Your state guide · 2026
Montana homeschool laws
Last verified · View official sources
The short answer
Montana lets a parent teach their own child at home after notifying the county superintendent of schools each school year.
Editorial category; see the guide.
Each school fiscal year the child attends the home school.
See requirements for options and exceptions.
See the full guide for age exceptions.
Regulation level
L · LowView regulation data
| State | Category |
|---|---|
| Montana | Low |
Your requirements
A practical checklist
“Not specified” means a single yes/no requirement is not explicit in the supplied information. Read each detail for options and exceptions.
Notice
RequiredA notice to the county superintendent that the child attends a home school. State law does not set the contents; counties supply their own forms.
Subjects
RequiredAn organized course of study covering the subjects public schools must offer as the basic instructional program set by the Board of Public Education
Hours / days
Not specifiedThe same minimum yearly hours as public schools: 720 hours for grades 1-3 and 1,080 hours for grades 4-12 (1,050 can be enough for graduating seniors; kindergarten 360 half-day or 720 full-day).
Testing / evaluation
Not specifiedNot specified in state law. The parent alone decides how to evaluate the home instruction.
Teacher qualifications
Not specifiedNot specified in state law
Records / portfolio
RequiredKeep pupil attendance records and show them to the county superintendent on request.
Immunizations
Not specifiedNot specified in state law for home schools. The 2025 amendment to 20-5-109 keeps the immunization-record rule only for nonpublic schools.
At a glance
- Notify the county superintendent every school year
- 720 hours (grades 1-3) or 1,080 hours (grades 4-12)
- Keep attendance records
- No testing or teacher qualification rule
- Can join resident-district extracurriculars
Requirements at a glance
Read the details for your chosen homeschooling option below.
Open the full requirements table
| Requirement | What to know |
|---|---|
| Compulsory school ages | 7–16 |
| Notice required | Yes |
| Filing deadline | Each school fiscal year the child attends the home school. |
| Required subjects | An organized course of study covering the subjects public schools must offer as the basic instructional program set by the Board of Public Education |
| Instruction time | The same minimum yearly hours as public schools: 720 hours for grades 1-3 and 1,080 hours for grades 4-12 (1,050 can be enough for graduating seniors; kindergarten 360 half-day or 720 full-day). |
| Parent qualifications | Not specified in state law |
| Tests & assessments | Not specified in state law. The parent alone decides how to evaluate the home instruction. |
| Records to keep | Keep pupil attendance records and show them to the county superintendent on request. |
| Immunizations | Not specified in state law for home schools. The 2025 amendment to 20-5-109 keeps the immunization-record rule only for nonpublic schools. |
How to start homeschooling in Montana
The home school keeps attendance records, provides the same minimum hours as public schools and offers an organized course of study in the subjects public schools must teach. State law leaves curriculum, schedule, methods and evaluation to the parent, and a 2025 change removed the home school immunization-record rule.
Choose your homeschooling option
Home school. A parent teaches their own child, stepchild or ward in the family's home and meets the 20-5-109 rules. Students may also enroll part time in a public school.
Prepare your notice
A notice to the county superintendent that the child attends a home school. State law does not set the contents; counties supply their own forms.
Check when and where to file
When: Each school fiscal year the child attends the home school.
Where: County superintendent of schools in the county where the home school is located.
View steps as a table
| Step | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Choose your homeschooling option | Home school. A parent teaches their own child, stepchild or ward in the family's home and meets the 20-5-109 rules. Students may also enroll part time in a public school. |
| 2. Prepare your notice | A notice to the county superintendent that the child attends a home school. State law does not set the contents; counties supply their own forms. |
| 3. Check when and where to file | Each school fiscal year the child attends the home school. County superintendent of schools in the county where the home school is located. |
Subjects to teach
- An organized course of study covering the subjects public schools must offer as the basic instructional program set by the Board of Public Education
Sports & extracurricular activities
Districts and interscholastic athletic bodies may not bar a home school student from extracurricular activities at a school in the student's resident district because of enrollment status, though they may apply citizenship or residency rules. Students must meet the same standards as full-time students; the parent attests academic eligibility in writing and the principal verifies it without testing the student.
Official forms & law
Statutes
Questions, answered.
What do I file to homeschool in Montana?
A notice to the county superintendent that the child attends a home school. State law does not set the contents; counties supply their own forms.
When do I file in Montana?
Each school fiscal year the child attends the home school.
What assessments are required in Montana?
Not specified in state law. The parent alone decides how to evaluate the home instruction.
Check the original
Sources and last checked
- MCA 20-5-109 ↗Montana Legislature
- MCA 20-5-102 ↗Montana Legislature
- MCA 20-5-111 ↗Montana Legislature
- MCA 20-5-112 ↗Montana Legislature
- MCA 20-1-301 ↗Montana Legislature
- MCA 20-7-111 ↗Montana Legislature
Last verified .