How to start homeschooling in Indiana
Everything Indiana asks of a homeschool family, in order, from the state’s own sources, checked October 1, 2026. Each step links to a free tool that does it, and there’s a checklist to print at the end.
Step by step
Know what Indiana requires
Parents provide 180 days of instruction equivalent to public school and keep attendance records; no registration, curriculum or testing requirements.
Required school ages in Indiana: 7 to 18 (IDOE: children must attend in the fall of the school year in which they turn seven). Teacher qualification for this option: No parent qualification stated by IDOE.
If your child is in school now, withdraw in writing
Send the school a dated withdrawal letter saying your child will be educated at home, and keep a copy. Indiana doesn’t require a notice, but tell the school you are withdrawing. A high school student needs the signed state form “Withdrawal to Non-Accredited Non-public School Located in Indiana”, or the school codes the student as a dropout.
No notice to file
Indiana doesn’t require a notice or registration under this option.
IDOE: 'Registration as a homeschool family is not required in the state of Indiana'; optional registration is one-time. Parents must tell the public school they are withdrawing; high school students need a signed 'Withdrawal to Non-Accredited Non-public School Located in Indiana' form or they are coded as dropouts.
Plan your school year: days and hours
Indiana sets a minimum.
IDOE: parents 'should provide 180 days of instruction in an academic year, which runs from July 1 through June 30'; parents choose which days. IDOE: 'Instructional time requirements do not apply to homeschools'; parents decide how long to teach each day.
Cover the required subjects
Indiana doesn’t list required subjects for this option.
IDOE: 'State law exempts home schools from the curriculum and program requirements which public schools must follow'; no state-approved curriculum.
Testing or evaluation
Not required under this option.
IDOE: 'State law does not require state testing, or any other testing, for children in homeschools.'
Keep the records the state asks for
Required.
Attendance records must be kept (no special form) and provided on request to the Secretary of Education or the local public school superintendent (also the State Attendance Officer). Retention period not stated.
Start teaching
Put your books on a lesson schedule, and the planner spreads the lessons across your school days and moves them when a day is missed. Log attendance in a tap, and keep grades, a portfolio and a transcript as you go.
High school and graduation
IDOE: parents issue a non-accredited diploma; homeschooled students do not receive a diploma from the local public school, IDOE, or one accredited by the State Board of Education.
Official sources for this option
Not confirmed on an official page: Indiana Code text (IC 20-33-2) could not be read on iga.in.gov; facts rely on IDOE's summaries of those sections. Check these points with the state or your local school district before you rely on them; everything else above comes from the official sources listed.
Your Indiana checklist
Homeschool Corral · How to start homeschooling in Indiana · homeschoolcorral.com
- Read Indiana’s rules for “Homeschool as a non-public, non-accredited school”
- Withdraw from school in writing (if enrolled), and keep a copy
- Set the first and last day, school days and breaks (meeting the state minimum)
- Choose curriculum for each required subject
- Start the required records from day one
- Make a first-week plan and start
Questions Indiana parents ask
Do I have to notify anyone to homeschool in Indiana?
No. Indiana doesn’t require a notice, but tell the school you are withdrawing. A high school student needs the signed state form “Withdrawal to Non-Accredited Non-public School Located in Indiana”, or the school codes the student as a dropout.
How many days or hours do homeschoolers need in Indiana?
IDOE: parents 'should provide 180 days of instruction in an academic year, which runs from July 1 through June 30'; parents choose which days. IDOE: 'Instructional time requirements do not apply to homeschools'; parents decide how long to teach each day.
Do homeschoolers have to take tests in Indiana?
No. IDOE: 'State law does not require state testing, or any other testing, for children in homeschools.'
Do I need a teaching certificate to homeschool in Indiana?
No parent qualification stated by IDOE.
What subjects are required in Indiana?
Indiana doesn’t list required subjects.
What records do I need to keep in Indiana?
Attendance records must be kept (no special form) and provided on request to the Secretary of Education or the local public school superintendent (also the State Attendance Officer). Retention period not stated.
Keep going
This is a plain-English summary of the state’s official sources, checked on the date shown. It is not legal advice, and laws change. Read the linked official pages, and check with the state or your local school district if anything is unclear.
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