Law & obligations

When do I have to register my cleaner?

Salvador Jovells3 November 20266 min read

Smiling woman in a green scarf opening an apartment door, with a bright hallway and bookshelf behind her — Even if your cleaner comes for only 3 hours a week, you are an employer: registration applies from the very first franc.

The short answer: From the very first franc. A private household has no exemption threshold: even 3 hours a week, paid in cash or only as a trial day, make you an employer. What many people miss: accident insurance (UVG) also applies from the first hour, and anyone who pays cash for years owes the contributions up to 5 years back.

Answer in 30 seconds

From the first franc of wages: a private household has no de minimis threshold. Ideally you register your cleaner with the compensation office (Ausgleichskasse / caisse de compensation) before her first day. Exceptions: teenagers until the end of the year they turn 17, young employees up to 25 earning at most CHF 750 a year from you, and CHF 1,400 a month past the AHV reference age.

Up to CHF 22,680 per year per employee the simplified procedure (vereinfachtes Abrechnungsverfahren / procédure simplifiée) applies.
A few hours count too: accident insurance (UVG) is mandatory from the first hour, and from 8 hrs/week it also covers non-work accidents.
If you register late, you pay the contributions up to 5 years back, plus 5 % default interest per year.

Official sources

AHV information sheet 2.06 Domestic work (as of 1.1.2026)

Registering a cleaner: the full process

Quick check: does the obligation apply to you?

Do I have to register my cleaner?

Answer three quick questions and you will know what applies to your household.

Question 1 of 3

Does anyone work for pay in your household, even occasionally?

This means paid work, for example cleaning, childcare, gardening or senior care.

Basis: AHVG Art. 3 para. 2, AHVV Art. 34d para. 2 and Art. 6quater. Registration duty from the first franc; exceptions for teenagers up to 17, up to age 25 with at most CHF 750 a year, and past the AHV reference age up to CHF 1,400 a month. You can also answer with keys 1 to 3.

Calendar with marked date for the cleaner's registration deadline

The key thresholds

Common misconception

Like in other sectors, a small wage under CHF 2,500 a year stays exempt, so I don't have to register my cleaner.

The facts

A private household has no exemption threshold: you register with your cantonal compensation office from the very first franc of wages.

Exceptions: until the end of the year she turns 17, no AHV contributions are due at all. Until the end of the year she turns 25, no AHV contributions are due on up to CHF 750 a year from you, unless she asks for them. For retirement age, see below.

CHF 22,680/year: simplified procedure

Up to this amount per employee you can use the simplified accounting procedure: one statement for all social insurance and withholding tax. Most private households are well below it.

→ 2026 thresholds: the complete reference table

What counts as wages?

It's not just the hourly wage that matters. Wages subject to AHV include all remuneration directly linked to the employment relationship:

What many people don't know: Board and lodging, i.e. when the household helper lives with you, also count as wages in kind subject to contributions. Au pairs are no exception. Even if you 'only' provide accommodation and meals, an AHV-liable employment relationship arises.

Counts as wages

✓Hourly / monthly wage
✓Holiday supplement (8.33%)
✓13th month's salary
✓Wages in kind (board & lodging)
✓Tips (regular)

Does not count as wages

✗Expense reimbursements with receipt
✗Travel cost reimbursement
✗Tool and material flat rate

Registration step by step

A hand holds a large wooden rubber stamp with a green handle above a small wooden house — Hiring someone at home makes you an employer from the first franc of wages. Registering with the compensation office is the stamp on it.

Registering your household helper is less complicated than many think. Ideally you do everything before the first day of work. Which insurances belong to your case is shown upfront by the mandatory-insurance check.

Contact the compensation office

Register as an employer with the cantonal compensation office of your canton of residence. You will receive an employer number.

Create an employment contract

Put the hourly wage, working hours, holiday supplement and notice period in writing. A written contract is not mandatory but strongly recommended.

