Delaware Homeschool Laws
Delaware treats a homeschool as a type of nonpublic school. The law names three homeschool options. Most families choose a single-family homeschool, where parents teach their own children at home. Families who teach together can form a multi-family homeschool with one person as the liaison to the state. A third option coordinates with the local school district, but it is rarely used. School is required from age 5 to 16. To start, you open an EdAccess account and register your homeschool online with the Department of Education. There is no fee to register. If you begin during the school year, you must also withdraw your child from public school.
Day to day, Delaware asks for two yearly reports. Each fall, you report your students’ enrollment. Each summer, you report total days of attendance. If you miss a report, the state closes your homeschool. There is no required testing and no set number of school days. Parents need no teaching license, and there are no required subjects under the two main options. The state does not provide curriculum or keep student records, so keep your own portfolio. Your homeschool also issues its own report cards and diploma. For full details on each topic, open the sections below.
Ages 5 to 16. A child counts as 5 for the school year if the fifth birthday falls on or before August 31 (14 Del. C. § 2702; Delaware Code, Title 14, Chapter 27). Local school officials may allow a later start if it is in the child’s best interest (HSLDA: Compulsory School Age in Delaware).
Students enrolled in a homeschool under any of the three options in § 2703A are exempt from public school attendance (14 Del. C. § 2703).
None. The Department of Education does not give state tests to nonpublic school students. Families who want testing may use private options, and homeschoolers may take the PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP exams (Delaware DOE: Nonpublic School FAQs; HSLDA: Delaware Homeschool Laws).
None for a single-family or multi-family homeschool. The Department of Education does not provide, recommend, or approve curriculum (Delaware DOE FAQs).
Under the third option, a single-family homeschool coordinated with the local school district, the superintendent approves the curriculum and must find in writing that the child is taught the subjects prescribed for public schools (14 Del. C. § 2703A).
Registering: To open a homeschool, create an EdAccess account and submit a nonpublic school application in the Department of Education’s online system. There is no registration fee (Delaware DOE: Homeschools and Private Schools; FAQs). If you start mid-year, you must also withdraw your child from public school (FAQs).
Yearly enrollment report: The law requires a statement of pupil enrollment no later than September 30 (14 Del. C. § 2704). The state’s enrollment reporting window currently opens August 10 and closes October 5. If you miss it, the school is closed and your students are marked withdrawn (Delaware DOE: Annual Reporting).
Multi-family homeschools name one liaison who reports enrollment and attendance for all families involved (14 Del. C. § 2703A; HSLDA: How to Comply with Delaware’s Homeschool Law).
Yes, in summary form. Each year, report end-of-year attendance on or before July 31 (14 Del. C. § 2704). The report is a total: the number of days your school was open and the days each student attended. The window runs June 1 to July 31, and a school that does not report is closed (Delaware DOE: Annual Reporting).
The state does not set a minimum number of school days. It also does not keep student records, so it recommends an academic portfolio with grades, attendance, and test scores (Delaware DOE FAQs; DOE).
None. Families may homeschool on their own or join with other families as a multi-family homeschool (14 Del. C. § 2703A).
None. There are no teacher qualifications under any of the three options (HSLDA).
Not at this time. Delaware has no law giving homeschoolers access to public school classes or activities, so districts decide (HSLDA: Public School Access for Homeschoolers in Delaware). For interscholastic sports, DIAA rules require full-time enrollment at a member school (Delaware DOE FAQs).
A 2026 law, HB 350, asks the Department of Education to study homeschool participation in public school extracurricular activities, including a possible pilot program. Its findings are due by December 31, 2027. The bill does not open activities to homeschoolers by itself (Delaware General Assembly: HB 350; Tri-State Homeschool: Legislation Watch).
None for homeschoolers (HSLDA: Delaware Homeschool Laws).
Diplomas and transcripts: Your homeschool issues its own report cards, transcripts, and diploma. The state does not issue or validate them, so check with colleges or employers about what they accept (Delaware DOE FAQs). HSLDA believes a parent-issued diploma and transcript should be enough to show high school completion (HSLDA).
Driver education: A Delaware resident enrolled in a Delaware homeschool may take one free driver education course through an adult education program (Delaware DOE FAQs).
Scholarships: To use state programs like the SEED and INSPIRE scholarships, a student must be registered in a public or nonpublic school at graduation (Delaware DOE FAQs).
Forms: The homeschool’s primary contact signs Social Security forms. Work permits are signed through the Department of Labor (Delaware DOE FAQs).
- Delaware Code, Title 14, Chapter 27, Subchapter I (§§ 2702, 2703, 2703A, 2704)
- Delaware Department of Education: Homeschools and Private Schools, Nonpublic School FAQs, and Annual Reporting
- HSLDA: Delaware Homeschool Laws and How to Comply with Delaware’s Homeschool Law (March 24, 2026)
- HSLDA: Compulsory School Age in Delaware and Public School Access for Homeschoolers in Delaware
- Delaware General Assembly: HB 350 (153rd General Assembly)
Last reviewed: November 2, 2026
*The information on this page is for general use only. It should not be taken as legal advice. It is believed to be accurate however state and federal laws change every year. Homeschool.net recommends joining an organization such as the Home School Legal Defense Association before your homeschooling adventure begins. HSLDA can provide complete, accurate, legal advice and services for homeschooling families.
Update History
- November 2, 2026
- New law: Added HB 350 (signed July 23, 2026), which directs the Department of Education to study homeschool participation in public school extracurricular activities and report by December 31, 2027 (HB 350).