NCSL - National Conference of State Legislatures
01/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/21/2026 15:46
State Non-Medical Exemptions from School Immunization Requirements
Related Topic: Health
All 50 states and Washington D.C. have laws requiring certain vaccines for students to attend school. Many states align their vaccine requirements with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices as well as guidance from professional societies, boards of health or state health departments. All states allow exemptions from school immunization requirements for children who are unable to receive vaccines for medical reasons.
State laws vary with respect to non-medical exemptions, which may be based on religious or personal beliefs. Personal exemptions are also referred to as "philosophical exemptions" in some states.
Twenty-nine states and Washington D.C. allow exemptions for individuals with religious objections to immunizations. Sixteen states allow exemptions for either religious or personal reasons. Two states, Louisiana and Minnesota, do not specify in statute whether non-medical exemptions must be for religious or personal reasons (although Louisiana clarifies this distinction on its Department of Health website). Four states do not allow any type of non-medical exemption.
The map below indicates each state's non-medical exemption policy and links to relevant state laws governing school vaccine requirements and exemptions. A table below the map provides additional details about state exemption laws, including exemption exceptions, requirements for obtaining a non-medical exemption and information on states that have modified or eliminated certain exemption policies.
Non-Medical Exemption Policies for School Immunizations
Created with Highcharts 12.5.0Chart context menuNon-Medical Exemption Policies for SchoolImmunizationsALAKAZARCACOCTDEDCFLGAHIIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMAMIMNMSMOMTNENVNHNJNMNYNCNDOHOKORPARISCSDTNTXUTVTVAWAWVWIWYCopyright (c) 2022 Highsoft AS, Based on data from Natural EarthHighcharts.com © Natural Earth
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×Map Source: Adapted from the LexisNexis StateNet Database.
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State |
Personal Exemption |
Religious Exemption |
Additional Details On Exemption Exceptions & Educational Requirements |
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No |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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Yes |
Yes |
Parent/guardian must complete an online educational course to receive a non-medical exemption. |
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Yes |
Yes |
Parent/guardian must complete an educational module to receive a non-medical exemption. |
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No |
No |
California removed its personal and religious exemption option in 2015. |
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Yes |
Yes |
Parent/guradian must complete an online educational module to receive a non-medical exemption. |
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No |
No |
Connecticut removed its religious exemption option in 2021. If a religious exemption was granted prior to April 28, 2021, the exemption will be honored through 12th grade. |
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No |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
A personal exemption is allowed for the HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine only. |
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No |
Yes |
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Georgia |
No |
Yes |
GA R&R - GAC - Rule 511-2-2-.07. Religious Objections to Required Immunizations |
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No |
Yes |
Parent/guardian must submit a Certificate of Religious Exemption signed by a health care provider to receive a religious exemption. |
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Yes |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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Yes |
Yes |
Parent/guardian may obtain an exemption through written dissent - no personal or religious reason is listed in statute. |
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No |
No |
Maine removed its religious and personal exemption options in 2019. A student with a philosophical or religious exemption prior to September 1, 2021 may continue to attend school under exemption if certain requirements are met. |
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No |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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Yes |
Yes |
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Yes |
No |
A notarized statement must be submitted requesting an exemption for conscientiously held beliefs to obtain a personal exemption. |
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No |
Yes |
A federal district court order entered in April 2023 required Mississippi to allow a religious exemption. Parent/guardian must watch an educational video at a county health department to receive an exemption. |
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Yes |
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Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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No |
No |
New York removed its religious exemption option in 2019. |
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No |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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Yes |
Yes |
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Yes |
Yes |
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Yes |
Yes |
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Yes |
Yes |
Parent/guardian must submit request signed by a health care provider or obtain a certificate after viewing an educational module to receive a non-medical exemption. |
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Yes |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
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Yes |
Yes |
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Yes |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
Parent/guardian must review evidence-based educational material to receive a religious exemption. |
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No |
Yes |
A personal exemption is allowed for HPV (human papillomarvirus) vaccine only. |
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Yes |
Yes |
Washington removed the personal belief exemption for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) in 2019. |
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Yes |
Yes |
Based on Immunize.org (last updated May 2025), they show that West Virginia now allows medical, religious and personal exemptions based on an Executive Order signed in January. |
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Yes |
Yes |
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No |
Yes |
NCSL - National Conference of State Legislatures published this content on January 21, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 21, 2026 at 21:46 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]