Take out accident insurance (UVG)

Occupational accident insurance is mandatory from the first hour, even at 3 hours a week. From 8 hrs/week with you, non-occupational accident insurance is added. All 26 compensation offices offer UVG cover (VAVplus) with the registration, but only if you tick it.

A payslip every month

On the payslip you deduct the employee shares (AHV/IV/EO 5.3 %, ALV 1.1 %, and in the simplified procedure 5 % withholding tax on top). In the simplified procedure you pay the contributions once a year when the compensation office invoices you.

Submit the annual wage declaration

By the end of January of the following year, report the full annual wage to the compensation office. In the simplified procedure this annual report is the whole settlement.

Every deadline of the year, from the January wage report to your canton's public holidays, goes straight into your calendar with the employer calendar.

What happens if I don't register?

Unregistered household helpers are undeclared work. The consequences:

•Back-payment: Contributions up to 5 years retroactively, plus 5% default interest
•Fines and penalties: For tax evasion, up to 3 times the evaded tax (DBG Art. 175); plus criminal proceedings under the BGSA and possibly immigration law (Art. 117 AIG)
•Gaps for your employee: Without a reported wage she is missing contribution years for her AHV pension, and for unemployment or maternity benefits she has to prove the work and the wage herself
•Accident without a policy: In a work accident the Ersatzkasse UVG pays and then charges you the substitute premiums up to 5 years back (Art. 95 UVG)

Register properly: prepared in 5 minutes

Clino guides you through the whole process: AHV registration, employment contract, monthly payroll. For CHF 19.90/month.

Start free now

Who works in your home?

Registration differs slightly by profile. Pick your guide:

Register a cleanerStep by step, with costs and deadlinesSee the guide Employ a nannyChildcare done correctly and insuredSee the guide Employ a caregiverSenior care on a legal footingSee the guide

Or go straight to your canton: Register household help - all 26 cantons

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Frequently asked questions

From what amount do I have to register my cleaner?

From the very first franc of wages. In a private household there is no lower threshold for the AHV registration obligation. Exceptions cover teenagers until the end of the year they turn 17, young employees, until the end of the year they turn 25, earning at most CHF 750 a year from you, and CHF 1,400 a month past the AHV reference age.

What counts as wages?

Relevant wages include: hourly wage, holiday supplement (8.33%), any 13th month's salary, wages in kind (e.g. board and lodging) and tips. Expense reimbursements with a receipt do not count.

Do I have to register during the trial period too?

Yes. The registration obligation applies from the very first hour of work. A trial period changes nothing. It's best to register your household helper before the first day of work.

Does the obligation also apply to occasional work?

Yes. Even if your cleaner only comes once a month, the obligation starts from the first franc. 'Occasional work' is not grounds for exemption, and the CHF 750 limit only applies to young employees up to 25.

What happens if I forget to register?

The compensation office can claim contributions up to 5 years retroactively, plus 5% default interest per year. On top of that, fines under the Federal Act on Undeclared Work (BGSA) may apply. It is better to report the past yourself before the office asks: how retroactive registration works.

Does the CHF 2,500 de minimis threshold apply to my cleaner?

No. The limit of CHF 2,500 per year and employer (CHF 2,300 until 2024; AHVV Art. 34d para. 1) applies to side earnings in other sectors. For employees in private households the law expressly excludes it: contributions are due from the first franc.

Do I have to register if my cleaner is already registered by other households?

Yes. Each household is a separate employer and registers itself with its compensation office. Another household's registration does not cover the wage you pay. More in the guide to working for several employers.

Do I also have to register a cleaner who has reached AHV reference age?

Yes, registration is still required. After the reference age, though, CHF 1,400 of wages per month from you are contribution-free, and ALV falls away entirely. You only pay AHV/IV/EO on the part above that.

Learn more

2026 thresholds: CHF 22'680, 60'480 & the 5%Read article

Simplified or ordinary procedure: which one applies?Read article

Registering a Cleaner Retroactively: The Honest GuideRead article

Accident Insurance (UVG) for Household EmployeesRead article