North Dakota Homeschool Laws and Requirements
What North Dakota requires, in plain English — and a free way to track it without spreadsheets. Log activities, watch your pace, and generate records when you need them.
The short answer
North Dakota has moderate homeschool requirements. Families must provide at least 4 hours per day over 175 school days, and you'll file notice with your local school district.
North Dakota at a glance
Verified September 2026- Required hours
- About 700 hrs/year
- School days
- 175 days/year
- Required subjects
- 7 subjects
- Notice
- Required each year
- Testing / evaluation
- Standardized testing
- Recordkeeping
- Required
Jump to the full North Dakota requirements for plain-English detail on each of these.
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Calculate your homeschool pace
North Dakota sets days and a daily length that work out to roughly 700 hours/year. Enter how far you've come and we'll show you the daily pace to finish on time.
Leave at 0 if you haven't started tracking yet.
Add your school year end date to see your pace.
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What Homeschool Fox tracks for North Dakota
The records North Dakota asks you to keep, plus the rest of your year, in one place. No spreadsheets, no lost notebooks.
- Hours toward your 700-hour goal
- Required subjects
- Days attended
- The records North Dakota asks you to keep
- Standardized testing
- Daily activity logs
- Printable PDF reports
- Progress tracking
See it work
Log a homeschool day in seconds
Type or speak what you did in plain English. Homeschool Fox sorts it into subjects, adds up the time, and updates your North Dakota progress automatically.
You write
Homeschool Fox logs
- Reading 45 min
- Math 30 min
- History / Social Studies 20 min
Today's total
1 hr 35 min
Your North Dakota requirements, in plain English
Tap any item for the details.
Notice requirements
Required
Required hours
700 hrs/yr
Required subjects
7 subjects
Testing / evaluation
Required
Recordkeeping & portfolio
Records required
Withdrawing from public school
Letter + notice
Full guide
Homeschooling in North Dakota: the complete guide
If you're homeschooling in North Dakota, you're working inside a moderately regulated framework with enough structure to keep the state informed but plenty of room to build a family-shaped program. Compulsory attendance in North Dakota covers children ages 7-16. The homeschool rules can start or stop at different ages, and the requirements below say when.
The instructional requirement in North Dakota is defined in two dimensions: at least 4 hours of teaching per day, times 175 days in the school year. Parents build a schedule that fits their household. Some days are heavy on formal lessons, others rely on field trips, co-ops, or project-based learning, and all of it contributes to the yearly total of roughly 700 hours.
Notice filing is the gateway for North Dakota homeschool families: a short document submitted to your local school district sets the record straight for the year ahead. Check what North Dakota asks the notice to contain before you send it. The contents are set by the state rather than by local preference, and the withdrawal section below names the form North Dakota expects.
Assessment in North Dakota takes the form of standardized testing at specified grade levels. It's more of a pulse-check on how learning is landing than a pass/fail exam.
The required subjects in North Dakota (language arts, math, social studies, science, health, physical education, and computer science) form the backbone of each year's plan, with real freedom in how deeply or creatively each is taught. The record-keeping side of homeschooling doesn't need to dominate North Dakota families' evenings. Homeschool Fox lets you log activities as they happen, then builds the year's record on its own.
Notice requirements
Notice is required
Yes, North Dakota requires you to file notice of your intent to homeschool. You must notify your local school district. The notice is filed again each school year.
Need a head start? Use the free Notice of Intent generator to draft your North Dakota filing, then check the withdrawal section below for the form or affidavit North Dakota expects it on.
Deeper guides: how to write a notice of intent to homeschool covers the language admins look for, and when and where to file your notice of intent covers state-by-state deadlines and recipients.
Generate your notice of intentWithdrawing from public school
North Dakota requires a statement of intent filed with the local superintendent at least five days before you begin (file as soon as you decide when withdrawing). Notify the current school so attendance reflects the change, and keep a copy. Standardized testing follows in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10, though any parent may opt out by filing a philosophical, moral, or religious objection with the district, and a parent who is licensed to teach, holds a bachelor's degree, or has met the teacher-exam cutoff is exempt as well.
