Considering road schooling your kids while traveling in your RV full time? You may be wondering about the legality of road schooling. Is homeschooling your kids while traveling even legal, and if so, what are the road schooling laws?

In this article, we will discuss these things so you can be 100% confident you are making the right choice for your family.

Is Roadschooling Legal?

The first thing you’re probably wondering is if road schooling is legal in the United States. Fortunately, the answer to this is yes, road schooling is perfectly legal! It is considered a form of homeschooling, which is legal in every state. That said, different states have different laws surrounding homeschooling, which is where road schooling laws get a little more complicated.

What are the Roadschooling Laws?

So what are the laws behind road schooling or homeschooling while traveling in an RV? Generally speaking, you will need to follow the homeschooling laws in your domicile state (the state where your legal address is).

The only exception to this rule comes into play if you plan to be in a state other than your domicile state for a month or more. If you will be visiting a state for 30 days or longer, you are required to follow the laws in that state. Obviously, this can be a gigantic pain, so many RVers with kids avoid issues by making a point of leaving each state before that 30-day mark.

Of course, in the states with very relaxed laws surrounding homeschooling, there likely won’t be any issues if you choose to stay longer than a month.

What are the Best Domicile States for Road Schooling?

One of the many things that’s really cool about full-time RVing? You can choose the home state that works best for you. Most RVers look for states that don’t charge income tax and have good rates for insurance. Many road schoolers also look for states with more laid-back homeschooling laws.

You see, there are a handful of states that make homeschooling quite difficult with assessments, testing requirements, and more. This isn’t to say road schoolers want to avoid proper curriculum and testing, but that things like testing can be especially difficult when you’re traveling full time, as it means returning to your domicile state one or more times each year.

To avoid the need to return home for testing, you can choose to domicile in a state like Texas where the homeschool laws are incredibly laid-back, or even Florida where registering with an umbrella school removes the need for yearly assessments.

States with very relaxed road school laws include:

• Idaho
• Oklahoma
• Texas
• Missouri
• Iowa
• Illinois
• Indiana
• New Jersey
• Connecticut

States with moderate homeschool laws include:

• Montana
• California
• Nevada
• Arizona
• New Mexico
• Utah
• Colorado
• Kansas
• South Dakota
• North Dakota
• Wyoming
• Michigan
• Arkansas
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• Alabama
• Georgia
• Florida
• Tennessee
• Kentucky
• Maryland
• Delaware

Getting More Info on Roadschooling Laws

Still feeling a bit uneasy about the legality of road schooling? We recommend a membership with the Homeschool Legal Defense Association. These folks know the ins and outs of homeschool law like nobody else and are happy to help members by answering questions, providing coaching, and even representing them in court should the need ever arise.

That said, as long as you are following the laws of your domicile state and ensuring your children receive a good education on the road, roadschooling is perfectly legal and you should never have reason to be represented in court for homeschooling on the road.

What you will have however is a chance to give your kids educational choices and opportunities they would never get in a traditional classroom—something every parent dreams of. So why not get started on your road schooling adventure today? You won’t regret a minute of it!

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About the author: Chelsea Gonzales

Chelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family.

You can join her adventures through her blog, Wonder Wherever We Wander.

Kathleen K. ~ “It’s the best service you can ask for!”