How Long Does a Caregiver Affidavit Last in California?

There Is No Statutory Expiration Date

The Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit under Family Code Sections 6550–6552 does not contain a statutory expiration date. Unlike a notarized document with a built-in term or a court order with a review date, it remains operative unless it is revoked or invalidated by operation of law.

When the Affidavit Stops Applying or Needs Updating

The child moves out. If the minor stops living with you, you must notify any school, health care provider, or health care service plan that has received the affidavit. Under Family Code Section 6550(f), the affidavit becomes invalid for each recipient after that recipient receives notice that the minor no longer lives with you.

A parent revokes it. Parents retain absolute legal authority to override your decision-making at any time. A parent who contacts the school or medical provider and states that they are resuming care effectively ends the affidavit's practical authority. The document itself does not have a formal revocation process because the parent's legal rights were never transferred in the first place.

You execute a new one. If circumstances change — you move to a new address, the child's situation changes, or a school requests an updated form — a new affidavit can update the information on file. The statute does not give a new affidavit a separate expiration effect; the existing affidavit's validity still turns on residence, parental override, and other operation of law.

Why Schools Ask for a New One Every Year

Even though the law does not require annual renewal, many school districts ask caregivers to complete a fresh affidavit at the start of each academic year. This is an administrative preference, not a legal mandate. Districts use it to verify that the child still resides at your address and that the caregiving arrangement has not changed.

You are not legally required to comply with annual renewal requests. The original affidavit remains valid as long as the child lives with you. That said, providing an updated form each fall is usually the path of least resistance — it keeps the school's records current and avoids enrollment delays.

If a district tells you the affidavit "expired" and demands court guardianship paperwork, that is an incorrect reading of the law. Family Code Section 6552 is clear: no court seal, clerk's signature, or notarization is required, and the document does not carry an expiration date.

Can You Update Instead of Starting Over?

There is no mechanism to amend a signed affidavit. If something changes — your address, the child's school, or the parent's contact status — execute a new form from the Judicial Council's current version. The January 2026 revision is the current official form.

What About the Parent Notification Boxes?

The parental notification attestations in Items 6a and 6b (for qualified relatives) reflect your situation at the time of signing. If circumstances change — say a parent who was unreachable becomes available and objects — the factual basis for your attestation has shifted. You cannot continue relying on an Item 6b declaration ("unable to contact parent") once the parent is actively in contact and opposing your authority.

When a parent reappears and objects, the affidavit's informal authority reaches its limit. That is the point where formal probate guardianship becomes the appropriate path.

Bottom Line

Your affidavit lasts as long as the child lives with you and no parent has revoked it. Our California school and medical consent guide covers the practical details — when to re-execute, how to handle school renewal requests, and what to do when a parent re-enters the picture.

See more California guides →