Homeschooling in North Carolina: the law and how to start

Yes. North Carolina defines a home school as a non-public school run by the parents or legal guardians of the children enrolled, and it regulates home schools through the Division of Non-Public Education (DNPE), part of the state Department of Administration.

When you file, you choose whether your home school operates under Part 1 (religious) or Part 2 (non-religious) of Article 39. In practice the core duties are the same either way: notice, a parent with at least a high school diploma, annual testing, attendance and immunization records, and a nine-month school year.

Families can also enroll their child in a private school instead of operating their own home school. In that case the private school, not the family, is responsible for meeting the non-public school rules.

• Check you qualify. The person teaching needs at least a high school diploma or GED, and you'll provide evidence of it when you file.
• File a Notice of Intent with DNPE. The preferred way is DNPE's online system. You give your school name (it can't be changed later), mailing address, county, the chief administrator's name, and whether you're operating under Part 1 or Part 2. One notice covers all compulsory-age children in your household.
• Mind the filing window. DNPE says notices are accepted from July through April, and review typically takes 3 to 5 business days.
• Wait for acknowledgment before withdrawing. DNPE asks parents not to withdraw a child from their current school or begin home school until they have received written acknowledgment that the notice was accepted. Once you have it, tell your child's school in writing that they are leaving to attend your registered home school, and keep a copy.
• Keep your details current. DNPE's system asks for yearly updates of your students' ages and an annual affirmation that you are complying with the law. If you stop homeschooling, file a notice that the school is closing.

North Carolina doesn't prescribe a curriculum or a list of subjects for home schools, and it doesn't approve or review the materials you use.

Two rules shape your year in practice. First, you must provide instruction on a regular schedule for at least nine calendar months, apart from reasonable holidays and vacations. Second, because the annual test must cover English grammar, reading, spelling and mathematics, you'll want to teach those areas every year. DNPE recommends, but does not require, testing in science and social studies too.

Every child enrolled in your home school must take a nationally standardized achievement test every year, starting in the academic year your home school opens. DNPE says there are no exemptions. The test must compare results to a national norm (percentiles, stanines or grade equivalents) and cover English grammar, reading, spelling and mathematics.

You pick the test and the level. DNPE notes that a child can take a test pitched at the level they are actually working at rather than their age grade. Commonly used options include the Iowa (ITBS), Stanford, TerraNova, CAT, MAP and Woodcock-Johnson tests, among others; it's your job to confirm a test meets the law. Neither DNPE nor public schools provide or pay for tests.

Don't mail scores to DNPE unless asked. Instead, keep these records at your home school for at least one year and make them available if DNPE requests an inspection:

• the annual test results for each child;
• attendance records showing your nine-month schedule;
• immunization records for each child.

As the chief administrator of your home school, you set graduation requirements and issue your teen's diploma and transcript. DNPE does not issue diplomas or transcripts for home school students, so keep careful records of courses, grades and credits.

DNPE notes that North Carolina's home school law applies to students who have not yet turned 18, so many families keep testing older teens who are still enrolled even after they pass the compulsory age of 16.

Homeschooled high school students can take tuition-free community college courses through the state's Career and College Promise program if they meet its eligibility rules. Ask your local community college about requirements and paperwork for home school students.

North Carolina has no state law giving homeschoolers the right to join public school sports or classes. Bills to create one have been introduced several times without passing, so access depends on local school board policy and athletic association rules, which tend to be restrictive.

Many homeschool families use homeschool athletic leagues, co-ops and community programs instead. If you're interested in a public school activity or class, ask your local school district directly.

If you think your child has a disability, you can ask your local school district for an evaluation. Federal special education law requires districts to find and evaluate children who may need services, including those in non-public schools.

North Carolina has two K–12 scholarship programs run by the NC State Education Assistance Authority (NCSEAA), and only one of them can help home school families.

• Opportunity Scholarship — pays toward tuition at participating private schools. It can't be used for homeschooling.
• Education Student Accounts (ESA+) — for students with disabilities. Approved expenses can include costs for families who homeschool, but the child must meet the program's disability eligibility rules.

For 2026–27, NCSEAA says ESA+ is no longer accepting applications from new students; a July 2026 budget added funding to make offers to some families who applied in the February priority window but weren't initially selected. Rules and funding change every year, so check NCSEAA before applying.

North Carolina has one of the country's largest homeschool communities, including a statewide association (North Carolinians for Home Education), local support groups, co-ops, homeschool sports leagues and testing services.

For questions about filing, records or closing your school, DNPE's website has guidance and FAQs, and public libraries across the state run programs that work well for homeschoolers.