New Jersey Homeschool Requirements Checklist
Everything you need to do to homeschool legally in New Jersey, based on N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25. New Jersey is classified as No regulation.
This is the general checklist for Equivalent Instruction Elsewhere Than at School. Our free wizard customizes this for your family, including grade, pathway, enrollment status, and IEP.
Your compliance checklist
Do first
Withdrawal letter recommended
A formal letter isn't required, but it is recommended if your child is enrolled in school. Send it to local board of education. Conditions: Required in two cases (NJDOE Homeschooling FAQ, question 4): if a district refuses to enroll your child and you do not give notice of intent to appeal, you must give the district a statement of verification saying whether the child will attend another district, a nonpublic school, or receive instruction elsewhere than at school (N.J.A.C. 6A:22-4.2(d)); and if you remove a child from a high school program, you must complete the district's transfer form. In all other cases notice is encouraged, not required. N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 requires only equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school. High school: NJDOE says a parent removing an enrolled student from a high school program will be required to complete a transfer form stating the intent to provide instruction elsewhere than at school. Agency guidance encourages notifying the local board of education; N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 does not require it. Removing an enrolled high school student requires the district transfer form (see letter_required).
Deadline: Before you start (if enrolled)
Ongoing
Notice to start homeschooling: what applies to you
Required in two cases (NJDOE Homeschooling FAQ, question 4): if a district refuses to enroll your child and you do not give notice of intent to appeal, you must give the district a statement of verification saying whether the child will attend another district, a nonpublic school, or receive instruction elsewhere than at school (N.J.A.C. 6A:22-4.2(d)); and if you remove a child from a high school program, you must complete the district's transfer form. In all other cases notice is encouraged, not required. N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25 requires only equivalent instruction elsewhere than at school.
Review curriculum requirements
Check the cited source for curriculum requirements that may be described without a subject-by-subject list.
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 or district standardized tests are not required for children educated elsewhere than at school. Placement assessments may apply when returning to public school.
Ongoing requirements
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 New Jersey checklistRequirements sourced from N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25. Last reviewed October 2026