Mask Mandates During COVID-19: 50-State Legal Resources
While most statewide mask mandates applicable to the general public have expired, the continued presence of COVID-19 has left numerous mask recommendations or advisories in place, as well as a handful of mandates. Below, you can find a summary of statewide mask mandates and advisories. (Cities and counties frequently have imposed additional mask mandates, but those are not covered in detail here.)
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Alabama
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. People are generally advised to use face masks in public.
Alaska
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. The state notes that health and science experts recommend wearing a mask in public when social distancing is difficult.
Arizona
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. Moreover, local governments are not permitted to enforce mask mandates, except in government buildings and public transportation. The state's "Arizona Together" public health campaign lists wearing a mask in public among suggested precautions.
Arkansas
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. Masks are recommended in indoor public settings in areas of substantial or high transmission, regardless of whether people are vaccinated.
California
The general mask mandate ended on February 15, 2022. Unvaccinated people must continue to wear masks in indoor public settings, while fully vaccinated people are recommended to mask indoors when the risk may be high. Limited mask mandates apply to settings such as public transportation, schools, child care, health care, prisons, nursing homes, and emergency shelters and homeless shelters.
Colorado
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. People are encouraged to wear masks, especially if they are not up to date with their vaccinations. Masks are required in settings such as health care, nursing homes, prisons, jails, and homeless shelters.
Connecticut
Unvaccinated people must wear masks indoors. Everyone must wear masks in settings such as health care facilities, public and commercial transportation, schools, child care facilities, prisons, and facilities housing vulnerable populations. Cities and towns may require everyone to wear masks in indoor public places, regardless of vaccination status. The statewide mandate is expected to end on February 28, 2022.
Delaware
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022r. Unvaccinated people and children who are two or older and who are not eligible for the vaccine should continue to wear masks. People who are kindergarten age or older must wear masks in schools, certain health care facilities, long-term care facilities, and state buildings.
District of Columbia
On December 21, 2021, a mask mandate was reinstated for indoor public spaces, regardless of vaccination status. As of March 1, 2022, the mandate will no longer apply to businesses, retail stores, grocery stores, pharmacies, gyms, fitness centers, restaurants, bars, sports and entertainment venues, and places of worship. Masks still will be required in setting such as schools, child care, health care, nursing homes, shelters, jails, public and commercial transportation, and libraries.
Florida
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. Governor Ron DeSantis has suspended local mask mandates, along with other local COVID-19 restrictions.
Georgia
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022.
Hawaii
Masks are required indoors except when eating or drinking. Exceptions include children under two, people who cannot remove their mask without assistance, people who have a medical condition or disability that prevents them from wearing a mask, people who are driving alone in their own car, or people for whom wearing a mask would pose a job-related safety risk.
Idaho
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022, although people in Idaho should follow CDC mask guidance for vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Masks are required for people entering long-term care facilities who are not residents. Exemptions to mask rules include children under five, people who are eating or drinking, and people with a medical condition or disability that prevents them from wearing a mask. Local governments can issue their own mask mandates.
Illinois
People who are two or older and who can medically tolerate a face covering must wear masks in indoor public places. Employees must wear masks in indoor workplaces. People should consider wearing masks in crowded outdoor settings and for activities that involve close contact with people who are not fully vaccinated. Masks may be removed when people are actively eating or drinking, and at workplaces where employees can consistently maintain six feet of distance. The mandate may be lifted in late February or early March 2022.
Indiana
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022, although the state still endorses wearing a mask in public.
Iowa
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. Local governments cannot order businesses to require masks.
Kansas
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. However, people are still advised to wear masks in public.
Kentucky
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. Mask rules may apply in limited settings.
Louisiana
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022, although masks are recommended in indoor public settings. People should consider wearing masks in indoor private settings as well, especially if they are gathering with high-risk individuals.
Maine
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. People should follow CDC recommendations and requirements.
Maryland
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. The Maryland Department of Health strongly recommends that unvaccinated people wear masks in indoor settings outside the home and in outdoor settings where they cannot maintain physical distancing.
Massachusetts
Fully vaccinated people should wear masks indoors if they are at high risk or have a weakened immune system, or if someone in their household is at high risk, has a weakened immune system, or is unvaccinated. Unvaccinated people should wear masks generally. A mask mandate applies to certain settings, such as public and commercial transportation, health care facilities, congregate care facilities, emergency shelter programs, and correctional facilities.
Michigan
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. The state continues to urge wearing masks in indoor public spaces and crowded outdoor settings.
Minnesota
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. People are advised to wear masks, regardless of vaccination status, in indoor public places and crowded outdoor settings in areas with substantial or high transmission. Regardless of the level of transmission in their area, people should consider wearing masks if they are immunocompromised or at increased risk of severe illness, or if they live or frequently interact with a person in one of those groups or an unvaccinated person. People also are advised to wear masks in settings such as schools, health care facilities, homeless shelters, and correctional facilities.
Mississippi
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. However, people are advised to wear masks in indoor public settings, regardless of whether they are vaccinated.
Missouri
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. Fully vaccinated people should follow CDC guidance. Unvaccinated people who are two or older should wear masks in public.
Montana
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. Local mask mandates have been invalidated. However, masks are still generally recommended.
