Which States Have Banned Fluoride? Status by State, 1945 to 2026

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

As of 2026-10-11, chapter 46.03 of the Alaska Statutes, which includes the public water system plan review requirement (AS 46.03.720), does not mention fluoride.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

Arkansas requires the entity that owns or controls a water system serving 5,000 or more persons to maintain the fluoride content set by the Department of Health, but not until funds for the system's fluoridation start-up costs are available from a source other than its own tax or service revenue (Act 197 of 2011, which added the section).

California requires each public water system with at least 10,000 service connections and a natural fluoride level below the state minimum to be fluoridated (as amended by Stats. 2004, ch. 727).

Under § 116415, a system is not required to fluoridate in the situations it lists, among them when funds to pay its capital costs are not offered from an outside source (one other than its ratepayers, shareholders, local taxpayers, bondholders or its own fees and charges).

Colorado's Oral Health Community Grants Program Act provides a grant program that, among its purposes, assists communities in attaining optimal levels of fluoride in drinking water from community water systems.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

Connecticut requires a water company to add fluoride to each water system it owns and operates that serves 20,000 or more people, at a monthly average of 0.7 mg/L; since June 30, 2025 the statute sets that level itself instead of following the federal health department's recommendation.

Delaware directs its Department of Health and Social Services to provide by rule for the addition of fluoride to all municipal water supplies.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

Florida's SB 700 (2025) prohibits any additive in a public water system that does not meet the statute's definition of a water quality additive (one used to meet drinking water standards, remove contaminants or improve water quality).

Florida SB 700, approved by the governor on May 15, 2025 as Chapter 2025-22, took effect on July 1, 2025.

Why Florida is listed as a ban is set out in the statewide bans section of this page.

A Georgia rule requires all potable water supplies in incorporated communities and counties lying wholly within the state to be fluoridated in compliance with the Georgia Safe Drinking Water Act of 1977.

A state rule, not a statute. We did not read the Act's own fluoridation section on an official site, so this row states no condition the Act may set.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

Illinois requires owners of public water supplies to comply with the optimal-fluoridation recommendations adopted by HHS and the CDC. The section's current text is from P.A. 99-529, effective July 8, 2016.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

Iowa requires a public water system to give the state and its customers advance notice before permanently discontinuing fluoridation.

Kansas law provides that no primary drinking water standard or rule and regulation may require the addition of fluorides to public water supplies.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

A Kentucky regulation requires water systems serving a community population of 3,000 or more to adjust fluoride-deficient water; systems serving 1,500 to 3,000 people fluoridate only if the state health department supplies adequate feed equipment. It took effect on September 21, 1994 and was last amended effective September 16, 2015.

Louisiana requires each public water system with at least 5,000 service connections and natural fluoride outside the optimal range to install and operate fluoridation equipment, but only once the state has identified sufficient funds for it.

Louisiana's Act 731, effective June 2, 2026, lets any water system opt out of the state fluoridation requirement through a voter petition and a local election; the requirement otherwise remains.

Maine bars a public water system from adding fluoride to any water supply until the community water district it serves has authorized it by a vote of its voters.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

In Massachusetts, a local board of health may order the fluoride content of its water supply adjusted upward after the commissioner finds it below the optimum level for dental health; on a petition of ten per cent of registered voters the question goes on the ballot, and if the majority votes no, the supply shall not be fluoridated.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

Minnesota requires the fluoridation of water in all municipal water supplies, except a supply that naturally contains sufficient fluoride under the health commissioner's rules.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

Missouri requires a public water system or water supply district that intends to modify its fluoridation to notify the state departments of natural resources and of health and senior services, and its customers, in advance of any vote on the matter.

Missouri's Department of Natural Resources may not adopt any rule or regulation that requires or prohibits adding fluoride to drinking water.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

Nebraska requires each city or village of 1,000 or more inhabitants to add fluoride to its water supply unless the supply has sufficient naturally occurring fluoride. The requirement does not apply where voters adopted an ordinance prohibiting fluoride after April 18, 2008 and before June 1, 2010, and a city or village that reaches 1,000 inhabitants after June 1, 2010 may adopt such an ordinance.

Nevada requires its State Board of Health to mandate fluoridation of all water delivered for human consumption in a county of 700,000 or more people by a public water system serving 100,000 or more, or by a water authority. NRS 445A.050 exempts those systems from NRS 445A.025 to 445A.050, the sections under which a proposal to adjust the fluoride level goes to the voters at the next general election and the supplier may put it into effect only if a majority vote for it.

New Hampshire bars introducing fluoride into a public water system until each municipality it serves has held a public hearing and its registered voters approve. The section was last amended effective August 11, 2018.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

New York lets a county, city, town or village that owns both its public water system and its water supply decide by local law whether to add fluoride. One that fluoridates may not stop until it issues a public notice for comment and gives the state health department advance written notice with a plan for discontinuance.

A bill introduced in the Senate on May 30, 2025 (S8283A) would require a city to publish a notice before it stops fluoridating. Its same-as Assembly bill, A8680A, passed the Assembly on March 9, 2026; on June 2, 2026 the Senate substituted A8680A for S8283A and passed it, and it was returned to the Assembly.

As of 2026-10-11, the North Carolina Drinking Water Act (Article 10 of Chapter 130A of the General Statutes) does not mention fluoride.

As of 2026-10-11, North Dakota's Safe Drinking Water Act (chapter 61-28.1 of the Century Code) does not mention fluoride.

Ohio requires fluoride to be added when the natural fluoride content of a public water system's water is below eight-tenths of a milligram per liter, for systems supplying water to five thousand or more persons. The current version took effect December 14, 1978.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

As of 2026-10-11, chapter 448 of the Oregon Revised Statutes, on pool facilities and water and sewage systems, does not mention fluoride.

As of 2026-10-11, the Pennsylvania Safe Drinking Water Act (Act 43 of 1984) does not mention fluoride.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

South Dakota requires the fluoridation of water in all municipal water supplies serving a population of 500 or more, except a supply that naturally contains sufficient fluoride under the department's rules.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

Utah's H.B. 81 (2025) provides that a person may not add fluoride to water in, or water that will be introduced into, a public water system, and that a political subdivision may not enact or enforce an ordinance that requires or permits it.

Utah's H.B. 81 took effect on May 7, 2025.

As of 2026-10-11, chapter 56 of Title 10 of the Vermont Statutes, Public Water Supply, does not mention fluoride.

As of 2026-10-11, chapter 6 of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia, Environmental Health Services, whose Article 2 covers public water supplies, does not mention fluoride.

Washington requires a public water system considering starting or stopping fluoridation to notify its customers and the state in advance of the vote or decision.

We have not classified this state's fluoridation law.

As of 2026-10-11, chapter 281 of the Wisconsin Statutes, Water and Sewage, does not mention fluoride.

As of 2026-10-11, Title 35 of the Wyoming Statutes, Public Health and Safety, does not mention fluoride.