How to Get a Vaccine Religious Exemption

All but six states allow religious exemptions to school vaccination requirements.

It’s that time again. We are just weeks away from the beginning of school, and the “no shots, no school” fake news campaign is underway. At this point, you’ve likely heard that your child won’t be able to receive an education unless they’re vaccinated— or you may be unnecessarily fretting because the CDC expects you to inject your child with enough toxins, hazardous wastes, carcinogens, and aborted baby ingredients to shock the chlorine out of a pool.

But you have options unless you live in New York, West Virginia, Maine, Vermont, Connecticut, or California. (If you live in one of these states, consider a move.)

Perhaps you’re under the impression that you need to pay hundreds of dollars to consult with an attorney to get a vaccine exemption, but this simply isn’t true. I have helped thousands of people since 2014 obtain religious exemptions—and I didn’t charge $300 an hour to do it. I empowered them with the information they needed to do it for themselves.

This step-by-step article will show you how to get a religious exemption in any state. At the end of the post, you’ll find more resources to help you put your exemption together should you live in a state that requires something more than checking a few boxes.

Step 1: Find Out Whether Your State Allows Religious Vaccine Exemptions

Before filing a religious exemption with your child’s school, check to which vaccine exemptions are available in your state. I have used this map by the National Vaccine Information Center for years, as it provides a quick visual of which states offer philosophical, religious, and medical exemptions.

This website also provides state-specific information on the legal requirements for obtaining a religious exemption, which you will need if you have to provide an explanation with your request.

Some states have a straightforward exemption process that simply requires checking the boxes on a card. Others have a special form or require a physician’s signature—because it makes perfect sense for a doctor who has not been to divinity school to sign off on someone’s spiritual beliefs. Other states expect the individual or parent requesting the exemption to make an argument explaining why their beliefs prohibit them from being vaccinated.

Step 2: Find Out Whether Your Child’s School Allows Religious Exemptions

Next, find out if the school your child attends accepts exemptions. If your child attends a public school, this is fairly easy. Public schools are generally required to comply with state laws, including those that mandate the allowance of religious vaccine exemptions.

However, while public institutions must follow state laws, they may also implement additional policies and procedures for processing exemption requests. This can include requiring documentation or a formal statement of religious belief. In my experience, this is what schools use to restrict access to exemptions and why understanding how to make an appropriate request is important.

The requirement for private schools to allow religious exemptions varies by state and institution. Some states say that religious exemption mandates apply to private institutions, while other laws provide a general framework, giving private schools leeway in setting their own policies.

If your child attends a private school that says it does not allow vaccine exemptions, ask for a copy of the policy and turn one in anyway. (You have nothing to lose by doing so.) If you’re considering putting your child in a private school, then make sure you understand their position on vaccinations before you enroll them.

If your child attends a public school and you’re told the school doesn’t allow religious exemptions, ask to speak to someone else and give the school a copy of the relevant legal statute in your state.

Step 3: Use Legal Authority In Your Exemption Request

If you have to provide an explanation with your religious exemption request, start by including the relevant legal authority that gives you the right to an exemption. I recommend using NVIC’s website again, which breaks down exemption information by state.

Here’s an example of what I used in my religious exemption request for my children when I was an Illinois resident:

“Title 77 of the Illinois Administrative Code, Chapter 1, Subchapter i, Part 665, Section 665.510 gives me the legal right as a parent to object to my child’s immunizations on religious grounds and applies to any public, private or parochial school or a preschool program operated by an elementary or secondary school or institution of higher learning.”

Although the statute sets forth specific guidance on what the exemption should include, that quick sentence simply puts the school on notice that you know you have rights and you’re exercising them.

Like many other states, Illinois has a specific form parents must fill out to obtain a religious exemption. The form requires stating the grounds for the religious objection and the “specific religious belief that conflicts with the examination, test, immunization or other medical intervention.” It must also be signed by a physician and submitted in a certain manner. However, it is important to cite your legal authority first.

Missouri, for example, does not have this requirement. In Missouri, a religious exemption card can be printed online or picked up at the local health department. It simply requires checking the boxes for the vaccines you wish your child not to receive, a signature, and submission to the school. In this instance, there’s no reason to cite the legal authority.

Step 3: Any Argument Must Center Around Your Sincerely Held Religious Beliefs

If your state requires that you list your specific objections to vaccines in the form of an argument, explanation, or letter, here are a few things to keep in mind:

Do not start your statement by telling a story. Garnering sympathy is not going to help you. Moreover, your religious objections to vaccination have nothing to do with safety studies, vaccine injuries, what’s moral or ethical, or your beliefs on bodily autonomy.

This is where many people get tripped up and then wonder why their religious exemption request was denied. If you go down this road, you should be prepared to roll up your child’s sleeves. Why? Because “general philosophical or moral reluctance to allow physical examinations, eye examinations, immunizations, vision and hearing screenings, or dental examinations does not provide a sufficient basis for an exception.”