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Homeschooling in North Carolina

Homeschool rules in North Carolina, in plain English

To homeschool in North Carolina, you file one Notice of Intent to Operate a Home School with the state Division of Non-Public Education (DNPE) before you start. Then you run the school on a regular schedule for at least nine calendar months and give each enrolled child a nationally standardized achievement test every year. You also keep attendance and immunization records for each child.

See another state

This explains each state's homeschool rules in plain English, from the state's own published sources. It isn't legal advice, and we aren't lawyers. Laws change and every family is different, so check with your state, your school district or a lawyer before you rely on it.

How much it asks
Detailed: notices plus tests or reviews
School age
7 through 16
Time
No set number

Home school under state home school law (Notice of Intent to DNPE)

Families who want to teach their own children at home, with the family as the school. The home school may include children from no more than two households.

  1. Before you startWho teaches

    Confirm who will teach

    The person providing academic instruction must hold at least a high school diploma or its equivalent. You will need documentation of this for the notice. Tutors and other people with knowledge of a subject may also provide instruction.

  2. Before you startGood to know

    Choose a school name

    The name will appear on your student's future high school diploma. It must be 30 characters or fewer, including spaces and punctuation. Avoid the name of a public or private school in your area.

  3. At least five business days before you start teachingPaperwork

    File the Notice of Intent to Operate a Home School

    File the notice with the Division of Non-Public Education (DNPE), part of the state Department of Administration. It must give the school's name and address, the name of the chief administrator, and proof that the teacher has a high school diploma or equivalent. You can file online during DNPE office hours. DNPE does not accept notices in May or June. DNPE usually takes 3 to 5 business days to process a notice.

  4. Before you withdraw your child from public or private schoolPaperwork

    Wait for DNPE's acknowledgement

    After DNPE acknowledges your complete notice, you may begin operating the home school. Do not withdraw your child from the current school until DNPE has acknowledged your notice.

  5. OngoingTime

    Run a regular school schedule

    Provide instruction on a regular schedule for at least nine calendar months of the year. Reasonable holidays and vacations do not count against this. A home school may not operate only for the summer or only for grade recovery.

  6. Every yearTesting

    Give the annual standardized test

    Each enrolled student must take a nationally standardized achievement test, or another nationally standardized equivalent measurement, each school year. It must measure English grammar, reading, spelling, and mathematics. You choose the test.

  7. Every yearRecords

    Keep attendance and immunization records

    Keep an attendance record for each student for each year. Keep immunization records for each student. Keep test results on file for at least one year.

  8. When something changesPaperwork

    Update DNPE when things change

    Notify DNPE when the home school's address or enrollment changes, or when you move or close the school. Respond to DNPE messages in a timely way to confirm the school is still running. You do not need to file a new notice every year.

Tests and reviews

Each student must take a nationally standardized achievement test, or other nationally standardized equivalent measurement, every school year. The test must measure English grammar, reading, spelling, and mathematics. Keep results for at least one year and provide them to DNPE if requested. No state-approved curriculum or lesson plan is required.

Records to keep

  • Annual attendance record for each student
  • Immunization records for each student
  • Annual standardized test results, kept on file for at least one year
  • Records kept until graduation or enrollment elsewhere is recommended but not required

About time

State law requires a regular schedule for at least nine calendar months each year, not counting reasonable holidays and vacations. It does not set a number of school days or daily hours. DNPE's recommended practice of at least five hours of instruction per school day is not required.

Also good to know

  • You do not need to file a Notice of Intent if your child is under age 7 and will not turn 7 during the current school year, if your child is 18 or older, or if the home school will operate only during the summer.
  • If a child will turn 7 before June, DNPE advises filing the notice at least five business days before the child's seventh birthday.
  • An online, correspondence, or other distance-learning program may be used, but it does not replace your duty to run a North Carolina home school.
  • Two families or households may share one home school. Each household may have only one open home school on file.
  • The state does not fund home school curriculum. Families buy their own materials.
  • Children enrolled in public kindergarten through grade 2 must attend school even if they are under age 7.

What we couldn’t confirm

  • I could not confirm the exact filing window. One DNPE page says notices are accepted July through April, while another says filing should happen after July 1. Both say no notices in May or June. Check DNPE before filing.
  • I did not confirm the steps for the other legal options under the state law, such as the private church school or qualified nonpublic school rules, so I did not describe them.
  • I did not confirm rules on special education services, returning to public school, or part-time enrollment.
  • I did not confirm the full text of G.S. 115C-564 on test details, including any requirements for grade 11 students.

From North Carolina’s own sources

Last checked against these sources on November 7, 2026. We check every state each week.

How Study Naturally helps in North Carolina

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  • Set each child’s lessons, in the subjects you teach
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  • A learning record of days, time and subjects for each child
  • Print it, save it as a PDF, or download a spreadsheet for your files

Homeschooling in North Carolina

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