California Homeschool Laws and Requirements

homeschool laws by state Aug 14, 2026

California has no homeschool statute. Instead, families educating children at home work inside private school law, and there are three routes that keep a child in the private sector. The most common is establishing a home-based private school and filing an annual affidavit with the state. You may also enroll in an existing private school that offers independent study, or use a credentialed private tutor. Public charter and public independent study programs are a different thing entirely.

Last Reviewed: August 15, 2026. Reviewed by the Modern Homeschools Editorial Team. Next scheduled review: August 15, 2027.

California Homeschool Requirements at a Glance

Topic	What applies in California
Compulsory attendance ages	All children between ages 6 and 18
Legal pathways	A home-based private school, enrollment in an existing private school offering independent study, or instruction by a credentialed tutor
Notification or registration	Home-based private school: an annual Private School Affidavit filed with the California Department of Education. Parents are not required to report to their school district
Filing window	The statutory period is October 1 through 15. The filing system stays open from August 1 through June 30 for new schools and home schools
Parent or instructor qualifications	Private school route: persons capable of teaching. Tutor route: a valid state credential for the grade taught
Required subjects	The various branches of study required in the public schools, set out for grades 1 through 6 and grades 7 through 12 in the Education Code
Instructional time	Private school route: no separate hour count is set. Tutor route: at least three hours a day for 175 days each calendar year, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Testing or evaluation	None. State testing is not required of private schools
Required records	An attendance register clearly indicating every absence, the courses of study offered, and faculty names and addresses with educational qualifications and background check information
Responsible government agency	The California Department of Education receives the affidavit. It does not approve, evaluate, or endorse your school

The Three Private Routes

A home-based private school. You establish a private school in your home and file the Private School Affidavit each year. This is the route most California families use, and it puts the recordkeeping duties of a private school on you.

Enrollment in an existing private school with independent study. Your child enrolls in a private school that offers online learning or independent study, and that school files its own affidavit and keeps its own records. The school sets its own requirements for enrolled families, so ask what it expects before you enroll.

A credentialed private tutor. A tutor holding a valid state credential for the grade taught provides instruction for at least three hours a day, 175 days each calendar year, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., in the English language and in the branches of study required in public schools. Those hour and day rules belong to this route only, not to the private school route.

Public charter schools and public school independent study are separate. Those are real options many families like, but a child enrolled in one is a public school student, subject to public school requirements including state testing. They are not private homeschooling, and this guide does not describe their rules.

Filing the Affidavit

The affidavit is filed online with the department, annually, by anyone offering private school instruction at the elementary or high school level. The statutory window is October 1 through 15, but the system opens August 1 and closes June 30 so new schools and home schools can file when they actually start. A school established during July waits until the system reopens in August.

What the affidavit is not is permission. The department states that filing shall not be interpreted to mean the state has made any evaluation, recognition, approval, or endorsement of the school. Nobody reviews your curriculum, and you do not report to your school district at all.

Required Versus Optional

Required for a home-based private school. The annual affidavit, instruction in the branches of study required in public schools, an attendance register clearly indicating every absence, records of the courses of study offered, and faculty records with qualifications and background check information.

Not required. State testing, district reporting, curriculum approval, and any particular teaching credential for the private school route.

Worth confirming separately. Immunization and health record rules are administered by the California Department of Public Health rather than the education department, and what applies can depend on whether a student receives classroom-based instruction. Check your situation with that department rather than assuming.

How to Start Homeschooling in California

Choose your route. Home-based private school, enrollment in a private school with independent study, or a credentialed tutor.
Withdraw from public school, if enrolled. Tell the school so its enrollment records match.
File the affidavit if you are your own school. Watch the August 1 through June 30 system window and the October 1 through 15 statutory period.
Set up your three record sets. Attendance register, courses of study, and faculty records.
Plan the required branches of study. Match them to your child's grade grouping.

Official California Homeschool Resources

Beginning Your Homeschool Journey?

Your First 30 Days of Homeschooling provides a practical path for establishing your priorities, planning your next steps, and creating a rhythm that works for your family.

Explore Your First 30 Days

Modern Homeschools provides educational information to help families understand and navigate homeschooling requirements. Because requirements may change, families should confirm current details with the official state sources linked within this guide.