Nebraska
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. People are advised to wear masks or maintain social distancing when they are with non-household members.
Nevada
The statewide mask mandate was lifted on February 10, 2022. People still may be asked to wear masks in some settings, such as facilities serving vulnerable populations.
New Hampshire
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. Businesses are encouraged to adopt mask rules or recommendations in certain situations.
New Jersey
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. Regardless of vaccination status, people are strongly recommended to wear masks in indoor settings involving increased risk. These include crowded indoor settings, indoor settings involving close contact with people who may not be vaccinated, indoor settings where the vaccine status of other individuals in the setting is unknown, and any indoor settings for individuals who are immunocompromised or at increased risk for severe disease. Limited mandates apply to settings such as schools, health care facilities, public transportation, child care facilities, correctional facilities, and homeless shelters.
New Mexico
The general statewide mask mandate ended on February 17, 2022. Limited mandates continue to apply in settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, prisons, and community homes.
New York
The general statewide mask mandate ended on February 10, 2022. Limited mandates apply to settings such as health care facilities, nursing homes, prisons, schools, child care, homeless and domestic violence shelters, and public transportation.
North Carolina
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. Everyone is advised to wear masks in indoor public spaces and consider wearing masks in crowded outdoor settings and activities involving close contact with people who are not up to date on their vaccinations. Everyone should continue to wear masks in settings such as schools, child care, health care, public transportation, prisons, homeless shelters, and large crowded indoor venues.
North Dakota
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. The North Dakota Department of Health still recommends wearing a mask.
Ohio
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. Unvaccinated people should wear masks in indoor places outside the home, as well as outdoors if they cannot maintain six feet of distance from non-household members. Everyone may need to wear masks in certain settings, such as public transportation and health care facilities. Exceptions include people who are younger than two, who cannot remove a mask without assistance, who have a medical condition or disability that makes it unsafe to wear a mask, or who face a job-related safety risk due to wearing a mask.
Oklahoma
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022, although the Oklahoma State Department of Health recommends wearing a mask.
Oregon
Masks are required in indoor spaces. Exceptions include children under five, people who are eating or drinking, people in private individual workspaces, and people engaged in certain sports activities. Separate mandates apply to schools and health care. The general mandate and the school mandate will be lifted no later than March 31, 2022.
Pennsylvania
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. People should continue to follow CDC guidance, as well as rules in specific settings such as workplaces, local businesses, long-term and residential care facilities, hospitals, prisons, and homeless shelters.
Rhode Island
The general mask mandate ended on February 11, 2022. A limited mandate for schools will end on March 4. People are still required to wear masks in public and commercial transportation and health care settings.
South Carolina
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. The state continues to strongly encourage everyone who is two or older to wear masks around others.
South Dakota
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. Vaccinated people should follow CDC guidelines. Unvaccinated people who are two or older should wear masks in indoor public places. They should consider wearing masks in crowded outdoor settings and for activities involving close contact with other unvaccinated people in areas with high numbers of COVID-19 cases. People who are immunosuppressed should take the same precautions as unvaccinated people.
Tennessee
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. However, the Tennessee Department of Health encourages Tennessee residents to wear masks in public settings where non-household members are present, especially when it may be difficult to maintain social distancing. Children under two and people who have breathing problems or who cannot remove a mask without assistance should not wear masks.
Texas
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. People should consider wearing masks, especially in indoor public places if they are not up to date on their vaccines, they are at higher risk, or they live in an area with many COVID-19 cases.
Utah
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. State health officials strongly encourage wearing masks, while acknowledging that this is not always possible and sometimes could cause a health problem or a safety risk.
Vermont
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. However, the Vermont Health Department recommends wearing a mask in public indoor settings. Regardless of vaccination status, people must wear masks in health care facilities, long-term care facilities, and public transportation. Unvaccinated people who are two or older are advised to wear masks inside schools and child care facilities, and when gathering with people indoors.
Virginia
Everyone aged two and older should wear masks in indoor public spaces because COVID-19 transmission is high. Unvaccinated people also should wear masks in crowded outdoor spaces, and vaccinated people may choose to wear masks in crowded outdoor spaces if they are immunocompromised or living with someone who is unvaccinated or immunocompromised. Limited mask mandates apply to K-12 schools and public transportation. Special rules may apply to health care settings, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, and immune-suppressed people.
Washington
Regardless of vaccination status, people must wear masks in public indoor settings. Exceptions include children under five (although children between two and four can wear masks under close adult supervision), people with a medical condition or disability that prevents wearing a mask, people who are working alone, and people engaged in certain indoor sports. This order will expire on March 21, 2022.
West Virginia
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. Face coverings still must be worn where required by federal law.
Wisconsin
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022. However, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services recommends that everyone should wear masks in public indoor settings in areas with substantial to high community transmission. Unvaccinated people should wear masks in indoor spaces outside the home, as well as enclosed or crowded outdoor spaces. Everyone should wear masks in public transportation, health care facilities, schools, prisons, and homeless shelters. People who live or spend time with unvaccinated people may choose to wear masks in all public spaces.
Wyoming
No statewide mask mandate as of February 22, 2022, although some businesses may request mask usage.
