Moving to California: Homeschool Checklist

Required days

175 days/year

Required subjects

7 subjects

Notice

Required

Testing / evaluation

Not required

Recordkeeping

Recommended

Jump to the full California requirements for plain-English detail on each of these.

Where are you moving from?

Pick your current state to see how to close it out before you go, and how its homeschool rules compare to California's.

What to do when you arrive in California

Once you're a California resident, you follow California's rules, not your old state's. California requires notice, so file with the state Department of Education to put your homeschool on record. File before you begin instruction at your new address. If your child was enrolled in a school on the way in, send that school a short withdrawal note too.

Do your homeschool records transfer?

No state, including California, requires you to hand over homeschool records from your previous state, and there's no central transfer process. What matters is that you keep your own records: an hours or attendance log, work samples, and any grades or transcripts. Those travel with you and are what colleges and your new state may ask to see. This is exactly what Homeschool Fox is built for. Your log, hours, and reports live in one account and move with your family, so a cross-country move doesn't reset your records.

Timing your move: mid-year vs summer

Try to line your move up with California's school-year calendar where you can. If you arrive mid-year, file California's notice as soon as you're settled rather than waiting for fall, so there's no gap where your child looks unenrolled. A summer move is simpler: get your filing in before the new school year starts. Either way, keep dated proof of when you filed.

Moving as a military family

Military families move often, and the rule of thumb is simple: follow the homeschool law of the state you're physically living in. Once you're stationed in California, you homeschool under California's rules, even if your legal residency for taxes or voting is another state. The Military Interstate Children's Compact smooths public-school transfers, but it doesn't override homeschool law, so plan around California's requirements. Keeping portable digital records makes each PCS move far less disruptive.

What Homeschool Fox tracks for California

Everything California expects you to keep, in one place — no spreadsheets, no lost notebooks.

• Days toward your 175-day goal
• Required subjects & core hours
• Daily activity logs
• Attendance records
• Notes & portfolio records
• Printable PDF reports
• High school transcripts
• State-specific progress tracking

More California guides

• California Homeschool Requirements Hours, notice, assessment, and subjects at a glance.
• How to Start Homeschooling in California A step-by-step guide from withdrawal to your first logged day.
• Homeschooling High School in California Credits, GPA, transcripts, and graduation.
• Record Keeping in California What to document, how to organize it, and staying compliant.
• How to Withdraw From School in California The steps, the letter, and timing to avoid truancy issues.