is administered.

National-average vs your local pharmacy

The cash list prices on this page reflect chain-published April 2026 figures. Local store prices may run $5 to $15 above or below the chain reference. The most reliable way to confirm an actual cost is the chain's own scheduler page or a phone call to the local pharmacy. With insurance, the local pharmacy confirms the in-network $0 outcome at the counter.

Adjacent reading on this site

Primary sources

References cited on this page

  1. [1]CDC Vaccine Price List, private-sector and CDC contract prices. CDC. Accessed April 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines-for-children/php/price-list/index.html
  2. [2]Boostrix prices and coupons. GoodRx. Accessed April 2026. https://www.goodrx.com/boostrix
  3. [3]Tenivac prices and coupons; cash from $51.93. GoodRx. Accessed June 2026. https://www.goodrx.com/tenivac
  4. [4]Affordable Care Act preventive care benefits for adults. HealthCare.gov / HHS. Accessed April 2026. https://www.healthcare.gov/preventive-care-adults/
  5. [5]Tdap vaccination at CVS / MinuteClinic. CVS. Accessed April 2026. https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/tdap-dtap
  6. [6]Tdap-Td vaccine scheduler. Walgreens. Accessed April 2026. https://www.walgreens.com/topic/pharmacy/scheduler/tdap-td-tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis-vaccine_32.jsp
  7. [7]Tdap vaccine product listing. Walmart. Accessed April 2026. https://www.walmart.com/cp/tdap-vaccine/5163903
  8. [8]Tetanus: For Clinicians (wound-management guidance). CDC. Accessed April 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/tetanus/hcp/clinical-guidance/index.html