For the play-by-play, how to withdraw your child from public school walks through the conversation, the timing, and the paperwork. What to send the district when you pull your child covers exactly what the letter should and shouldn't say.
Assessment requirements
Assessment is required
- Type:
- Standardized testing
- Frequency:
- At specified grade levels
Standardized testing for homeschoolers walks through which test to choose, where to register, and how to prep.
Portfolio & records
Portfolio not required
Under NDCC 15.1-23-05, supervising parents keep an annual record of courses taken and academic progress assessments — including standardized test results — for each child. The records may be requested if the child later enrolls in public school.
Required subjects
North Dakota requires instruction in the following subjects.
Looking for curriculum?
Browse our curriculum directory to find the right fit for your family, then log the year in Homeschool Fox.
Additional notes
File statement of intent 5 days before starting. Standardized testing in grades 4, 6, 8, and 10. 4 hours/day minimum. Any parent may opt out of the testing by filing a philosophical, moral, or religious objection with the district; a licence, a bachelor's degree, or a teacher-exam score exempts a parent too (NDCC 15.1-23-09(2)).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to notify anyone to homeschool in North Dakota?
How many hours do I need to homeschool in North Dakota?
Does North Dakota require testing for homeschoolers?
Do I need to keep a portfolio in North Dakota?
What subjects must I teach in North Dakota?
Nearby states
View all statesHow North Dakota compares
Nine rules side by side with the states families move between most, and what changes in each direction.
- North Dakota vs Minnesota (4 rules differ)
- North Dakota vs Montana (4 rules differ)
- North Dakota vs South Dakota (6 rules differ)
Want the cross-state comparison? Homeschool laws by state covers the legal regime in every state side by side.
Common mistakes in North Dakota
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Assuming the testing exemption needs a degree
North Dakota's standardized testing in grades 4, 6, 8 and 10 has two separate exits under NDCC 15.1-23-09(2). Any parent may notify the district of a philosophical, moral, or religious objection to standardized tests, with no credential at all. Separately, a parent who is licensed to teach, holds a bachelor's degree, or has met the teacher-exam cutoff is exempt. Families read the second one and assume the first does not exist.
Free North Dakota printables
Three ready-to-use PDFs for North Dakota homeschoolers. No account needed.
Templates, not legal advice. Confirm the current rule with your state or district.
Get notified when North Dakota changes its rules
We track North Dakota's statute and department pages and email you when the requirements move. Free, and you can unsubscribe anytime.
North Dakota last verified September 25, 2026.
Reviewed and sourced
Last verified: September 2026. We review North Dakota's requirements against official sources and update this page when the rules change.
Our monitor last confirmed the source pages were live on Sep 28, 2026.
Sources
Homeschool Fox is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. We turn public homeschool requirements into practical tracking tools for families. Always confirm details with your state or a qualified advisor.
More North Dakota guides
North Dakota in context: one of 19 states that require hours or days · one of 16 states that require testing or evaluation · one of 36 states that require notice · one of 10 states that require progress reports · one of 31 states that name required subjects.
- How to Start Homeschooling in North Dakota A step-by-step guide from withdrawal to your first logged day.
- Homeschooling High School in North Dakota Credits, GPA, transcripts, and graduation.
- Record Keeping in North Dakota What to document, how to organize it, and staying compliant.
- How to Withdraw From School in North Dakota The steps, the letter, and timing to avoid truancy issues.
- Moving to North Dakota What to file when you arrive and whether your records transfer.
- Public School Sports in North Dakota Whether homeschoolers can play, what it takes, and who to ask.
- Homeschool Hours Required in North Dakota The number, what counts toward it, and the pace to hit it.
- Required Subjects in North Dakota The list, how much time each needs, and proving you taught them.
- North Dakota Letter of Intent Who to file with, when it's due, and a free generator.
- North Dakota Test Results What goes in it, when it's due, and who reviews it.
- Homeschool Testing in North Dakota What the state asks for, when, and low-score rules.
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