Homeschool requirements · California
Homeschooling in California
Moderate paperwork · A notice and a yearly assessment or records check.
Most independent homeschoolers establish a home-based private school by filing the Private School Affidavit each October, keeping an attendance register and course list.
What California asks
| Notice | Private School Affidavit filed online with the state between October 1 and 15 each year (or when the school opens). |
|---|---|
| Days and hours | 180 days |
| Subjects | English, Math, Social Sciences, Science, Fine Arts, Health, Physical Education |
| Assessment | None required for private-school-affidavit families. |
| Records to keep | Attendance register, courses of study, and a list of teachers with their qualifications. |
| Parent qualification | None under the affidavit option (must be 'capable of teaching'). |
| Worth knowing | Other options include a private-school satellite program (PSP), a public charter, or a credentialed tutor. |
Deadlines
These are the dates the app tracks for California. Districts vary; the app lets you edit any of them.
| What | When | To whom | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private School Affidavit Notice · File online | By October 15 each year | California Department of Education | File online between October 1 and 15 each year (Education Code §33190; https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=EDC§ionNum=33190.). It is a statistical filing, not an application; nobody approves it. Prepare gives you the course of study the affidavit asks you to keep. If your school opens after October 15, file for the current school year when it opens. The PSA system accepts filings August 1–June 30; July starters wait until August 1. Set a separate reminder for your opening date; the October reminder does not cover it. |
| Keep an attendance register and course of study Records · Keep in your files | By the end of the school year | Keep in your files | Kept, never filed: the attendance register (§48222), the course of study, and a list of who teaches. The attendance report here is the register. |
What HomeSchool Scribe does in California
- Private School Affidavit: Prepares the course of study; reminds you 14 days and 2 days before; opens the portal and keeps your confirmation.
- Keep an attendance register and course of study: Prepares the attendance and hours report and the course of study; keeps it in records.
Attendance and hours fill in from the lessons you check off, so the documents above come from records you already have.
Read the law yourself
California Department of Education · HSLDA’s California summary · Private School Affidavit portal
Not legal advicePlanning summaries in plain language, reviewed 2026-09-11. Deadlines and recipients vary by district; confirm with California’s current law or a homeschool legal organization before you file anything. If something here is out of date, tell us and we’ll fix it for every family in California.