States with Religious and Philosophical Exemptions from School Immunization Requirements
Updated June 2009
All fifty states have legislation mandating specified vaccines for students. Although exemptions vary from state to state, all school immunization laws grant exemptions to children for medical reasons. Almost all states, except Mississippi and West Virginia, grant religious exemptions for people who have religious beliefs against immunizations. Twenty states allow philosophical exemptions for those who object to immunizations because of a personal, moral or other beliefs.
| State |
Statute |
Religious Exemption |
Philosophical Exemption |
| Alabama |
Ala. Code § 16-30-3 |
Yes |
No |
| Alaska |
Ak. Stat. §14.30.125 |
Yes |
No |
| Arizona |
Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-872, 873 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Arkansas |
Ark. Code Ann. § 6-18-702 |
Yes |
Yes |
| California |
Cal. Health & Safety Code § 120325 et seq. |
Yes |
Yes |
| Colorado |
Colo. Rev. Stat. § 25-4-902, 903 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Connecticut |
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-204a |
Yes |
No |
| Delaware |
Del. Code Ann. tit. 14 § 131 |
Yes |
No |
| Washington, DC |
D.C. Code Ann. § 38-501, 506 |
Yes |
No |
| Florida |
Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1003.22 |
Yes |
No |
| Georgia |
Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-771 |
Yes |
No |
| Hawaii |
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 302A-1154, 1156 |
Yes |
No |
| Idaho |
Idaho Code § 39-4801, 4802 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Illinois |
105 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 5/27-8.1 |
Yes |
No |
| Indiana |
Ind. Code Ann. § 21-40-5 |
Yes |
No |
| Iowa |
Iowa Code Ann. § 139A.8 |
Yes |
No |
| Kansas |
Kan. Stat. Ann. § 72-5209 |
Yes |
No |
| Kentucky |
Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 214.034 |
Yes |
No |
| Louisiana |
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 17:170(A); 40:31.16 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Maine |
Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 20-A § 6355 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Maryland |
Md. Code Ann. Educ. § 7-403 |
Yes |
No |
| Massachusetts |
Mass. Gen Laws ch.76, § 15 |
Yes |
No |
| Michigan |
Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 333.9208, 9215 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Minnesota |
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 121A-15 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Mississippi |
Miss. Code Ann. § 41-23-37 |
No |
No |
| Missouri |
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 167.181, 210.003 |
Yes |
Yes* |
| Montana |
Mont. Code Ann. § 20-5-403, 405 |
Yes |
No |
| Nebraska |
Neb. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 79-217, 221 |
Yes |
No |
| Nevada |
Nev. Rev. Stat. § 392.435, 437, 439 |
Yes |
No |
| New Hampshire |
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 141-C:20-a, 20-c |
Yes |
No |
| New Jersey |
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 26:1A-9, 9.1 |
Yes |
No |
| New Mexico |
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 24-5-1, 3 |
Yes |
Yes** |
| New York |
N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 2164 |
Yes |
No |
| North Carolina |
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 130A-155, 156, 157 |
Yes |
No |
| North Dakota |
N.D. Cent. Code § 23-07-17.1 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Ohio |
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3313.671 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Oklahoma |
Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 70, § 1210.191, 192 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Oregon |
Or. Rev. Stat. § 433.267 |
Yes |
No |
| Pennsylvania |
28 Pa. Code § 23-83, 84 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Rhode Island |
R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-38-2 |
Yes |
No |
| South Carolina |
S.C. Code Ann. § 44-29-180 |
Yes |
No |
| South Dakota |
S.D. Codified Laws § 13-28-7.1 |
Yes |
No |
| Tennessee |
Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-5001 |
Yes |
No |
| Texas |
Tex. Edu Code Ann. § 38.001 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Utah |
Utah Code Ann. § 53A-11-301, 302 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Vermont |
Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 18, § 1121, 1122 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Virginia |
Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-271.2, § 32.1-46 |
Yes |
No |
| Washington |
Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.210.080, 90 |
Yes |
Yes |
| West Virginia |
W. Va. Code § 16-3-4 |
No |
No |
| Wisconsin |
Wis. Stat. Ann. § 252.04 |
Yes |
Yes |
| Wyoming |
Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 21-4-309 |
Yes |
No |
Religious exemption indicates that there is a provision in the statute that allows parents to exempt their children from vaccination if it contradicts their sincere religious beliefs.
Philosophical exemption indicates that the statutory language does not restrict the exemption to purely religious or spiritual beliefs. For example, Maine allows restrictions based on "moral, philosophical or other personal beliefs," and California allows objections based on simply the parent(s) beliefs.
* The Missouri philosophical exemption applies only to daycare, preschool and nursery school.
** The New Mexico Department of Health interprets the state's exemption based on individual or jointly held religious beliefs as a philosophical exemption.
Sources: Chart adapted from "School Vaccination Requirements" Legal and Social Perspectives", James G. Hodge Jr., NCSL State Legislative Report, August 2002; LexisNexis 2008.
Note: List may not be comprehensive, but is representative of state laws that exist. NCSL appreciates additions and corrections.
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