Iowa Homeschool Laws
Iowa calls homeschooling private instruction. School is required for children who are 6 by September 15. It stays required until age 16. Iowa offers several legal paths. Under Independent Private Instruction, you file no forms. You teach math, reading and language arts, science, and social studies. You answer a written request for basic facts if one comes. Under Competent Private Instruction, you teach at least 148 days a year. A parent without a license may use this path without reporting. Families who want public school classes or sports must file Form A. A licensed teacher may also teach or supervise. Some districts offer a Home School Assistance Program. Each option has its own rules for days, forms, and services.
Day to day, pick the option that fits your goals. Form A is due September 1 for families who file it. Those families may need an annual assessment. Most other families have no testing duty. Keep simple attendance and course records anyway. Parents do not need a teaching license. A new 2026 law treats parent-issued diplomas like public school diplomas. It also lets independent instructors teach more unrelated students and charge tuition. Iowa families may claim a tuition and textbook tax credit. For full details on each topic, open the sections below.
A child who is 6 by September 15 must comply with Iowa’s compulsory attendance law. The requirement ends at age 16, with exceptions for students enrolled or dual enrolled in public school (HSLDA: Compulsory School Age in Iowa; Iowa Code 299.1A).
Iowa private instruction options are (Iowa Department of Education: Homeschooling):
- Competent Private Instruction (CPI) Option 1: provided or supervised by a licensed practitioner, including a district Home School Assistance Program, a privately retained licensed teacher, or a licensed parent.
- CPI Option 2: supervised by a parent, guardian, or custodian without a current Iowa teaching license.
- Independent Private Instruction (IPI).
CPI means instruction for at least 148 days a year, at least 37 days each quarter, that results in adequate progress (Iowa DOE). Families who do not comply are subject to truancy prosecution (Iowa DOE).
IPI and CPI Option 2 without reporting have no assessment requirement (HSLDA: How to Comply with Iowa’s Homeschool Law).
Families under CPI Option 2 who file Form A with dual enrollment or optional reporting submit an annual assessment beginning the year the child is 7 by September 15. Options include a report card from an accredited school, a licensed teacher’s portfolio evaluation, or an approved standardized test. The assessment is done by May 31 and submitted by August 1 (HSLDA; Iowa DOE: Private Instruction Handbook).
IPI: No forms are filed. If the superintendent of your school district or the director of the Department of Education sends a written request, you must report the primary instructor, location, name of the responsible authority, and the names of the students (Iowa DOE).
CPI: Form A is due September 1 for CPI Option 1 and for CPI Option 2 with dual enrollment or optional reporting. Families moving in or starting after the school year begins file a partly completed form within 14 days and a complete form within 30 days (Iowa DOE; HSLDA).
None required. Families may choose to enroll in a district Home School Assistance Program under CPI Option 1, where offered (Iowa DOE).
None for IPI or CPI Option 2. CPI Option 1 requires a licensed practitioner to provide or supervise instruction (Iowa DOE).
Yes, through dual enrollment. Families who file Form A and request dual enrollment by September 15 may take public school classes and extracurricular activities. Families who move in or withdraw after September 15 have 14 days to request dual enrollment. IPI students cannot dual enroll (HSLDA; Private Instruction Handbook).
Families filing Form A provide evidence of immunization, or a medical or religious exemption, for children homeschooled for the first time (HSLDA).
House File 2754 (2026): Signed May 12, 2026, the law removed the limit of four unrelated students for independent private instructors and the ban on charging tuition (Iowa Capital Dispatch; Iowa DOE: Technical Assistance on 2026 Legislation). Diplomas and transcripts issued by parents for CPI or IPI students must be accepted the same as public school diplomas, including for college, jobs, and licensing, and parents may sign documents verifying enrollment and grades (Iowa DOE Technical Assistance; Iowa Code 299A).
Driver’s education and testing: All options may use parent-taught driver education or the local school’s program and free testing at the public school (HSLDA).
Tax credit: See our Iowa School Choice Options page for the Tuition and Textbook Credit (Iowa Department of Revenue).
- Iowa Code Chapter 299A: Private Instruction and Iowa Code 299.1A
- Iowa Department of Education: Homeschooling, Private Instruction Handbook, Form A, and Technical Assistance on 2026 Legislation
- Iowa Capital Dispatch: Reynolds signs charter school, homeschooling bill (May 12, 2026)
- HSLDA: Iowa Homeschool Laws, How to Comply with Iowa’s Homeschool Law, and Compulsory School Age in Iowa
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
No changes in law noted since this page was first published.