Homeschool Diploma: Who Issues It in Each State

In 20 states, the parent or home school issues the homeschool diploma, including in Texas, Ohio, and Illinois. North Dakota is the only state that issues a homeschooler a diploma itself, through a school district, an approved nonpublic high school, or the state Center for Distance Education.

Your state’s rules for who issues a diploma, whether the state issues one, and which graduation requirements apply are separate questions. A state-issued high school equivalency credential, such as a GED or HiSET, is a separate option.

For help tracking required records, see homeschool record keeping requirements by state.

• PParent or home school (20)
• RDepends on the route (5)
• ?Check the state page (25)

50 states · Letters or ages identify each tile; counts appear in the legend.

Read the state-by-state chart

Who issues the homeschool diploma

State	Chart category
Alabama	Check the state page
Alaska	Depends on the route
Arizona	Parent or home school
Arkansas	Check the state page
California	Check the state page
Colorado	Parent or home school
Connecticut	Check the state page
Delaware	Parent or home school
Florida	Check the state page
Georgia	Check the state page
Hawaii	Check the state page
Idaho	Check the state page
Illinois	Parent or home school
Indiana	Parent or home school
Iowa	Parent or home school
Kansas	Parent or home school
Kentucky	Parent or home school
Louisiana	Parent or home school
Maine	Check the state page
Maryland	Check the state page
Massachusetts	Check the state page
Michigan	Parent or home school
Minnesota	Check the state page
Mississippi	Check the state page
Missouri	Check the state page
Montana	Check the state page
Nebraska	Parent or home school
Nevada	Check the state page
New Hampshire	Parent or home school
New Jersey	Check the state page
New Mexico	Check the state page
New York	Check the state page
North Carolina	Parent or home school
North Dakota	Depends on the route
Ohio	Parent or home school
Oklahoma	Check the state page
Oregon	Check the state page
Pennsylvania	Depends on the route
Rhode Island	Depends on the route
South Carolina	Depends on the route
South Dakota	Check the state page
Tennessee	Check the state page
Texas	Parent or home school
Utah	Parent or home school
Vermont	Parent or home school
Virginia	Check the state page
Washington	Parent or home school
West Virginia	Parent or home school
Wisconsin	Parent or home school
Wyoming	Check the state page

No state graduation requirements

Check the state page

State graduation requirements apply

50 states · Bars show the number of states in each group.

Read the state-by-state chart

State graduation requirements for homeschoolers

State	Chart category
Alabama	No state graduation requirements
Alaska	Check the state page
Arizona	No state graduation requirements
Arkansas	No state graduation requirements
California	Check the state page
Colorado	No state graduation requirements
Connecticut	Check the state page
Delaware	No state graduation requirements
Florida	No state graduation requirements
Georgia	No state graduation requirements
Hawaii	Check the state page
Idaho	No state graduation requirements
Illinois	No state graduation requirements
Indiana	No state graduation requirements
Iowa	No state graduation requirements
Kansas	No state graduation requirements
Kentucky	No state graduation requirements
Louisiana	No state graduation requirements
Maine	Check the state page
Maryland	Check the state page
Massachusetts	Check the state page
Michigan	No state graduation requirements
Minnesota	Check the state page
Mississippi	No state graduation requirements
Missouri	No state graduation requirements
Montana	No state graduation requirements
Nebraska	No state graduation requirements
Nevada	Check the state page
New Hampshire	No state graduation requirements
New Jersey	No state graduation requirements
New Mexico	Check the state page
New York	State graduation requirements apply
North Carolina	No state graduation requirements
North Dakota	State graduation requirements apply
Ohio	No state graduation requirements
Oklahoma	No state graduation requirements
Oregon	Check the state page
Pennsylvania	State graduation requirements apply
Rhode Island	Check the state page
South Carolina	Check the state page
South Dakota	Check the state page
Tennessee	Check the state page
Texas	No state graduation requirements
Utah	No state graduation requirements
Vermont	Check the state page
Virginia	Check the state page
Washington	Check the state page
West Virginia	Check the state page
Wisconsin	Check the state page
Wyoming	No state graduation requirements

Key Takeaways

• In 20 states, the parent or home school issues the diploma.
• North Dakota has a state-side diploma route for homeschoolers.
• State graduation requirements apply in New York, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania.

Who Issues the Diploma? The Short Answer

The parent or home school issues the diploma in 20 states, while the issuer depends on the route in five states. For the other 25 states, check the state page for information about who issues it.

