How to start homeschooling in Virginia
The legal steps, in order, checked against Virginia law.
Short answer: Most Virginia homeschoolers use the home instruction statute. A parent notifies the division superintendent by August 15 each year with a list of subjects and proof of meeting one of four qualification options, then submits evidence of progress by August 1 after the school year. Virginia also allows a religious exemption granted by the school board and instruction by an approved tutor.
Checked against Va. Code 22.1-254.1 on Nov 8, 2026. Compulsory school ages: 5 to 18. This is what the law says, not legal advice.
Virginia gives you 3 legal ways to homeschool. Pick one and follow its steps.
Option 1: Home instruction
Parents who meet one of the four qualification options and are willing to file an annual notice and yearly evidence of progress.
Steps
- Confirm you meet one qualification option: a high school diploma, teacher qualifications set by the Board of Education, a program of study or curriculum (including correspondence or distance learning), or other evidence of ability to provide an adequate education.
- By August 15, send the division superintendent your notice of intent, a list of subjects for the coming year, and evidence of your qualification option.
- If you start after the school year begins or move into the division, notify the superintendent as soon as practicable and complete the requirements within 30 days.
- By August 1 after each school year, submit test results or an evaluation showing adequate progress.
| Notice to the state | Yes To: The division superintendent of your school division When: Every year by August 15; if you begin after the school year starts or move in, as soon as practicable, with the other requirements due within 30 days |
|---|---|
| Subjects | None named by law. The notice must include a list of the subjects to be studied during the coming year. |
| Time | Not confirmed in our check. Ask the state education department. |
| Parent qualifications | One of four options: a high school diploma; teacher qualifications set by the Board of Education; providing a program of study or curriculum, which may be a correspondence or distance learning program; or evidence of ability to provide an adequate education. The VDOE handbook says a GED does not meet the diploma option. |
| Testing or evaluation | By August 1 after the school year: a composite score at or above the fourth stanine on a nationally normed achievement test, or an equivalent ACT, SAT, or PSAT score; or an evaluation the superintendent accepts, such as a letter from a licensed teacher or someone with a master's degree who knows the child's progress, or a report card or transcript from a college, distance learning program, or correspondence school. Not required for children under 6 as of September 30. Missing or insufficient evidence can lead to one probationary year with a remediation plan. |
| Records to keep | None required by law. |
The law: Va. Code 22.1-254.1
Option 2: Religious exemption
Families whose bona fide religious training or belief makes the child and parents conscientiously opposed to school attendance.
Steps
- Petition your local school board for an excuse from attendance on religious grounds.
- Be prepared to show that the objection rests on religious training or belief. The statute says political, sociological, or philosophical views or a merely personal moral code do not qualify.
| Notice to the state | Yes To: Your local school board |
|---|---|
| Subjects | None required by law. |
| Time | None required by law. |
| Parent qualifications | None required by law. |
| Testing or evaluation | None required by law. |
| Records to keep | None required by law. |
Other legal routes
Virginia law also allows these. We have not confirmed their full rules, so ask the state education department before you choose one.
- Tutor or teacher: Families who will have the child taught by a tutor or teacher who meets Board of Education qualifications.
Leaving public school mid-year
Under the home instruction statute, a parent who begins home instruction after the school year has started must notify the division superintendent as soon as practicable and meet the other requirements within 30 days of that notice (Va. Code 22.1-254.1(B)).
High school, transcripts and diplomas
The VDOE handbook says school boards generally do not award diplomas to students not enrolled in their schools, and home instructed students may earn diplomas only through a correspondence or other program that awards them. By statute, school boards must make AP, PSAT/NMSQT, and PreACT exams available to home instructed students (Va. Code 22.1-254.1(F)).
Public school sports and activities
No statute confirmed. The VDOE handbook says varsity sports follow Virginia High School League policies and other activities follow local school board policies.
After the paperwork
Common questions
Do I have to tell the state I am homeschooling in Virginia?
Yes, under the home instruction route, you notify the division superintendent of your school division every year by August 15; if you begin after the school year starts or move in, as soon as practicable, with the other requirements due within 30 days.
Is testing required for homeschoolers in Virginia?
By August 1 after the school year: a composite score at or above the fourth stanine on a nationally normed achievement test, or an equivalent ACT, SAT, or PSAT score; or an evaluation the superintendent accepts, such as a letter from a licensed teacher or someone with a master's degree who knows the child's progress, or a report card or transcript from a college, distance learning program, or correspondence school. Not required for children under 6 as of September 30. Missing or insufficient evidence can lead to one probationary year with a remediation plan.
What subjects are required for homeschooling in Virginia?
None named by law. The notice must include a list of the subjects to be studied during the coming year.
What ages must be schooled in Virginia?
Ages 5 to 18, per state law.
Sources
- Va. Code 22.1-254.1
- Va. Code 22.1-254(B)(1)
- Home Instruction Handbook: Information for Parents, Virginia Department of Education (revised November 1, 2023)
We read each source on Nov 8, 2026 and recheck every guide each quarter. Laws change. If something here no longer matches the state, write to us and we will fix it.