HCPS Proof of Residency

 What parents and legal guardians need to know

Henrico County Public Schools’ policy states that a child must attend school in the attendance zone and school division where he or she resides with a parent or legal guardian. Parents and legal guardians must provide proof of residency plus a picture ID to verify identity. Residency documents must be current and show the person’s name and address where he or she resides.

These documents will also be required for a change of address.

If the parent or legal guardian has a domicile (house or apartment) in their name or they are listed as an occupant on the lease, they must provide a document from Column A, Column B and Column C when registering a student.

Column A

  • Deed (does not need to include signatures)

  • Current lease (w/signatures)

  • Current mortgage bill    

  • Current tax assessment

         

  • Real estate contract (90 days or less for occupancy)

IMPORTANT: All documents must be current. If the parent or guardian has a lease in their name or are listed as an occupant, they must provide that lease. They cannot opt to provide another business mail as proof instead of a lease!

Column B

A current utility bill, which includes but is not limited to:

  • Electric bill.

  • gas/oil bill.

  • Water bill (within past 60 days).

  • Home phone bill.

  • Cable bill.

IMPORTANT: “Current” documents are those dated within the past 30 days. If the lease covers all utilities or is not in the parent or guardian’s name, then two additional documents are required. Refer to the address affidavit checklist for document suggestions.

Column C

  • Valid driver’s license

  • Valid photo ID

  • Valid passport

IMPORTANT: The ID is used for identification purposes but may also be used to document residency. If it is used as a residency document, it must have the correct address on the ID.

Copies of all residency documents will be kept in the student’s file. Parents or guardians may redact (block out) personal information such as balances.

If you have moved recently (less than 30 days), enrollment can be handled with one item from both Column A and Column C (for identification purposes), with an allowance of an additional 30 days to provide an item from Column B. This would be considered a “provisional enrollment.” Use the provisional enrollment letter at enrollment.

 

If a family does not have a domicile in their name, see below for the required residency documents:

  1. If the family is living with another person or family in the other family’s home, an address affidavit is required; the tenant or homeowner may not issue a lease to the person. The following is required:

    • One-page notarized address affidavits. One affidavit is needed for each child.

    • BOTH the parent and homeowner are required to come to the school.

    • Address affidavits are good for the current school year only. They must be renewed each year with a new address affidavit, including current documents for that year. The homeowner and parent or legal guardian must come to school each year and for each new address affidavit.

    • The homeowner or leaseholder must provide two residency documents: one item from Column A, one item from Column B plus one item from Column C (for identification purposes).

    • Parents or legal guardians must provide two residency documents. These can be any two pieces of business correspondence with their name at that address, and one item from Column C (for ID purposes).

  2. If the family is living in another person’s home and the homeowner or tenant is not living in the home and they did not give them a lease, the parents or legal guardians must provide 1) four pieces of business correspondence with their name and that address, 2) a notarized letter from the homeowner or tenant stating they live there, and 3) one item from Column A of the homeowner or the current lease of the tenant.

  3. If the family is homeless (federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act status) or students are foster children, contact the school for information.

IMPORTANT: Business correspondence does not include junk mail, class-D mail or handwritten mail. HCPS keeps copies of all documents. For additional information about residency requirements, refer to P6-03-002, P6-03 002-R, P6-03-003 and P6-003-R in the HCPS Policy Manual.

REMEMBER:  When you report an address change, you must complete a Student Record Change Form and provide proof of residency before the school can change your address. This includes when you report the address change online.

Updated February 2025