Quick Facts and Resources for Oregon Residents
Quick Fact: Oregon's vaccine laws allow for medical and non-medical vaccine exemptions, which in effect allow for medical, religious and philosophical vaccine exemptions. Oregon's non-medical exemption law also mandates education and state and/or vaccine provider approval of parents exercising their human and informed consent right to exempt their child(ren) from one or more state required vaccines. Individuals utilizing Oregon's non-medical exemption are not required to give a reason (religious or philosophical) for taking the exemption, i.e. declarative non-medical exemption statements are optional. For specific requirements see Oregon's statute - ORS § 433.267.
Other Resources: Many vaccination and exemption information links are date specific. If the links below have expired, click on the state's department of health, or immunization program link provided below, as they are likely to provide links to updated information. The General Information link leads to the overview page provided by the state at the time of this webpage's update and may also be helpful. Please email NVIC with broken link information.
The information contained on NVIC's web pages is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be medical or legal advice. Those seeking medical or legal advice should obtain the services of a competent attorney, physician or qualified health care professional. Although NVIC continually updates our website, state laws and rules change frequently and consumers are ultimately responsible for verifying their state's vaccination and exemption laws and requirements.
- Vaccination Requirements for Healthcare Workers, Patients, Inmates & Developmentally Disabled
- State of Oregon Legislature – see applicable statutes and their hyperlinks below.
- State of Oregon Department of Health
- State of Oregon Immunization Program
- State of Oregon Vaccine Tracking System - You may also wish to contact your state’s vaccine tracking registry to determine if the ability to opt out is available.
- State of Oregon Proposed Rule-Making - View your state’s registry to learn about proposed rule-making.
TITLE 36. PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY
CHAPTER 433. DISEASE AND CONDITION CONTROL; MASS GATHERINGS; INDOOR AIR
433.102. Parental responsibility for immunization; medical or religious exemptions.
(1) Nothing in ORS 433.090 to 433.102 is intended to affect the responsibility of a parent or guardian to have a child of that parent or guardian properly immunized.
(2) Nothing in ORS 433.090 to 433.102 is intended to require immunization or tracking of any child otherwise exempt from immunization requirements under ORS 433.267 (1)(b) or (c).
433.235 Definitions for ORS 433.235 to 433.284.
As used in ORS 433.235 to 433.284:
(1) “Administrator” means the principal or other person having general control and supervision of a school or children’s facility.(2) “Children’s facility” or “facility” means:
(a) A certified childcare facility as described in ORS 657A.030 and 657A.250 to 657A.450, except as exempted by rule of the Oregon Health Authority;
(b) A program operated by, or sharing the premises with, a certified child care facility, school or post-secondary institution where care is provided to children, six weeks of age to kindergarten entry, except as exempted by rule of the authority; or
(c) A program providing child care or educational services to children, six weeks of age to kindergarten entry, in a residential or nonresidential setting, except as exempted by rule of the authority.
(3) “Local health department” means the district or county board of health, public health officer, public health administrator or health department having jurisdiction within the area.
(4) “Parent” means a parent or guardian of a child or any adult responsible for the child.
(5) “Physician” means a physician licensed by the Oregon Medical Board or by the Oregon Board of Naturopathic Medicine or a physician similarly licensed by another state or country in which the physician practices or a commissioned medical officer of the Armed Forces or Public Health Service of the United States.
(6) “School” means a public, private, parochial, charter or alternative educational program offering kindergarten through grade 12 or any part thereof, except as exempted by rule of the authority
433.267. Immunization of school children; rules; exceptions; effect of failure to comply.
(1) As a condition of attendance in any school or childrens facility in this state, every child through grade 12 shall submit to the administrator, unless the school or facility the child attends already has on file a record that indicates that the child has received immunizations against the restrictable diseases prescribed by rules of the Oregon Health Authority as provided in ORS 433.273 (Rules), one of the following:
(a) A document signed by the parent, a practitioner of the healing arts who has within the scope of the practitioners license the authority to administer immunizations or a representative of the local health department certifying the immunizations the child has received;
(b) A document signed by a physician or a representative of the local health department stating that the child should be exempted from receiving specified immunization because of indicated medical diagnosis; or
(c) A document, on a form prescribed by the authority by rule and signed by the parent of the child, stating that the parent is declining one or more immunizations on behalf of the child. A document submitted under this paragraph:(A) May include the reason for declining the immunization, including whether the parent is declining the immunization because of a religious or philosophical belief; and
(B) Must include either:(i) A signature from a health care practitioner verifying that the health care practitioner has reviewed with the parent information about the risks and benefits of immunization that is consistent with information published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the contents of the vaccine educational module approved by the authority pursuant to rules adopted under ORS 433.273 (Rules); or
(ii) A certificate verifying that the parent has completed a vaccine educational module approved by the authority pursuant to rules adopted under ORS 433.273 (Rules).
