Objective: to describe the transmission risk classification of vaccine-preventable diseases in Brazilian municipalities.
Methods: this was a descriptive epidemiologic study using 2014 data of the Brazilian National Immunization Program Information System; the vaccine coverage indicators were used to classify the transmission risk of vaccine-preventable diseases in the municipalities.
Results: of the 5,570 Brazilian municipalities, 12.0% were classified as very low risk, 29.6% as low risk, 2.2% as medium risk, 54.3% as high risk and 1.8% as very high risk.
Conclusion: the vaccination coverage surveillance allowed to identify most of the municipalities in high risk situation and the minority of children living in municipalities with appropriate coverage; the vaccination coverage surveillance using indicators of the Brazilian National Health System (SUS) is a new tool for identifying priority areas where the actions can be more successful for health managers and improve the quality and the success of the immunizations program.