Face Mask Mandates
Date of last comprehensive review: 8/27/2021
| State | Public face mask mandate start | Public face mask mandate start x2 | Business face mask mandate start | Face mask mandate end for fully vaccinated | Face mask mandate resumed for fully vaccinated | Face mask mandate resumed with exemptions | Face mask mandate in schools for 2021-22 school year | Face mask mandate end | Face mask mandate end x2 | Public face mask mandate currently in place | Banned school face mask mandates | Banned other local face mask mandates | Judicial decision blocked state from enforcing bans on mask mandates in schools | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesAL - 7/13 order mandated face mask use in public spaces in some counties but not statewide; statewide face mask mandate only applies to close contact personal service employees, restaurant employees, and gym employees | |||||
| Alaska | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesAK - Businesses subject to fine and/or closure if non-compliant w/ face mask mandate; individuals can face fines and charges of reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor. Masks were required only by customers in retail and personal care services, but only up to 5/22/2020 when the state's stay at home order ended and the state entered phase 3 of its reopening plan. | |||||
| Arizona | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesAZ - Prohibits government officials from requiring businesses to enforce mask mandates; Face masks required only for close contact personal care; starting 3/30 local governments prevented from passing laws stricter than what was implemented at the state level (remained in place until 6/17 when a mask mandate was put into place) | |||||||
| Arkansas | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesAR - Recommended but not required to wear face masks in public; 7/3 order allows cities to mandate face masks, but does not mandate face masks at state-wide level; face masks required for restaurant staff, gym/fitness center workers | ||||||||
| California | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesCA - Mandated face mask use by grocery store employees | |||||||
| Colorado | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||||||
| Connecticut | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesCT - Mandated face mask use by all essential employees | |||||
| Delaware | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||||||
| District of Columbia | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||||||||||
| Florida | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesFL - Mandated face mask use by personal care employees | |||||||
| Georgia | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesGA - Face mask use recommended in public spaces but not required; face mask use by employees in public-facing businesses required in order to reopen; state barred localities from passing more rigorous mask laws than the state, resulting in a lawsuit (has since been withdrawn) against Atlanta for its attempts at passing mask requirements | |||||
| Hawaii | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesHI - Every county mandated face mask use but no statewide mandate; State-wide EO suggested masks but in stores it is required and to be enforced by the businesses. Each county has their own laws but there was never a statewide mandate. Only a suggestion. | ||||||
| Idaho | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesID - Face mask use recommended but not required in public spaces; Employers allowed to decide whether or not to require face mask use by employees | |
| Illinois | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesIL – Fine and misdemeanor for a business in violation 3x | ||||||||
| Indiana | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesIN – recommended but not required | |||||
| Iowa | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesIA – Face mask order applicable in public businesses and executive branch buildings. Does not apply outdoors or in judicial or legislative areas. | ||||||||
| Kansas | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesKS – recommended but not required | |||||
| Kentucky | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesKY - 5/11 issued an order mandating that anyone in a business must wear a mask; 7/10 issued a stricter face mask policy mandating face mask use in most situations where an individual is in public | |||||
| Louisiana | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesLA – initially recommended but not required on 7/13 a state mandate was passed however it exempts parishes with lower rates of infection. From the start 3 parishes were allowed to out of the rule and so the order has never applied statewide. | ||||||||
| Maine | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesME – on 7/8/2020 ME issued a renewed EO that added a civil penalty against business or permit holders in violation of these orders, including revocation of licence or permit. | |||||
| Maryland | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesMD – First facemask order was issued on april 18. On July 31 2020 the order was expanded to more indoor spaces and situations and stipulated mask use outside when social distancing can not be maintained. | |||||
| Massachusetts | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||||
| Michigan | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesMI - 7/10 order with penalties of $500 for those who refuse to wear face masks in public areas | |||||||
| Minnesota | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesMN – recommended but not required | |||||
| Mississippi | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesMS – ordered by Governor's EO in some counties. Recommended but not required in other counties. On 8/5 masks were mandated. On 9/30 the rule was repealed. On 11/11/2020 there was an order requiring masks only in some counties but the rules do not apply statewide. | |||||
| Missouri | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesMO – recommended but not required | |
| Montana | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesMT – 7/15 governor mandated face mask use in counties with four or more active COVID cases, but not a statewide order | ||||||
| Nebraska | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesNE – Gov threatened to withhold federal funding from local governments that tried to pass mask laws. | |
| Nevada | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesNV - Face mask mandate implemented in July 2021 applies to counties with substantial or high COVID-19 transmission rates | ||||||
| New Hampshire | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesNH – 8/11/2020 order requires facemasks at events with over 100 people in attendance. | |||||
| New Jersey | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||||
| New Mexico | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesNM - Face mask mandate for elementary schools only for 2021-22 school year | |||||||
| New York | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesNY - Indoor public places with vaccine requirement are exempt from December 2021 mask policy; Allows for both civil and criminal penalties for a mask violation but limits the punishment to a fine of $1000 as of 7/9/2020 | |||||||
| North Carolina | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesNC – recommended but not required; NC- citations for businesses in violation of the rule. Individuals can not be charged directly for a facemask violation but they can face criminal trespass charges. NC-left it up to individual establishments | |||||
| North Dakota | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesND – recommended but not required. 11/14/2020 includes exceptions for children under age 5, individuals with a medical or mental health condition or disability that makes it unreasonable to wear a mask, and religious services. ND-Just applies to employees in personal care services | ||||||
| Ohio | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesOH – 7/7 Governor mandated face mask use in seven counties, but not state-wide. 7/23 face mask order issued statewide. 11/11/2020 update new provisions for stores to put up signage and a greater onus on buisness owners to enforce the law. | |||||
| Oklahoma | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesOK - Mask mandates banned for all buildings and office space owned or leased by the State and open to the public | ||
| Oregon | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesOR - Initially required face masks on public transit but recommended for all other situations; 7/1 order mandated face masks for all public areas; Face mask mandate for public schools only for 2021-22 school year | ||||||||
| Pennsylvania | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesPA – 4/19 only required face masks for customers in businesses, expanded order 7/1 to include all public areas | ||||||
| Rhode Island | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesRI - Venues with capacity less than 250 people are exempt from December 2021 mask policy | ||||||||
| South Carolina | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesSC - Encouraged but did not require essential employees to use face masks. 8/3/2020 new executive order requires all employees and patrons of restaurants to wear a mask and also requires masks while in state government facilities. | |||||||
| South Dakota | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesSD – encouraged but not required | |
| Tennessee | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesTN – encouraged but not required. 8/3/2020 issued order allowing local governments in the state to pass their own mask mandates. TN- encouraged but didn't require employees to wear a mask at work | |||
| Texas | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesTX - Public schools could continue to mandate face masks until 6/5/2021 | ||||||||
| Utah | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesUT - Prohibits mask mandates at any public or higher education institutions; First required facemasks as part of the safer-at-home order (recorded this date as the start of face mask mandates for the state and not from any subsequent independent orders); Stay-at-home order expired 5/1/2020; State required masks in certain high risk areas but rule no longer applies state wide; New order in place 11/9/2020-11/23/2020 | ||||||||
| Vermont | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||||||
| Virginia | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||||
| Washington | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||||||||
| West Virginia | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesWV – 5/4 customers of personal care services must wear face masks; WV-applies to first wave of opening businesses (personal care services) | |||||
| Wisconsin | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | NotesWI – recommended but not required. updated August to a requirement. As of 11/20 the order has been extended through Jan 19, 2021 | |||||
| Wyoming | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||||||
| Total | 41 | 7 | 45 | 45 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 44 | 8 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 7 |