Religious Liberty in the States Safeguards

Immunization Requirement Exemption

All states require immunization of school-aged children. Checkmarks below indicate whether a state allows for any nonmedical exemptions from this requirement, whether for religious reasons or broader philosophical or moral reasons.

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State	Exemptions from Requirement	Statute(s)	URL	Statute(s)
Alabama	● Religious exemption	§16-30-3	https://law.justia.com/codes/alabama/title-16/chapter-30/section-16-30-3/	§16-30-3
Alaska	● Religious exemption	Alaska Admin. Code 4 §06.055(b)(3)	http://www.akleg.gov/basis/aac.asp#4.06.055	Alaska Admin. Code 4 §06.055(b)(3)
Arizona	● Broader philosophical exemption	§15-873	https://www.azleg.gov/viewdocument/?docName=https://www.azleg.gov/ars/15/00873.htm	§15-873
Arkansas	● Broader philosophical exemption	§6-18-702(d)(4)(A)&(B)	https://casetext.com/statute/arkansas-code-of-1987/title-6-education/subtitle-2-elementary-and-secondary-education-generally/chapter-18-students/subchapter-7-health/section-6-18-702-immunization?q=ACA%20%C2%A7%206-18-702&sort=relevance&p=1&type=case&tab=keyword&jxs=&resultsNav=false	§6-18-702(d)(4)(A)&(B)
California	○ No non-medical exemption	HSC §120325(c)	https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displayText.xhtml?lawCode=HSC&division=105.&title=&part=2.&chapter=1.&article	HSC §120325(c)
Colorado	● Broader philosophical exemption	§25-4-903(2)(b)(l)	https://casetext.com/statute/colorado-revised-statutes/title-25-public-health-and-environment/disease-control/article-4-disease-control/part-9-school-entry-immunization/section-25-4-903-exemptions-from-immunization-rules?	§25-4-903(2)(b)(l)
Connecticut	○ No non-medical exemption	§10-204a	https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_169.htm#sec_10-204a	§10-204a
Delaware	● Religious exemption	14 §131(6)	https://delcode.delaware.gov/title14/c001/sc02/index.html#131	14 §131(6)
Florida	● Religious exemption	§1003.22(5)(a)	http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?mode=View%20Statutes&SubMenu=1&App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=1003.22&URL=1000-1099/1003/Sections/1003.22.html	§1003.22(5)(a)
Georgia	● Religious exemption	§20-2-771(e)	https://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/title-20/chapter-2/article-16/part-3/section-20-2-771/	§20-2-771(e)
Hawaii	● Religious exemption	§302A-1156	http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol05_Ch0261-0319/HRS0302A/HRS_0302A-1156.htm	§302A-1156
Idaho	● Broader philosophical exemption	§39-4802(2)	https://legislature.idaho.gov/statutesrules/idstat/Title39/T39CH48/SECT39-4802/	§39-4802(2)
Illinois	● Religious exemption	105 ILCS 5/27-8.1(8)	https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/010500050k27-8.1.htm	105 ILCS 5/27-8.1(8)
Indiana	● Religious exemption	21-40-5-6	https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/21#21-40-5-6	21-40-5-6
Iowa	● Religious exemption	§139A.8(4)(a)(2)	https://casetext.com/statute/code-of-iowa/title-iv-public-health/chapter-139a-communicable-and-infectious-diseases-and-poisonings/subchapter-i-general-provisions/section-139a8?	§139A.8(4)(a)(2)
Kansas	● Religious exemption	72-6262(b)(2)	https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch72/072_062_0062.html	72-6262(b)(2)
Kentucky	● Religious exemption	214.036(1)(b)	https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/law/statutes/statute.aspx?id=51860	214.036(1)(b)
Louisiana	● Broader philosophical exemption	40:31.16(D)	http://www.legis.la.gov/Legis/Law.aspx?d=98370	40:31.16(D)
Maine	○ No non-medical exemption	20-A §6355(3)	https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/20-A/title20-Asec6355.html	20-A §6355(3)
Maryland	● Religious exemption	EDUC §7-403(b)(1)	https://casetext.com/statute/code-of-maryland/article-education/division-ii-elementary-and-secondary-education/title-7-public-schools/subtitle-4-health-and-safety-of-students/section-7-403-immunizations?	EDUC §7-403(b)(1)
Massachusetts	● Religious exemption	ALM GL ch. 76, § 15	https://malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleXII/Chapter76/Section15	ALM GL ch. 76, § 15
Michigan	● Broader philosophical exemption	§333.9215	http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(dmqeakwo1sdlgzyvsshdga1i))/mileg.aspx?page=getObject&objectName=mcl-333-9215&highlight=9208	§333.9215
Minnesota	● Broader philosophical exemption	§121A.15(3)(d)	https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/121A.15	§121A.15(3)(d)
