Georgia Homeschool Requirements Checklist
Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in Georgia, based on O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c). Georgia is classified as Moderate regulation.
This is the general checklist for Home Study Program, the most common of Georgia's 2 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 Georgia Department of Education. Deadline: Within 30 days of establishing the home study program, and by September 1 of each subsequent year. Conditions: File within 30 days of beginning the program, then by September 1 each year. The declaration goes to the Georgia Department of Education. The Department of Education sends a copy of each declaration to the local school system (O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c)(1)). File within 30 days of starting the program, then by September 1 each year. The declaration goes to the Georgia Department of Education, which accepts written or electronic filing. The declaration must also name the local school system in which the home study program is located.
Deadline: Within 30 days of establishing the home study program, and by September 1 of each subsequent year
More details
Include: student names, student ages, program location, school year period. Conditions: File within 30 days of starting the program, then by September 1 each year. The declaration goes to the Georgia Department of Education, which accepts written or electronic filing..
Ongoing
Teacher qualifications: what applies to you
Parents or guardians may teach only their own children. A hired tutor must also hold a high school diploma or a state approved HSE diploma.
Deadline: Before you start
Required subjects
reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, science
Meet instructional time requirements
Minimum: 810 hours/year, 180 days/year, 4.5 hours/day. Conditions: 180 school days of at least 4.5 hours each 12 months, unless the child is physically unable to comply (O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c)(5)). 810 is the calculated equivalent of 180 days × 4.5 hours, not a separately stated annual-hours rule. The rule does not apply if the child is physically unable to comply (O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c)(5)). At least 4.5 school hours on each of the 180 school days, unless the child is physically unable to comply (O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c)(5)).
Show your child's progress
Standardized test — every three years. Conditions: At least every three years beginning at the end of third grade; administer in consultation with a person trained in administering and interpreting norm-referenced tests. Retain the results. At least every three years, starting at the end of grade 3. The test is given in consultation with a person trained in giving and interpreting norm-referenced tests. Keep the results; they are not submitted. Test at least every three years, starting at the end of grade 3. The law sets a schedule, not a fixed list of grades. The law sets no passing score. Test records and scores are kept by the parent and are not submitted.
More details
Conditions: At least every three years beginning at the end of third grade; administer in consultation with a person trained in administering and interpreting norm-referenced tests. Retain the results.
Renew each year
You must renew your homeschool notice each year by September 1. Conditions: File within 30 days of beginning the program, then by September 1 each year. The declaration goes to the Georgia Department of Education. The Department of Education sends a copy of each declaration to the local school system (O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c)(1)). File within 30 days of starting the program, then by September 1 each year. The declaration goes to the Georgia Department of Education, which accepts written or electronic filing. The declaration must also name the local school system in which the home study program is located. The annual progress assessment report is kept by the parent for at least three years. The law does not require it to be submitted. You must write an annual progress assessment report and keep it at least three years, but you do not submit it (O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c)(8)).
Filing requirements
- What to file
- simple notice
- Send to
- Georgia Department of Education
- Deadline
- Within 30 days of establishing the home study program, and by September 1 of each subsequent year
- File within 30 days of starting the program, then by September 1 each year. The declaration goes to the Georgia Department of Education, which accepts written or electronic filing.
- How often
- annual
Your notice must include:
- •student names
- •student ages
- •program location
- •school year period
O.C.G.A. §20-2-690(c)
Ongoing requirements
Required subjects
- ✓reading
- ✓language arts
- ✓mathematics
- ✓social studies
- ✓science
O.C.G.A. §20-2-690(c)
Instructional time
Varies by pathway. Home Study Program: null; Private School / Umbrella School Enrollment: false
- Days per year:
- 180
- Hours per year:
- 810
- Hours per day:
- 4.5
O.C.G.A. §20-2-690(c)
Testing and assessment
Varies by pathway. Home Study Program: "triennial"; Private School / Umbrella School Enrollment: null
- At least every three years beginning at the end of third grade; administer in consultation with a person trained in administering and interpreting norm-referenced tests. Retain the results.
- Accepted types
- Standardized test
- Frequency
- every three years
See our full assessment guide for Georgia for details.
O.C.G.A. §20-2-690(c)
Reporting
Varies by pathway. Home Study Program: ["written_progress_assessment"]; Private School / Umbrella School Enrollment: null
- Annual renewal
- Required by September 1
O.C.G.A. §20-2-690(c)
Instructor qualifications
Varies by pathway. Home Study Program: "hs_diploma"; Private School / Umbrella School Enrollment: "none"
The instructor must have a high school diploma or GED.
O.C.G.A. §20-2-690(c)(3)
Other ways to homeschool in Georgia
This checklist covers Home Study Program, the most common pathway. Georgia offers 2 different ways to homeschool, each with different requirements:
- •Home Study Program(this checklist) : You file a Declaration of Intent with the Georgia Department of Education within 30 days of starting and by September 1 each year after that. You teach reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies and science for the equivalent of 180 school days of at least 4.5 hours, give a nationally standardized test at least every three years starting at the end of third grade, and write an annual progress assessment that you keep for at least three years. Test results and progress assessments stay with you.
- •Private School / Umbrella School Enrollment : You enroll your child in a private school instead of running a home study program, so you do not file a Declaration of Intent. Under O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(b), the school must teach reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies and science, provide 180 school days of at least 4.5 hours (a school that teaches only virtually is exempt from the day and hour minimum since July 1, 2026), and report enrollment to your local superintendent. The state testing rule for home study programs does not apply.
Our wizard helps you choose the right one. Compare all pathways for Georgia
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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 Georgia checklistRequirements sourced from O.C.G.A. 20-2-690(c). Last reviewed October 2026