(2)
(a) A newly entering child or a transferring child shall be required to submit the statement described in subsection (1) of this section prior to attending the school or facility.(3) Persons who have been emancipated pursuant to ORS 419B.558 (Entry of judgment of emancipation) or who have reached the age of consent for medical care pursuant to ORS 109.640 (Right to medical or dental treatment without parental consent) may sign those documents on their own behalf otherwise requiring the signatures of parents under subsection (1) of this section.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) of this subsection, a child transferring from a school in the United States must submit the statement required by subsection (1) of this section not later than the exclusion date set by rule of the authority.
(4) The administrator shall conduct a primary evaluation of the records submitted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section to determine whether the child is entitled to begin attendance by reason of having submitted a statement that complies with the requirements of subsection (1) of this section.
(5) If the records do not meet the initial minimum requirements established by rule, the child may not be allowed to attend until the requirements are met. If the records meet the initial minimum requirements, the child shall be allowed to attend.
(6) At the time specified by the authority by rule, records for children meeting the initial minimum requirements and records previously on file shall be reviewed for completion of requirements by the administrator to determine whether the child is entitled to continue in attendance. If the records do not comply, the administrator shall notify the local health department and shall transmit any records concerning the child’s immunization status to the local health department.
(7) The local health department shall provide for a secondary evaluation of the records to determine whether the child should be excluded for noncompliance with the requirements stated in subsection (1)(a) or (b) of this section. If the child is determined to be in noncompliance, the local health department shall issue an exclusion order and shall send copies of the order to the parent or the person who is emancipated or has reached the age of majority and the administrator. On the effective date of the order, the administrator shall exclude the child from the school or facility and not allow the child to attend the school or facility until the requirements of this section have been met.
(8) The administrator shall readmit the child to the school or facility when in the judgment of the local health department the child is in compliance with the requirements of this section.
(9) The administrator shall be responsible for updating the statement described in subsection (1)(a) of this section as necessary to reflect the current status of the immunization of the child and the time at which the child comes into compliance with immunizations against the restrictable diseases prescribed by rules of the authority pursuant to ORS 433.273.
(10) Nothing in this section shall be construed as relieving agencies, in addition to school districts, which are involved in the maintenance and evaluation of immunization records on April 27, 1981, from continuing responsibility for these activities.
(11) All statements required by this section shall be on forms approved or provided by the authority.
(12) In lieu of signed statements from practitioners of the healing arts, the authority may accept immunization record updates using practitioner documented immunization records generated by electronic means or on unsigned practitioner letterhead if the authority determines such records are accurate.
(13) As used in this section:
(a) “Newly entering child” means a child who is initially attending:
(A) A facility in this state;(b) “Transferring child” means a child moving from:
(B) A school at the entry grade level;
(C) Either a school at any grade level or a facility from homeschooling; or
(D) A school at any grade level or a facility after entering the United States from another country.
(A) One facility to another facility;
(B) One school in this state to another school in this state when the move is not the result of a normal progression of grade level; or
(C) A school in another state to a school in this state.
433.282 Required immunizations at certain post-secondary educational institutions; rules.
(1) The Oregon Health Authority may require each post-secondary educational institution, except a community college or a career school, to require that each entering full-time student has current immunizations, as required for children attending school pursuant to rules adopted by the authority under ORS 433.273, prior to the student’s second quarter or semester of enrollment on an Oregon campus, using procedures developed by the institution.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, the authority may require each post-secondary educational institution, except a community college or a career school, to document, using procedures developed by the institution, that each entering full-time student has current immunizations, as required for children attending school pursuant to rules adopted by the authority under ORS 433.273, prior to the student attending classes if the student will be attending the institution pursuant to a nonimmigrant visa.(3) The authority by rule shall establish immunization schedules and may further limit the students and programs to which the requirement applies.
(4) The authority may conduct validation surveys to ensure compliance with this section.
433.283 Immunizations against measles for certain students at community colleges; rules.
(1) The Oregon Health Authority may require each community college to require that students involved in clinical experiences in allied health programs, practicum experiences in education and child care programs and membership on intercollegiate sports teams have current immunizations for measles prior to each student’s participation. The requirement shall apply only to those students born on or after January 1, 1957.(2) The State Board of Education by rule shall define clinical experiences in allied health programs, practicum experiences in education and child care programs and membership on intercollegiate sports teams at the community colleges. The Oregon Health Authority by rule shall establish immunization schedules and may further limit the students and programs to which the requirement applies. Each community college shall develop procedures to implement and maintain this requirement.
(3) The authority may conduct validation surveys to ensure compliance with this section. Community colleges shall be required to keep immunization records only while the student is involved in the program.
433.284 Adoption of more stringent immunization requirements.
Private schools, children’s facilities and post-secondary educational institutions may adopt additional or more stringent requirements as long as exemptions are included and the requirements are in compliance with the United States Public Health Service Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations. [1991 c.255 §12; 2013 c.516 §3]