Map and data · checked November 2026
Homeschool laws by state: the 2026 map
Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, but the paperwork ranges from nothing at all to a yearly notice plus testing. This map shows each rule state by state. Tap a state for its full requirements.
What the numbers say
- 112 of 50 states do not ask homeschoolers to file any notice with the state or district.
- 219 states require a standardized test or another evaluation, and 31 do not.
- 3None of the 12 no-notice states requires testing either, so most families there send nothing to the state:Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming.
- 425 states ask for a notice every year, 8 only once, and in 5 the answer depends on the homeschool option the family chooses.
- 517 states set a minimum number of school days, 11 of them at 180 days.
- 6Compulsory school age starts at 5 in 10 states and as late as 8 in Washington. In 24 states it runs to 18.
The data, state by state
| State | Notice | Minimum days | Testing or evaluation | Compulsory ages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Depends on option | None set | Not required | 6–17 |
| Alaska | None | None set | Not required | 7–16 |
| Arizona | Once | None set | Not required | 6–16 |
| Arkansas | Every year | None set | Not required | 5–17 |
| California | Every year | None set | Not required | 6–18 |
| Colorado | Every year | 172 | Required | 6–17 |
| Connecticut | None | None set | Not required | 5–18 |
| Delaware | Every year | None set | Not required | 5–16 |
| Florida | Once | None set | Required | 6–16 |
| Georgia | Every year | 180 | Required | 6–16 |
| Hawaii | Every year | None set | Required | 5–18 |
| Idaho | None | None set | Not required | 7–16 |
| Illinois | None | None set | Not required | 6–17 |
| Indiana | None | 180 | Not required | 7–18 |
| Iowa | Depends on option | None set | Not required | 6–16 |
| Kansas | Once | 186 | Not required | 7–18 |
| Kentucky | Every year | 170 | Not required | 6–18 |
| Louisiana | Every year | 180 | Required | 5–18 |
| Maine | Every year | 175 | Required | 6–17 |
| Maryland | Every year | None set | Required | 5–18 |
| Massachusetts | Every year | None set | Required | 6–16 |
| Michigan | None | None set | Not required | 6–18 |
| Minnesota | Every year | None set | Required | 7–17 |
| Mississippi | Every year | None set | Not required | 6–17 |
| Missouri | None | None set | Not required | 7–17 |
| Montana | Every year | None set | Not required | 7–16 |
| Nebraska | Every year | None set | Not required | 6–18 |
| Nevada | Once | None set | Not required | 6–18 |
| New Hampshire | None | None set | Not required | 6–18 |
| New Jersey | None | None set | Not required | 6–16 |
| New Mexico | Every year | 180 | Not required | 5–18 |
| New York | Every year | 180 | Required | 6–16 |
| North Carolina | Once | None set | Required | 7–16 |
| North Dakota | Every year | 175 | Required | 7–16 |
| Ohio | Every year | None set | Not required | 6–18 |
| Oklahoma | None | 180 | Not required | 5–18 |
| Oregon | Once | None set | Required | 6–18 |
| Pennsylvania | Every year | 180 | Required | 6–18 |
| Rhode Island | Every year | 180 | Not required | 6–18 |
| South Carolina | Depends on option | 180 | Not required | 5–17 |
| South Dakota | Once | None set | Not required | 6–18 |
| Tennessee | Depends on option | 180 | Required | 6–17 |
| Texas | None | None set | Not required | 6–19 |
| Utah | Once | None set | Not required | 6–18 |
| Vermont | Every year | 175 | Required | 6–16 |
| Virginia | Every year | None set | Required | 5–18 |
| Washington | Every year | 180 | Required | 8–18 |
| West Virginia | Depends on option | None set | Required | 6–17 |
| Wisconsin | Every year | None set | Not required | 6–18 |
| Wyoming | None | None set | Not required | 7–16 |
Use this map on your site
Co-ops, support groups, bloggers and reporters are welcome to share the map or the data. Copy the code below to show the map with a credit link.
<a href="https://homeschoolquicktools.com/homeschool-laws-map"><img src="https://homeschoolquicktools.com/images/homeschool-laws-map-2026.png" alt="Map of homeschool laws by state, 2026" width="1200" height="800"></a> <p>Source: <a href="https://homeschoolquicktools.com/homeschool-laws-map">Homeschool laws by state map, Homeschool Quick Tools</a></p>
Questions
Which states have the easiest homeschool laws?
The 12 states that ask for no notice and no testing: Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Texas and Wyoming. Families there still have to teach, and some districts ask for a withdrawal letter when a child leaves public school.
Which states require testing for homeschoolers?
Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and West Virginia. Most of them let families choose between a standardized test and another evaluation, such as a portfolio review by a certified teacher.
Can I use this data or the map?
Yes. Download the CSV or link to this page, and credit Homeschool Quick Tools with a link. The data is a plain-English summary of each state’s rules, checked against HSLDA in November 2026, not legal advice.
How this was made: each state’s rules were summarized from its HSLDA legal page and “How to Comply” article in November 2026. Rules change, so each state page links its source. A summary, not legal advice.