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California Homeschool Requirements Checklist

Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in California, based on EC Section 48222 (Private School Exemption). California is classified as Moderate regulation.

This is the general checklist for Home-Based Private School (Private School Affidavit), the most common of California's 4 pathways. Our free wizard customizes this for your family, including grade, pathway, enrollment status, and IEP.

Your compliance checklist

Do first

File your Notice of Intent

Submit to California Department of Education (CDE). Deadline: October 1 through October 15 annually. Conditions: The statutory filing period is October 1 through 15. CDE keeps the online filing system open from August 1 through June 30 so new schools and home schools can file when they start.

Deadline: October 1 through October 15 annually

More details

Conditions: The statutory filing period is October 1 through 15. CDE keeps the online filing system open from August 1 through June 30 so new schools and home schools can file when they start..

Ongoing

Required subjects (varies by grade)

Grades 1–6: English (literature and language; speaking, reading, listening, spelling, handwriting including cursive or joined italics, and composition), Mathematics (concepts, operational skills, and problem solving), Social sciences (anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology), Science (biological and physical aspects), Visual and performing arts (dance, music, theater, and visual arts), Health (individual, family, and community health), Physical education. Grades 7–12: English, Social sciences (anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology), World languages (beginning not later than grade 7), Physical education, Science (physical and biological aspects), Mathematics, Visual and performing arts (dance, music, theater, and visual arts), Applied arts (consumer education, family and consumer sciences education, industrial arts, general business education, or general agriculture), Career technical education, Automobile driver education

Review instructional-time requirements

Check the cited source for the school-term or instructional-time rule that applies to your pathway.

Testing: what applies to you

State testing is not required for private schools. A private school or satellite program may set its own assessments; transfer or admission testing is separate. This does not apply to public-school independent study or establish a private-tutor exemption.

Keep basic records

You must maintain: attendance records. Conditions: The district attendance supervisor verifies that the Private School Affidavit was filed before the exemption is valid (EC 48222). The affidavit states where the school's records are kept and who keeps them (EC 33190). These sections do not set a schedule or procedure for reviewing records.

Renew each year

You must renew your homeschool notice each year by October 1 through October 15 annually. Conditions: The statutory filing period is October 1 through 15. CDE keeps the online filing system open from August 1 through June 30 so new schools and home schools can file when they start.

Filing requirements

What to file
simple notice
Send to
California Department of Education (CDE)
Deadline
October 1 through October 15 annually
  • The statutory filing period is October 1 through 15. CDE keeps the online filing system open from August 1 through June 30 so new schools and home schools can file when they start.
How often
annual
Practical tip: The statutory filing period is October 1 through 15. The CDE's online filing system is open from August 1 through June 30 so new schools and home schools can file when they start; schools established in July wait until the system opens in August. Your child's exemption is valid only after the district's attendance supervisor verifies that the affidavit was filed, and that verification is not an evaluation or approval of your school (EC Section 48222). The CDE's FAQ says to provide a copy of your affidavit to the attendance supervisor.

EC Section 33190 (annual Private School Affidavit filing); EC Section 48222 (private school exemption from compulsory attendance)

Ongoing requirements

Required subjects (varies by grade)

Grades 1–6

  • ✓English (literature and language; speaking, reading, listening, spelling, handwriting including cursive or joined italics, and composition)
  • ✓Mathematics (concepts, operational skills, and problem solving)
  • ✓Social sciences (anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology)
  • ✓Science (biological and physical aspects)
  • ✓Visual and performing arts (dance, music, theater, and visual arts)
  • ✓Health (individual, family, and community health)
  • ✓Physical education

Grades 7–12

  • ✓English
  • ✓Social sciences (anthropology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, and sociology)
  • ✓World languages (beginning not later than grade 7)
  • ✓Physical education
  • ✓Science (physical and biological aspects)
  • ✓Mathematics
  • ✓Visual and performing arts (dance, music, theater, and visual arts)
  • ✓Applied arts (consumer education, family and consumer sciences education, industrial arts, general business education, or general agriculture)
  • ✓Career technical education
  • ✓Automobile driver education
Practical tip: EC Section 48222 requires instruction in the several branches of study required to be taught in the public schools. The CDE points families to EC Sections 51210 and 51220 for the public school courses of study. The school keeps its courses of study on file (EC Section 33190(f)).

EC Section 51210 (elementary courses of study, grades 1-6); EC Section 51220 (secondary courses of study, grades 7-12)

Testing and assessment

Varies by pathway. Home-Based Private School (Private School Affidavit): null; Independent Study Through Public School or Charter School: [3,4,5,6,7,8,11]; Private School Satellite Program (PSP / Umbrella School): null; Private Tutor: null

  • State testing is not required for private schools. A private school or satellite program may set its own assessments; transfer or admission testing is separate. This does not apply to public-school independent study or establish a private-tutor exemption.
Accepted types

See our full assessment guide for California for details.

Recordkeeping

Varies by pathway. Home-Based Private School (Private School Affidavit): true; Independent Study Through Public School or Charter School: false; Private School Satellite Program (PSP / Umbrella School): true; Private Tutor: false

  • ✓Attendance records
Practical tip: Keep an attendance register that clearly shows every absence of a half day or more (EC Section 48222). The CDE says a copy of the affidavit should be kept at the school, along with the attendance register, courses of study, and faculty names, addresses, and qualifications.

EC Section 48222 (attendance register); EC Section 33190(f) (records kept at the school)

Reporting

Varies by pathway. Home-Based Private School (Private School Affidavit): "October 1 through October 15 annually"; Independent Study Through Public School or Charter School: null; Private School Satellite Program (PSP / Umbrella School): null; Private Tutor: null

Annual renewal
Required by October 1 through October 15 annually
Practical tip: Your annual filing is the Private School Affidavit, due October 1 through 15 each year (EC Section 33190). The state does not require testing of private schools.

EC Section 33190 (annual PSA filing between October 1 and October 15)

Other ways to homeschool in California

This checklist covers Home-Based Private School (Private School Affidavit), the most common pathway. California offers 4 different ways to homeschool, each with different requirements:

  • •
    Home-Based Private School (Private School Affidavit)(this checklist) : You establish a home-based private school. Each year you file a Private School Affidavit with the California Department of Education (EC Section 33190). Instruction is given by persons capable of teaching, in English, in the several branches of study required in the public schools, and you keep attendance in a register (EC Section 48222). The state does not require testing of private schools and sets no minimum days or hours for them.
  • •
    Independent Study Through Public School or Charter School : Your child enrolls in a public charter school or public school district independent study program and learns at home. Your child remains a public school student, so the school sets the program's requirements, and state law requires its students to take the state CAASPP tests (EC 60640). A student with an IEP may take part only if the IEP specifically provides for independent study (EC 51745(c)). Ask the school about its rules on curriculum and meetings before you enroll.
  • •
    Private School Satellite Program (PSP / Umbrella School) : You enroll your child in a private school satellite program (PSP), an existing private school that offers independent study. The PSP files its own Private School Affidavit as a private school (EC Section 33190). Ask the PSP what records and paperwork it needs from you.
  • •
    Private Tutor : Your child is taught by a tutor who holds a valid state credential for the grade taught, for at least 3 hours a day for 175 days each calendar year, between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., in English, in the several branches of study required in the public schools (EC Section 48224).

Our wizard helps you choose the right one. Compare all pathways for California

Get your personalized checklist

This is the general checklist for the most common pathway. The wizard customizes it for your family's specific situation, including grade, pathway, and IEP status.

Get your California checklist

Requirements sourced from EC Section 48222 (Private School Exemption). Last reviewed October 2026