Trust is a key factor in vaccination decisions, but is it necessary for uptake? In a survey of G-7 countries, 22% of respondents (n=42,217) report no trust in the COVID-19 vaccine, but half nonetheless take up at least one vaccination. We investigate a range of factors associated with vaccination, focusing on the stringency of vaccine promotion policies, which change the costs and benefits of immunization choices. We show that living in a country with more stringent vaccination policies is associated with differential uptake of at least one vaccination amongst people who do not trust the vaccine. For the booster vaccine, by contrast, the association between policy stringency and uptake is positive but not moderated by vaccine trust. These findings suggest that policy stringency plays a key role in vaccine uptake, especially among people who are distrustful of vaccines.