North Dakota has a distinct route: a school district, an approved nonpublic high school, or the state Center for Distance Education can issue a diploma to a home-educated student. For states where the issuer depends on the route, the exact option can include a parent, a school association, or a district certificate.

Keep the issuer question separate from the question of whether the state itself issues a diploma. The state-by-state table below gives you those details alongside graduation requirements and official state routes.

States Where the Parent Issues the Diploma

The parent or home school issues the diploma in 20 states. In these states, the home program decides when its student has completed high school, subject to any state rules shown below.

• Arizona, Colorado, Delaware, Illinois, and Indiana
• Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, and Michigan
• Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, and Texas
• Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin

The wording differs by state. For example, North Carolina says the home school itself issues the diploma, while New Hampshire allows a parent to sign a certificate of completion and request one from the commissioner of education.

North Dakota and Other Route-Dependent States

In Alaska, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina, the diploma or completion document depends on the route. Check the state’s details before deciding which document to request.

• In Alaska, a parent-taught student under the parent exemption has no district affiliation, so the family handles completion. A student in a district correspondence program is a public school student of that district.
• In North Dakota, a school district, approved nonpublic high school, or the state Center for Distance Education may issue the diploma after the parent submits course descriptions, objectives, and a high school transcript.
• In Pennsylvania, the parent supervisor may award a state-recognized diploma on a state form co-signed by the evaluator, or a state-approved diploma-granting association may award it.
• In Rhode Island, some districts issue a certificate of completion of the home-schooling program; others issue a certificate listing completed courses for the parent’s records. The state does not issue a homeschool diploma.
• In South Carolina, the parent or, in some cases, the home school association issues the diploma. The state says homeschoolers do not receive a South Carolina high school diploma.

States with Graduation Requirements for Homeschoolers

State graduation requirements apply to homeschoolers in New York, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania. Twenty-seven states set no homeschool graduation requirements, while the other states direct you to check the state page.

In New York, home instruction in grades 9-12 must cover English (4 units), social studies (4), math (2), science (2), art/music (1), health (1/2), physical education (2), and electives (3).

In North Dakota, home-educated students meet the state’s graduation credit requirements of 22 units, including computer science/cybersecurity options. A district, nonpublic school, or Center for Distance Education diploma requires that entity’s requirements or at least 22 units of the state minimum curriculum.

In Pennsylvania, students in grades 9-12 complete 4 years of English, 3 of math, 3 of science, 3 of social studies, and 2 of arts and humanities while in the home education program. An affidavit and evaluation must be filed for the 12th-grade year.

When Must a Homeschool Diploma Be Accepted?

Arizona, Ohio, and West Virginia each give homeschool diplomas specific recognition in state guidance or law. The wording and the setting named by each state differ.

In Arizona, state law requires agencies to treat homeschool diplomas the same as other schools’ diplomas. Ohio says a parent-issued homeschool diploma is valid proof of finishing high school, including for jobs. West Virginia says agencies and colleges must accept a parent- or administrator-issued diploma like any other.

Texas says completing a home school education is equivalent to public high school graduation for Texas college admission. In Washington, colleges and employers decide whether to accept a homeschool diploma.

Some states describe limits on recognition. Connecticut does not recognize homeschool credits or credentials, and districts do not have to grant credit for homeschool high school work. Hawaii says homeschoolers do not receive a high school diploma and earn no credits while homeschooled; Oregon has no official homeschool diploma, and districts may refuse to count homeschool coursework for credit.

Official State Routes: Equivalency Diplomas and More

A state high school equivalency credential is an official route in most states, and some states offer additional options. The route name, test, age rules, and any other conditions differ by state.

GED and HiSET tests are common routes to state credentials. For example, Maryland offers a Maryland High School Diploma through the GED and a National External Diploma Program for adults. New Hampshire offers a commissioner’s certificate of completion after a parent submits a signed certificate.

In Oklahoma, a state diploma is available after 30 college credit hours. Ohio offers an Adult Workforce Diploma Program for residents 18 and older who lack a diploma or high school equivalency credential. The table names each state’s main official route; check the state page for its conditions.

Homeschool Diploma Rules in All 50 States

Your state’s row shows who issues the diploma, whether the state issues one, whether state graduation requirements apply, and the main official route. “Check the state page” marks a question that requires state-specific details.