Aim: To determine the epidemiological characteristics of tetanus before and after the introduction of mandatory immunization and to examine the vaccination coverage for tetanus in Croatia. Methods: The retrospective study was taken and the data on the number of patients and deaths from tetanus in the period of 1946 - 2014 in Croatia were analyzed. The data considering age, gender and geographical location of disease occurrence were also analyzed. The vaccination coverage for tetanus was tested per counties and in total for the whole country. Results: The study confirmed the reduction of morbidity, mortality and lethality from tetanus after the introduction of mandatory immunization. In the last twenty years the average morbidity rate was 1,68/1 000 000 population. The average mortality rate per million population decreased from 0,68 in 2002 to 0,23 in 2012. In the period of 2005 - 2014, a higher incidence of tetanus was observed in female patients (28/31; 90,32 %). All patients were in the age group of 60 and above. The distribution of patients according to the geographical location showed higher incidence of tetanus in continental Croatia (26/31; 84 %), with the highest number of reported cases in Bjelovarsko-bilogorska (5) and Krapinsko-zagorska (4) counties. Vaccination coverage above the prescribed minimum of 90 % was achieved for tetanus vaccines in the mid-nineties. However, the vaccination of 60-year-olds hasn't achieved the projected coverage since the introduction of mandatory immunization in 2002. Each year the vaccination coverage among this population is decreasing, in 2014 it was at 41,6 %, while only Šibensko-kninska county has registered the prescribed vaccination coverage in the last two years. Conclusion: In Croatia over the last few years only sporadic cases of tetanus were reported, mostly in elderly women. No significant deviations in relation to age and sex were found regarding the data from the literature for other developed countries. As expected most of the cases were reported in the rural areas of continental Croatia. The vaccination coverage for tetanus is satisfactory across all counties and in all age groups, except among 60-year-olds. Since the introduction of the vaccine for this population, the expected vaccination coverage has not yet been reached and it is decreasing every year. It is therefore necessary to implement a public health intervention as soon as possible.