Indiana Homeschool Laws
Indiana treats a homeschool as a non-accredited private school. School is required starting in the fall of the year a child turns 7. It stays required until age 18 or graduation. A child of 16 may leave school after an exit interview. You do not have to register your homeschool. The state offers a voluntary enrollment form online. If you leave a public school, tell the principal in writing. You do not need a homeschool number first. If your teen was in high school, sign the state withdrawal form. Without it, the teen counts as a dropout and can lose a driver’s license.
Day to day, you teach in English for 180 days a year. Your teaching must be equal to public school, but the law sets no subjects. You keep attendance records. School officials may ask to see them. Indiana does not require testing or teacher licenses. Since July 2025, a parent-issued diploma proves high school completion. State agencies and colleges may not reject it for its source. Public school sports and clubs are up to each school. Parents may also take a $1,000 state tax deduction per child. For full details on each topic, open the sections below.
A child must attend school beginning in the fall of the school year in which he or she turns 7, and must remain in school until age 18 or graduation. A child who turns 16 may withdraw after an exit interview with the local public school principal. If a child is enrolled in public school before age 7, the child must keep attending or be educated at home (HSLDA: Compulsory School Age in Indiana).
Indiana homeschools are non-accredited private schools and must follow the private school statute (HSLDA: How to Comply with Indiana’s Homeschool Law). Kindergarten is not mandatory (Indiana DOE: Homeschool Help Sheet).
None. State law does not require state testing, or any other testing, for homeschooled children. The Department of Education recommends periodic standardized achievement testing, which families may arrange privately (Indiana DOE: Homeschool Help Sheet).
Instruction must be in English and equivalent to that given in public schools. State law does not define equivalency, and the State Board of Education cannot approve homeschool programs. There are no mandatory subjects (HSLDA).
There is no state-approved curriculum or textbook at any grade level, and the Department of Education does not provide books or curricula. Parents choose what to teach (Indiana DOE: Homeschool Help Sheet).
None. Reporting homeschool enrollment to the Department of Education is optional (IC 20-33-2-21). The state’s online Homeschool Enrollment form is for Indiana residents and may be completed only by parents or guardians (Indiana DOE: Homeschool Information).
If the secretary of education makes a specific, individual request, you must report the number of children you teach at home by grade level (HSLDA).
Leaving public school: Notify your child’s current principal in writing. You do not need a homeschool number before you begin. For a student enrolled in high school, the parent must sign the Withdrawal to Non-Accredited Non-public School Located in Indiana form. Without it, the student is counted as a dropout and the BMV will revoke or refuse a learner’s permit or driver’s license (Indiana DOE: Homeschool Help Sheet).
Yes. Teach the same number of days as your local public schools, usually 180, and keep attendance records. The state superintendent or your local superintendent may request them (HSLDA). There is no special form. For mid-year transfers, days at the first school count toward the 180 (Indiana DOE: Homeschool Help Sheet).
None. Indiana does not require homeschool families to join an umbrella school or other organization (HSLDA: Indiana Homeschool Laws).
None. Indiana has no teacher qualification requirement for homeschool parents (HSLDA: Indiana Homeschool Laws).
Participation in public school extracurricular activities and sports is a local decision. For IHSAA sports, the student must have been homeschooled for the previous three consecutive years, be enrolled at the school for at least one class per day, take statewide exams, show passing grades in all courses, and meet physical and practice rules. Contact the IHSAA at (317) 846-6601 (Indiana DOE: Homeschool Help Sheet).
None for homeschoolers (HSLDA: Indiana Homeschool Laws).
Homeschool diplomas: House Enrolled Act 1348 (Public Law 61-2025, effective July 1, 2025) makes a diploma issued by a non-accredited non-public school legally sufficient proof of high school completion. State and local agencies and Indiana colleges may not treat a person differently based solely on the diploma’s source, and the school’s administrator may sign required education documents (Indiana General Assembly: HB 1348; HSLDA). Homeschoolers do not receive a diploma from the local public school or the Department of Education (Indiana DOE).
Special education: Children with disabilities in homeschools have the same opportunities to take part in IDEA-funded programs through public schools as children in accredited non-public schools (Indiana DOE: Homeschool Help Sheet).
21st Century Scholars: Students in non-accredited non-public schools, including homeschools, are not eligible (Indiana DOE).
Work permits: Indiana stopped requiring work permits for minors on July 1, 2021 (Indiana DOE).
Tax deduction: See our Indiana School Choice Options page for the $1,000 per-child deduction (Indiana DOR: Information Bulletin 107).
- Indiana Department of Education: Homeschool Information and Homeschool Help Sheet
- Indiana General Assembly: HB 1348 (2025)
- Indiana Department of Revenue: Information Bulletin 107
- HSLDA: Indiana Homeschool Laws, How to Comply with Indiana’s Homeschool Law, Compulsory School Age in Indiana, and New Law Helps Indiana Grad Apply for Police Job
Last reviewed: November 4, 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 4, 2026
- New law: House Enrolled Act 1348 (Public Law 61-2025, effective July 1, 2025) makes a diploma issued by a non-accredited non-public school legally sufficient proof of high school completion.