Report employment of domestic help and other household-related services on a mini-job basis

The Household Check procedure is a simplified process for registering and paying social security contributions for private households. You use the Household Check to register a household helper on a minijob basis. You can also use the Household Check to report changes in the employment relationship or to deregister the helper. Minijobs in private households are a special form of marginal employment. They are specifically supported by the government through low social security contributions, a flat-rate income tax, and a tax reduction.

Using the employment and wage information you submit via the household check, the Minijob Center calculates the

• social security contributions,
• levies, and
• taxes.

These payments are then deducted from your account via direct debit twice a year.

Employing Family Members as Domestic Helpers:

If you register a close relative as a domestic helper, the work must not constitute family-style assistance.

A paid employment relationship between spouses is therefore generally not permitted. This also applies to children who help out in their parents’ household, as long as they live there and are supported by their parents.

Semiannual check:

If your earnings fluctuate, you can submit a semi-annual check:

If you pay your household helper a varying monthly wage, you would technically be required to submit a new household check each time. To relieve you of this bureaucratic obligation, you can use a semi-annual check. You enter the applicable months and certify the varying earnings. If you indicate on the standard household check form at the time of registration that the wages paid vary from month to month, you will automatically receive a semi-annual check from the Minijob-Zentrale.

Amendment Form:

You use the change form to notify the Minijob-Zentrale if, for example, your household helper’s earnings, your bank account information, or a contact address changes.

The Minijob-Zentrale handles notifications, certifications, and direct debits, such as:

• Reporting the household helper to the pension insurance provider at the start and end of employment and at the end of the year:
  
  • The domestic helper will receive written notification of this.
• Reporting the household helper and submitting data on the private household to the statutory accident insurance provider
• Collection of accident insurance premiums
• Payment of the flat-rate tax to the tax authorities
• Notice regarding the amount of taxes to be collected for the relevant tax period
  
  • Certificate issued at the end of a calendar year for the tax office containing the following information:
    
    • The period for which pension insurance contributions were paid, as well as
    • The amount of wages paid in the previous year and the corresponding taxes

Household Check Calculator:

• You can use the household check calculator to determine the amount of contributions to the Minijob-Zentrale and the income tax reduction.
• For private households, the employer’s contributions to the Minijob-Zentrale have been capped at 14.62 percent of gross wages since January 1, 2026.
  
  • With a maximum earnings limit of 603.00 EUR, this amounts to 88.16 EUR per month.
• If the employee opts for full mandatory pension insurance contributions, a portion of their wages is also paid to the Minijob-Zentrale.
  
  • This amounts to a maximum of 82.01 EUR per month.

You can use the household check calculator to perform precise calculations.

Requirements

• On average, you comply with the earnings limit for marginal employment
  
  • 603.00 EUR per month
• You are a private household.
• These are household-related tasks that are normally performed by members of the household, such as
  
  • cooking,
  • cleaning,
  • doing laundry,
  • ironing,
  • shopping,
  • gardening,
  • pet care,
  • caring for children, seniors, sick or infirm people, and people with disabilities.