How to start homeschooling in Alabama
The legal steps, in order, checked against Alabama law.
Short answer: Alabama has no separate homeschool statute. The State Department of Education lists three legal routes: enrolling in a church school, enrolling in a private school, or instruction by a certified private tutor. State law says home-based education is not subject to licensure or regulation by the state, but each route carries its own enrollment and attendance reporting. A parent may delay school for a six-year-old until age seven by notifying the local board of education in writing.
Checked against Ala. Code 16-28-1(2) on Nov 8, 2026. Compulsory school ages: 6 to 17. This is what the law says, not legal advice.
Alabama gives you 3 legal ways to homeschool. Pick one and follow its steps.
Option 1: Church school
Families who enroll their child in a school run as a ministry of a local church, group of churches, denomination, or association of churches, including church schools that operate home programs.
Steps
- Choose a church school that meets the statutory definition: it offers instruction in any of grades K to 12 through on-site or home programs, is operated as a ministry of a church, group of churches, denomination, or association of churches, and receives no state or federal funding.
- Enroll your child in the church school.
- Get the enrollment and attendance form from your local public school superintendent, have the church school administrator countersign it, and return it to the superintendent yourself.
- At enrollment, give the church school your consent to notify the local superintendent if your child stops attending.
| Notice to the state | Yes To: The local public school superintendent, on a form the superintendent provides, countersigned by the church school administrator |
|---|---|
| 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 | The church school's principal teacher keeps an attendance register showing enrollment and every absence of a half day or more. |
The law: Ala. Code 16-28-1(2) Ala. Code 16-28-3 Ala. Code 16-28-7 Ala. Code 16-28-8 Ala. Code 16-1-11.2
Option 2: Private school
Families who enroll their child in a nongovernmental school, which state law says may run on-site or home programs.
Steps
- Enroll your child in a private school established, conducted, and supported by a nongovernmental entity. The statute allows private schools to offer on-site or home programs.
- The school registers each year with the State Department of Education on or before October 10 and reports enrollment, attendance, course of study, and other statistics on department forms.
- By the end of the fifth day after the local public schools open, the school's principal teacher reports the names and addresses of enrolled children of compulsory age to the county or city superintendent, then reports unexcused absences at least weekly.
- Provide the school with your child's certificate of immunization (Blue Card) or a valid exemption.
| Notice to the state | Yes To: The county or city superintendent of schools, reported by the school's principal teacher, with annual registration at the State Department of Education When: Enrollment report by the end of the fifth day after public schools open; annual registration on or before October 10 |
|---|---|
| Subjects | The statute requires private schools to carry out a physical education program that follows the Department of Education's outline. No other subject list for private schools was found in the statutes the department cites. |
| Time | Compulsory attendance law requires attendance for the entire length of the school term. No separate day or hour count for private schools was found. |
| Parent qualifications | None required by law |
| Testing or evaluation | None required by law |
| Records to keep | The principal teacher keeps an attendance register showing enrollment and every absence of a half day or more, and files the enrollment and weekly absence reports. |
The law: Ala. Code 16-28-1(1) Ala. Code 16-1-11 Ala. Code 16-28-7 Ala. Code 16-28-8 Ala. Code 16-40-1 Ala. Code 16-30-4
Option 3: Private tutor
Families where the child is taught by a person who holds an Alabama teaching certificate issued by the State Superintendent of Education.
Steps
- Arrange instruction by a tutor who holds a certificate issued by the State Superintendent of Education.
- Before instruction begins, the tutor files a statement with the county or city superintendent listing the children to be taught, the subjects, and the period of instruction.
- The tutor teaches in English at least three hours a day for 140 days each calendar year, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
- The tutor keeps a daily register and files the enrollment and attendance reports the superintendent and State Board of Education require.
| Notice to the state | Yes To: The county superintendent of education or city superintendent of schools, filed by the tutor When: Before instruction begins |
|---|---|
| Subjects | The branches of study required to be taught in Alabama public schools. |
| Time | At least three hours a day for 140 days each calendar year, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. |
| Parent qualifications | The tutor must hold a certificate issued by the State Superintendent of Education. |
| Testing or evaluation | None required by law |
| Records to keep | A register of work showing daily hours of instruction and each child's presence or absence, plus reports the State Board of Education requires. |
The law: Ala. Code 16-28-5 Ala. Code 16-28-7 Ala. Code 16-28-8
After the paperwork
Common questions
Do I have to tell the state I am homeschooling in Alabama?
Yes, under the church school route, you notify the local public school superintendent, on a form the superintendent provides, countersigned by the church school administrator.
Is testing required for homeschoolers in Alabama?
No. Alabama law does not require testing under the church school route.
What subjects are required for homeschooling in Alabama?
None. Alabama law does not set required subjects under the church school route.
What ages must be schooled in Alabama?
Ages 6 to 17, per state law.
Sources
- Ala. Code 16-28-1(2)
- Ala. Code 16-28-3
- Ala. Code 16-28-7
- Ala. Code 16-28-8
- Ala. Code 16-1-11.2
- Ala. Code 16-1-11
- Ala. Code 16-40-1
- Ala. Code 16-30-4
- Ala. Code 16-28-5
- Homeschool, Instructional Services, Alabama State Department of Education
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.