Autism Evaluation by State
Three pathways exist in every state to get your child evaluated for autism: Early Intervention (under 3), private clinics, and school district evaluations (3+). Two of the three run on federal deadlines, but private waitlists vary widely. Find your state below to see typical timelines, who pays, and what to do while you wait.
Your state's evaluation guide
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California
Early Start · private waitlist 6 to 18 months
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Florida
Early Steps · private waitlist 5 to 15 months
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New York
Early Intervention Program (EIP) · private waitlist 8 to 24 months
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Pennsylvania
Early Intervention (Infant/Toddler) · private waitlist 6 to 15 months
- See guide →
Texas
Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) · private waitlist 4 to 12 months
More states coming soon. If yours isn't here yet, our free Autism Screening Action Plan tool still generates a state-specific plan for all 50 states.
What's the same in every state
Early Intervention (under 3): 45-day deadline
Under federal IDEA Part C, every state must complete an Early Intervention evaluation within 45 days of referral. No diagnosis, no doctor referral, no income test. Developmental delay is enough to qualify.
School district evaluation (3+): 60-day deadline
Under federal IDEA Part B (Child Find), school districts must complete a special-education evaluation within 60 calendar days of signed parental consent. Some states (Texas, for example) set shorter deadlines.
Private clinics: state-by-state
No federal timeline applies. Waitlists range from 4 months (parts of Texas, Florida) to 24 months (NYC, Bay Area). The state guides above show typical ranges and where to look for in-network developmental pediatricians.
Don't lose the waitlist months
Generate a free, personalized 30-day plan that covers your state's referral paths, what to document for the evaluation, and what supports you can start today without a diagnosis.
Generate my 30-day plan →Frequently asked questions
- Why do autism evaluation waitlists vary so much by state?
- Three drivers: density of developmental pediatricians and child psychologists trained in autism diagnostics, insurance reimbursement rates (low rates push specialists out of network), and Medicaid waiver rules. New York and California have the longest private waitlists nationally; Texas and Florida sit closer to the median. Early Intervention timelines are federally fixed (45 days from referral to evaluation), so the state-level variation there is much smaller.
- Can I do an out-of-state autism evaluation while I wait for my home state?
- Yes, but check insurance coverage first. Most plans cover out-of-state evaluations only if your home state has no in-network options within a reasonable distance, or if you're willing to self-pay. Telehealth evaluations (Cortica, Cognoa, Boston Children's TeleClinic) are licensed in many states and can cut the waitlist; verify your state is in their coverage list and that your insurance accepts a telehealth ADOS-2.
- What's the fastest path to a diagnosis in any state?
- Three things in parallel. First, refer to your state's Early Intervention program if your child is under 3 (45-day legal deadline, free, no diagnosis required). Second, request a school district evaluation if your child is 3+ (60-day federal deadline). Third, get on 2 or 3 private waitlists at once and ask each to call you with cancellations. The school and Early Intervention paths typically resolve months before the private path; in many states they're enough on their own to access services.
- Does a school autism eligibility count as a medical diagnosis?
- No. School eligibility under IDEA confirms that autism is impacting educational performance and qualifies the child for an IEP. A medical diagnosis from a developmental pediatrician or child psychologist is what insurance, Medicaid waivers, and most outside therapies (ABA, OT, ST) require. Many families pursue both: school for free educational services, medical for outside therapies and waiver eligibility.
Stuck on what to do while you wait? Beacon walks the next 30 days with you.
Beacon factors in your child's age, your concerns, and your state's specific programs, then gives you a plan for this week.
What would Beacon say?
"We're on a long autism evaluation waitlist. What can I do right now to help my child?"