Your state guide · 2026
North Carolina homeschool laws
Last verified · View official sources
The short answer
North Carolina treats a home school as a nonpublic school made up of children from no more than two households.
At a glance
- One-time notice to the state, 5 business days before starting
- Teacher needs a high school diploma or equivalent
- At least 9 months of instruction a year
- Standardized test every year
- Ages 7 to 16
Requirements at a glance
Read the details for your chosen homeschooling option below.
| Requirement | What to know |
|---|---|
| Compulsory school ages | 7–16 |
| Notice required | Yes |
| Filing deadline | At least five business days before starting (or before the child turns 7), filed once when the home school opens. The division accepts new notices only after July 1 and not in May or June. A closing notice is due when the school stops operating. |
| Required subjects | Not specified in state law |
| Instruction time | A regular schedule of at least nine calendar months a year, apart from reasonable holidays and vacations. |
| Parent qualifications | Anyone providing academic instruction must hold at least a high school diploma or its equivalent. |
| Tests & assessments | Each student takes a nationally standardized achievement test every year covering English grammar, reading, spelling and math. Results must be kept for at least one year and made available to the state division on request. |
| Records to keep | Keep yearly attendance records and immunization records for each student, plus test results for at least one year, at the home school. The state division may ask to review them, including in a virtual meeting. |
| Immunizations | Home schools must follow state immunization requirements and keep immunization records for each student. |
How to start homeschooling in North Carolina
The parent or guardian who teaches must have at least a high school diploma or equivalent and must file a one-time notice of intent with the state Division of Non-Public Education. The school must run on a regular schedule for at least nine months a year, keep attendance and immunization records, and give each student a nationally standardized achievement test every year.
Choose your homeschooling option
Home school. A nonpublic school of children from no more than two families or households, where the parents, guardians or household members decide what is taught and provide instruction. It operates as either a religious or non-religious school.
Prepare your notice
A notice of intent giving the home school's name and address, the chief administrator's name, and proof that the teacher holds a high school diploma or equivalent.
Open the official notice resource ↗Check when and where to file
When: At least five business days before starting (or before the child turns 7), filed once when the home school opens. The division accepts new notices only after July 1 and not in May or June. A closing notice is due when the school stops operating.
Where: North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education (Department of Administration), preferably through its online system.
Subjects to teach
- Not specified in state law
Official forms & law
North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education ↗
Forms & guidance
Statutes
Questions, answered.
What do I file to homeschool in North Carolina?
A notice of intent giving the home school's name and address, the chief administrator's name, and proof that the teacher holds a high school diploma or equivalent.
When do I file in North Carolina?
At least five business days before starting (or before the child turns 7), filed once when the home school opens. The division accepts new notices only after July 1 and not in May or June. A closing notice is due when the school stops operating.
What assessments are required in North Carolina?
Each student takes a nationally standardized achievement test every year covering English grammar, reading, spelling and math. Results must be kept for at least one year and made available to the state division on request.
Check the original
Sources
- G.S. Chapter 115C, Article 39 (Nonpublic Schools) ↗North Carolina General Assembly
- G.S. 115C-378 ↗North Carolina General Assembly
- Starting a Home School in North Carolina: Requirements & Recommendations ↗North Carolina Division of Non-Public Education
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