Construction workers on a South African site

Domestic Employer

Quick Answer

What is Domestic Employer?

A domestic employer is a household employing a domestic worker, gardener or au pair – with full UIF and COIDA duties from 24 hours a month.

Domestic Employer explained

Domestic employers register on uFiling for UIF and with the Compensation Fund for COIDA. The obligations mirror any business employer’s.

Who it applies to: Households with domestic staff.

Cost: UIF at 2% of remuneration; COIDA assessment on earnings.

Related terms and guides

Official source: Department of Employment and Labour

Always verify this information with official South African government sources. Rules, fees and thresholds change. Check SARS, CIPC, the Department of Employment and Labour or gov.za before you act.

About BizAnswers: BizAnswers is a privately owned South African company – not a government department. Our guides are free to read and show you how to do things yourself through official channels. If you would rather have the paperwork handled for you, we assist individuals and businesses with filing their South African tax returns and staying compliant, which is a paid service, not a free government service. Contact us for help.


Last reviewed: September 2026 by the BizAnswers editorial team. How we write and check our guides.