Vaccine Exemption Types Allowed by State

Federal & State Law Editorial TeamLast reviewed: April 2026

Whether the state recognizes medical, religious, and personal/philosophical exemptions from required childhood immunizations.

50 States2 data columnsLast updated: May 2026

Click any column header to sort ascending or descending. Click again to reverse, and a third time to reset.

Medical	Religious	Personal
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	No (2015)	No
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	No (2021)	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	No (2021)	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	No	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	No (2019)	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes (2016)	No
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	Yes (not MMR)
Yes	No	No
Yes	Yes	Yes
Yes	Yes	No
Yes	Yes	No

California (2015), New York (2019), Maine (2021), Connecticut (2021), Mississippi (2023), and West Virginia all eliminated non-medical exemptions. Jacobson v. Massachusetts (1905) remains the foundational Supreme Court case upholding state vaccine mandates against constitutional challenges.

This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.