Mississippi		Bosarge v. Edney, Civil Action No. 1:22-cv00233.	https://msdh.ms.gov/page/resources/19957.pdf	Bosarge v. Edney, Civil Action No. 1:22-cv00233.
Missouri	● Religious exemption	§167.181(3)	https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=167.181	§167.181(3)
Montana	● Religious exemption	20-5-405(1)	https://leg.mt.gov/bills/mca/title_0200/chapter_0050/part_0040/section_0050/0200-0050-0040-0050.html	20-5-405(1)
Nebraska	● Religious exemption	§79-221(2)	https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/statutes.php?statute=79-221	§79-221(2)
Nevada	● Religious exemption	§392.437	https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-392.html#NRS392Sec435	§392.437
New Hampshire	● Religious exemption	10 §141-C:20-c(II)	http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/rsa/html/X/141-C/141-C-20-c.htm	10 §141-C:20-c(II)
New Jersey	● Religious exemption	26:1A-9.1	https://lis.njleg.state.nj.us/nxt/gateway.dll/statutes%2F1%2F22143%2F22155	26:1A-9.1
New Mexico	● Religious exemption	24-5-3(A)(2)–(3)	https://nmonesource.com/nmos/nmsa/en/item/4384/index.do#!b/24-5-3	24-5-3(A)(2)–(3)
New York	○ No non-medical exemption	PBH §2164	https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PBH/2164	PBH §2164
North Carolina	● Religious exemption	§130A-157	https://www.ncleg.net/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/BySection/Chapter_130A/GS_130A-157.html	§130A-157
North Dakota	● Broader philosophical exemption	§23-07-17.1(3)	https://www.ndlegis.gov/cencode/t23c07.pdf#page=7	§23-07-17.1(3)
Ohio	● Broader philosophical exemption	§3313.671(B4)	https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-revised-code/section-3313.671	§3313.671(B4)
Oklahoma	● Broader philosophical exemption	70 §1210.192-193	https://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=91240	70 §1210.192-193
Oregon	● Broader philosophical exemption	§433.267(1)(c)(A)	https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/bills_laws/ors/ors433.html	§433.267(1)(c)(A)
Pennsylvania	● Broader philosophical exemption	28 §23.84(b)	https://www.pacodeandbulletin.gov/Display/pacode?file=/secure/pacode/data/028/chapter23/s23.84.html	28 §23.84(b)
Rhode Island	● Religious exemption	§16-38-2(a)	http://webserver.rilin.state.ri.us/Statutes/TITLE16/16-38/16-38-2.HTM	§16-38-2(a)
South Carolina	● Religious exemption	§44-29-180(D)	https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t44c029.php	§44-29-180(D)
South Dakota	● Religious exemption	§13-28-7.1(2)	https://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/Codified_Laws/2042038	§13-28-7.1(2)
Tennessee	● Religious exemption	§49-6-5001(b)(2)	Tennessee Code § 49-6-5001 (2023) - General provisions :: 2023 Tennessee Code :: U.S. Codes and Statutes :: U.S. Law :: Justia	Tennessee Code § 49-6-5001 (2023) - General provisions :: 2023 Tennessee Code :: U.S. Codes and Statutes :: U.S. Law :: Justia\|\|§49-6-5001(b)(2)
Texas	● Broader philosophical exemption	EDU §38.001c(B)	https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/SOTWDocs/ED/htm/ED.38.htm	EDU §38.001c(B)
Utah	● Broader philosophical exemption	§53G-9-303(3)	https://le.utah.gov/xcode/Title53G/Chapter9/53G-9-S303.html	§53G-9-303(3)
Vermont	● Religious exemption	18 §1122(a)(3)(A)	https://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/18/021/01122	18 §1122(a)(3)(A)
Virginia	● Religious exemption	§22.1-271.2(C)	https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/22.1-271.2/	§22.1-271.2(C)
Washington	● Religious exemption	§28A.210.090(2c)	https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=28A.210.090	§28A.210.090(2c)
West Virginia	○ No non-medical exemption	§16-3-4	https://code.wvlegislature.gov/16-3-4/	§16-3-4
Wisconsin	● Broader philosophical exemption	§252.04(3)	https://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/statutes/statutes/252/04/3	§252.04(3)
Wyoming	● Religious exemption	§21-4-309(a)	Wyoming Statutes Title 21. Education § 21-4-309 \| FindLaw	§21-4-309(a)

Note on citations:
Due to changes in online law databases and states’ websites, we cannot ensure that every link to a state law will be functional in perpetuity. If a link to a statute is no longer functional, please use a search engine to locate the state’s code and use the citation number to manually navigate to the relevant law. Where multiple laws are cited, the link is for the first law listed. For more information on citations, download the full data set which includes additional research notes.

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