School Vaccine Exemption Types by State
All 50 states and the District of Columbia permit medical exemptions from school vaccine requirements; the availability of religious and philosophical (personal-belief) exemptions varies significantly by state, and several states have repealed non-medical exemptions in recent years.
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| State | Medical Exemption | Religious Exemption | Philosophical / Personal-Belief Exemption | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Yes | Yes | No | Ala. Code § 16-30-3 |
| Alaska | Yes | Yes | Yes | Alaska Stat. § 14.30.125 |
| Arizona | Yes | Yes | Yes | Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-872 |
| Arkansas | Yes | Yes | Yes | Ark. Code Ann. § 6-18-702 |
| California | Yes | Repealed 2016 | Repealed 2016 | Cal. Health & Safety Code § 120335 (religious + philosophical exemptions repealed by SB 277, effective 2016; medical only since then) |
| Colorado | Yes | Yes | Yes | Colo. Rev. Stat. § 25-4-903 |
| Connecticut | Yes | Repealed 2021 | No | Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-204a (religious exemption repealed effective 2022) |
| Delaware | Yes | Yes | No | Del. Code tit. 14, § 131 |
| Florida | Yes | Yes | No | Fla. Stat. § 1003.22 |
| Georgia | Yes | Yes | No | Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-771 |
| Hawaii | Yes | Yes | No | Haw. Rev. Stat. § 302A-1156 |
| Idaho | Yes | Yes | Yes | Idaho Code § 39-4802 |
| Illinois | Yes | Yes | No | 105 Ill. Comp. Stat. 5/27-8.1 |
| Indiana | Yes | Yes | No | Ind. Code § 20-34-4-2 |
| Iowa | Yes | Yes | No | Iowa Code § 139A.8 |
| Kansas | Yes | Yes | No | Kan. Stat. Ann. § 72-6262 |
| Kentucky | Yes | Yes | No | Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 214.036 |
| Louisiana | Yes | Yes | No | La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 17:170 |
| Maine | Yes | Repealed 2021 | Repealed 2021 | 20-A M.R.S. § 6355 (religious + philosophical exemptions repealed by LD 798, effective 2021; medical only since then) |
| Maryland | Yes | Yes | No | Md. Code, Health–Gen. § 18-403 |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Yes | No | Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 76, § 15 |
| Michigan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mich. Comp. Laws § 333.9215 (philosophical exemption requires annual waiver after in-person education at local health department) |
| Minnesota | Yes | Yes | Yes | Minn. Stat. § 121A.15 |
| Mississippi | Yes | No | No | Miss. Code Ann. § 41-23-37 (medical only; no religious or philosophical exemption) |
| Missouri | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mo. Rev. Stat. § 167.181 |
| Montana | Yes | Yes | Yes | Mont. Code Ann. § 20-5-405 |
| Nebraska | Yes | Yes | No | Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-217 |
| Nevada | Yes | Yes | No | Nev. Rev. Stat. § 392.435 |
| New Hampshire | Yes | Yes | No | N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 141-C:20-c |
| New Jersey | Yes | Yes | No | N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:1A-9.1 |
| New Mexico | Yes | Yes | No | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 24-5-3 |
| New York | Yes | Repealed 2019 | No | N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 2164 (religious exemption repealed 2019; medical only since then) |
| North Carolina | Yes | Yes | No | N.C. Gen. Stat. § 130A-157 |
| North Dakota | Yes | Yes | Yes | N.D. Cent. Code § 23-07-17.1 |
| Ohio | Yes | Yes | No | Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3313.671 |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Yes | No | Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 1210.192 |
| Oregon | Yes | Repealed 2019 | Repealed 2019 | Or. Rev. Stat. § 433.267 (non-medical exemptions repealed by HB 3063, effective 2019; medical only since then) |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Yes | No | Pa. Stat. tit. 28, § 23.84 |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Yes | No | R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-38-2 |
| South Carolina | Yes | Yes | No | S.C. Code Ann. § 44-29-180 |
| South Dakota | Yes | Yes | Yes | S.D. Codified Laws § 13-28-7.1 |
| Tennessee | Yes | Yes | No | Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-5001 |
| Texas | Yes | Yes | Yes | Tex. Health & Safety Code § 161.0041 (philosophical/personal-belief exemption available via affidavit) |
| Utah | Yes | Yes | Yes | Utah Code Ann. § 53G-9-304 |
| Vermont | Yes | Repealed 2015 | Repealed 2015 | State immunization statute (religious + philosophical exemptions repealed effective 2016; Vermont was among the earliest states to eliminate non-medical exemptions) |
| Virginia | Yes | Yes | No | Va. Code Ann. § 32.1-46 |
| Washington | Yes | Yes | No | Wash. Rev. Code § 28A.210.090 (philosophical exemption for MMR repealed 2019; religious exemption retained for all vaccines) |
| West Virginia | Yes | No | No | W. Va. Code § 16-3-4 (medical only; no religious or philosophical exemption — one of only two states with this restriction alongside Mississippi) |
| Wisconsin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Wis. Stat. § 252.04 |
| Wyoming | Yes | Yes | No | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 21-4-309 |
| District of Columbia | Yes | Yes | No | D.C. Code § 38-506 |
State vaccine exemption laws have been actively litigated and amended — several states have narrowed or eliminated non-medical exemptions in recent years. Verify the current statute and any pending litigation before relying on any cell. Religious exemption availability does NOT determine whether a particular religious belief qualifies; that is a separate fact-specific inquiry. This is legal information, not legal advice or medical advice.
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.