Below are graphs and charts with the current status of Mandatory Vaccine laws in the United States. I will try to keep this as up-to-date as possible. It is deemed to be accurate but is not guaranteed. Contact me with corrections! – Current update September 9, 2015. (Information pulled from CDC.gov & NCSL.org websites)
Vaccine Laws by State
State School and Childcare Vaccination Laws – CDC
State vaccination laws include vaccination requirements for children in public and private schools and daycare settings; college/university students; and healthcare workers and patients in certain facilities. State laws also determine whether providing vaccinations to patients is within the scope of practice of certain healthcare professionals. The Public Health Law Program provides selected resources for public health practitioners and their legal counsel on state vaccination laws.
The Public Health Law Program is collecting state statutes and regulations regarding school vaccinations. This document summarizes select state vaccination laws collected to date. This document is in draft form and might not be complete for all states.
This document will be updated; to update relevant immunization laws from your state, please email Aila Hoss at ahoss@cdc.gov.
Polar Graph on State School Vaccination Exemptions Law
State law not only establishes exemptions for school vaccination requirements, but also establishes requirements regarding the exemption application process and the implications of an exemption in the event of an outbreak. This graph highlights nine attributes in school vaccination exemption laws.
| State | Mandatory Vaccines for Public School |
Mandatory Vaccines for Private School |
Personal Exemption |
Religious Exemption |
Medical Exemption* |
| Alabama | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Alaska | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Arizona | Yes | Yes | Yes** | Yes | Yes |
| Arkansas | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| California | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Colorado | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Connecticut | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Delaware | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Florida | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Georgia | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Hawaii | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Idaho | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Illinois | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Indiana | Yes | Unclear | No | Yes | Yes |
| Iowa | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Kansas | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Kentucky | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Louisiana | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maine | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maryland | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Massachusetts | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Michigan | Yes | Unclear | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Minnesota | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mississippi | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Missouri | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Montana | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Nebraska | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Nevada | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| New Hampshire | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| New Jersey | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| New Mexico | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| New York | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| North Carolina | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| North Dakota | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ohio | Yes | Unclear | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Oklahoma | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Oregon | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pennsylvania | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rhode Island | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| South Carolina | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| South Dakota | Yes | Unclear | No | Yes | Yes |
| Tennessee | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Texas | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Utah | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Vermont | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Virginia | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Washington | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| West Virginia | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Wisconsin | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wyoming | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
*Most Medical Exemptions require a doctors’ authorization.
** In Arizona, the personal exemption is for school enrollees. In Missouri, it is for childcare enrollees only.