NC

How to Start Homeschooling in North Carolina (2026)

North Carolina law requires a home school to elect to operate under Part 1 or Part 2 of Article 39, to maintain annual attendance and disease immunization records, and to administer a nationally standardized test or equivalent measurement on an annual basis (G.S. 115C-548, 115C-549, and 115C-564).

Legal framework

North Carolina General Statutes Article 39 of Chapter 115C, Part 3, defines a home school as a nonpublic school consisting of the children of not more than two families or households, and provides that a home school elects to operate under the qualifications of either Part 1 or Part 2 of the Article. Part 1, for example, requires a new school to send the State a notice of intent to operate with the school's name and address and the name of its owner and chief administrator (G.S. 115C-552); to maintain annual attendance and disease immunization records and operate on a regular schedule, excluding reasonable holidays and vacations, during at least nine calendar months of the year (G.S. 115C-548); and to administer a nationally standardized test or equivalent measurement each school year and keep the results available for inspection for one year after the testing (G.S. 115C-549). G.S. 115C-564 applies the testing requirements to home schools on an annual basis and requires the persons providing academic instruction to hold at least a high school diploma or its equivalent. G.S. 115C-565 provides that a school that complies with Part 3 is not subject to any other provision of law relating to education except requirements of law respecting immunization.