Every U.S. state and the District of Columbia has a youth-sports concussion law. They share a common core: an athlete suspected of a concussion must be removed from play and may not return until cleared. Below is each jurisdiction's clearance requirement, with links to the official rules and, where one exists, the medical-clearance form.
Separate from these laws, US Soccer's concussion initiative sets heading limits nationwide: no heading for players age 11 and under (indirect free kick if deliberate in a game); limited practice heading at ages 12-13 (about 30 min/week, 15-20 headers/player/week); no restriction at 14+. These ages are national policy, not state law.
What varies by state is the concussion return-to-play law in the table below.
| State | Law | Clearance requirement | Official rules | Clearance form |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama AL | Youth concussion law (2011) | Written clearance from an appropriate licensed health care provider before return. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Alaska AK | Youth concussion law (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | Healthcare-provider release referenced on the ASAA forms page; no direct PDF verified. |
| Arizona AZ | Youth concussion law (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | No single statewide form; clearance provider-determined. |
| Arkansas AR | Youth concussion law (2013) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | No dedicated form surfaced; clearance provider-determined. |
| California CA | Youth concussion law (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management, after a graduated protocol. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Colorado CO | Jake Snakenberg Youth Concussion Act (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | No standalone form surfaced; clearance provider-determined. |
| Connecticut CT | Youth concussion law (2010) | Written clearance from a qualified provider, following a graduated protocol. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Delaware DE | Youth concussion law (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| District of Columbia DC | Athletic Concussion Protection Act (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | No downloadable statewide form; clearance provider-determined. |
| Florida FL | Youth concussion law (2012) | Written medical clearance from an appropriate health care provider. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Georgia GA | Return to Play Act of 2013 | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | Awareness form only; clearance provider-determined. |
| Hawaii HI | Youth concussion law (2012) | Clearance from a qualified provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance handled via Hawaii DOE; no HHSAA form verified. |
| Idaho ID | Youth concussion law (2012) | Written clearance from a licensed provider after re-evaluation. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Illinois IL | Youth Sports Concussion Safety Act (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management, after a graduated protocol. | State rules ↗ | RTP forms left to individual schools. |
| Indiana IN | Youth concussion law (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Iowa IA | Youth concussion law (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Kansas KS | Youth concussion law (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Kentucky KY | Youth concussion law (2012) | Written clearance from a physician (MD/DO) after a graduated protocol. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Louisiana LA | Louisiana Youth Concussion Act (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Maine ME | Youth concussion law (2012) | Clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance per Maine DOE rules; rules link is the KSI policy page. |
| Maryland MD | Youth concussion law (2011) | Written medical clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Massachusetts MA | Youth concussion law (2010) | Written medical clearance from an appropriate provider, after a graduated protocol. | State rules ↗ | Return-to-participation form referenced in MIAA handbook; MA DPH also publishes forms. |
| Michigan MI | Youth concussion law (2012) | Written authorization from a physician (MD/DO) or authorized professional. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Minnesota MN | Youth concussion law (2011) | Clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance embedded in MSHSL physical-exam form. |
| Mississippi MS | Youth concussion law (2014) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | Information form only; clearance provider-determined. |
| Missouri MO | Interscholastic Youth Sports Brain Injury Prevention Act (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Montana MT | Dylan Steigers Protection of Youth Athletes Act (2013) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | No standalone form surfaced; clearance provider-determined. |
| Nebraska NE | Concussion Awareness Act (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | NSAA hosts a clearance form; no direct file URL verified. |
| Nevada NV | Youth concussion law (2011) | Written clearance from a licensed provider (statute sets a removal/clearance window). | State rules ↗ | No standalone form surfaced; clearance provider-determined. |
| New Hampshire NH | Youth concussion law (2012) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | Policy published; no standalone form verified. |
| New Jersey NJ | Youth concussion law (2010) | Written clearance from a physician or provider trained in concussion management, after a graduated protocol. | State rules ↗ | Standardized RTP form referenced; also governed by NJ DOE model policy. |
| New Mexico NM | Youth concussion law (2010) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| New York NY | Concussion Management and Awareness Act (2011) | Clearance from a licensed physician after at least 24 hours symptom-free, per NYSED rules. | State rules ↗ | Clearance governed by NYSED/local district policy. |
| North Carolina NC | Gfeller-Waller Concussion Awareness Act (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management, after a graduated protocol. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| North Dakota ND | Youth concussion law (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | No downloadable form; clearance provider-determined. |
| Ohio OH | Youth concussion law (2012) | Written authorization from a physician or other provider authorized under the law. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Oklahoma OK | Youth concussion law (2010) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | No dedicated form surfaced; clearance provider-determined. |
| Oregon OR | Max's Law (2009) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Pennsylvania PA | Safety in Youth Sports Act (2011) | Written clearance from an appropriate provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Rhode Island RI | School and Youth Programs Concussion Act (2010) | Written clearance from a physician or qualified provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | Parent-acknowledgement form only; clearance provider-determined. |
| South Carolina SC | Youth concussion law (2013) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| South Dakota SD | Youth concussion law (2011) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | Concussion content bundled in pre-participation packet. |
| Tennessee TN | Youth concussion law (2013) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | Info/signature form only; clearance provider-determined. |
| Texas TX | Natasha's Law (2011) | Written clearance from a physician after a return-to-play protocol overseen by the school's concussion oversight team. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Utah UT | Protection of Athletes with Head Injuries Act (2011) | Written clearance from a qualified provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Vermont VT | Youth concussion law (2013) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion management, after a graduated protocol. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Virginia VA | Youth concussion law (2010) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | Policy/SMAC forms published; no dedicated clearance PDF verified. |
| Washington WA | Zackery Lystedt Law (2009) | Written clearance from a provider trained in the evaluation and management of concussion (the original model law). | State rules ↗ | RTP form behind the MyWIAA portal; no direct PDF verified. |
| West Virginia WV | Youth concussion law (2013) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | Clearance form ↗ |
| Wisconsin WI | Youth concussion law (2012) | Written clearance from a provider trained in concussion evaluation and management. | State rules ↗ | Resources published; no standalone form verified. |
| Wyoming WY | Youth concussion law (2011) | Clearance from a provider trained in concussion management. | State rules ↗ | Head-injury position statement; no separate clearance form surfaced. |
Dr. Neil J. Patel, MD, MBA — board-certified sports neurologist — sees patients for concussion, persisting symptoms after concussion, and return-to-play clearance.
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