COID Registration for Domestic Workers: What SA Employers Must Know

COID Registration Is a Legal Requirement for Every Domestic Employer

Since 10 March 2021, every South African household that employs a domestic worker, gardener, nanny, caregiver, au pair or driver is legally required to register with the Compensation Fund under the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (COIDA). This followed the landmark Constitutional Court ruling in Mahlangu v Minister of Labour (November 2020), which found that excluding domestic workers from COIDA protection violated their constitutional rights to equality and social security. Non-registration is no longer a grey area — it is a legal violation with serious financial consequences.

Who Must Register for COID

Any private household that employs a worker in a domestic capacity must register with the Compensation Fund. This includes employers of full-time housekeepers, part-time cleaners, live-in domestic workers, gardeners, nannies, childminders, caregivers for elderly or disabled family members, au pairs, and household drivers. There is no minimum hours threshold for COID — unlike UIF which only applies to workers employed more than 24 hours per month, COID registration is required regardless of how many hours your worker works.

What COID Covers

The Compensation Fund covers your domestic worker if they are injured at work or contract an occupational disease. For a domestic worker, covered incidents include slipping and falling while cleaning, burns sustained while cooking or ironing, injuries sustained while operating garden equipment such as lawnmowers or hedge trimmers, repetitive strain injuries from domestic tasks, and diseases contracted as a result of their work environment. Coverage provided by the Fund includes all medical expenses related to the injury, compensation for temporary or permanent disability, rehabilitation costs, and death benefits payable to the worker's dependants.

How COID Protects You as the Employer

COID registration does not only protect your domestic worker — it protects you. When your worker is registered with the Compensation Fund and suffers a workplace injury, the Fund covers the claim directly. Your worker cannot sue you personally for damages. Without COID registration, you have no such protection. You would be personally liable for all costs arising from the injury — medical treatment, lost income during recovery, compensation for permanent disability, and potentially a pension if the worker is permanently incapacitated. A serious domestic injury could result in a damages claim running into hundreds of thousands of rands.

How to Register for COID as a Domestic Employer

To register with the Compensation Fund, you must complete a CF-1E registration form. Submit the completed form together with a copy of your identity document and your domestic worker's identity document to RegistrationCF@labour.gov.za. Once registered, you will receive a COID reference number and an annual assessment notice. Your annual assessment fee is calculated based on your domestic worker's total earnings for the year. For the 2025/2026 period, the minimum domestic employer assessment is R560. MyHelper handles the entire COID registration process as part of the once-off R399 registration service.

Annual Return of Earnings

Registration alone is not sufficient. Every registered domestic employer must submit an annual Return of Earnings (ROE) to the Compensation Fund between 1 April and 31 May each year. The ROE declares your domestic worker's total gross earnings for the assessment year from 1 March to the end of February. The Fund uses this declaration to calculate your annual COID assessment fee. Missing the ROE deadline results in an automatic 10% penalty on your assessment. MyHelper submits your annual Return of Earnings at no additional charge as part of the R249 per month subscription.

Reporting Workplace Injuries

If your domestic worker is injured at work, you are legally required to report the incident to the Compensation Fund within seven days using a W.Cl.2 form. Failure to report within seven days can result in the Fund holding you personally responsible for the full cost of the worker's compensation. Under the COIDA Amendment Act which commenced in January 2026, administrative fines can now be imposed for late reporting without requiring criminal prosecution. Report all injuries promptly regardless of how minor they may appear — some injuries develop into more serious conditions over time.

New COID Penalties in 2026

The COIDA Amendment Act introduced significant changes in January 2026. Administrative fines can now be imposed directly on non-compliant employers without criminal prosecution being required. Employers who fail to register, fail to submit annual returns, or fail to report injuries face financial penalties that are calculated as a percentage of the outstanding assessment fees. The Department of Employment and Labour has intensified inspections of private households and non-compliance with COID is now a priority enforcement area.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does COID apply to part-time domestic workers?

Yes. Unlike UIF which only applies to workers employed more than 24 hours per month, COID registration is required for all domestic workers regardless of hours worked. A worker who cleans your home once a week for four hours must be covered by COID.

What is the difference between COID and UIF?

UIF — the Unemployment Insurance Fund — provides short-term relief to workers who lose their income due to unemployment, illness, maternity or adoption leave. COID — the Compensation Fund — specifically covers workplace injuries and occupational diseases. Both are separate legal requirements and both are compulsory for domestic employers.

What happens if my domestic worker is injured and I am not registered?

You will be personally liable for all costs arising from the injury. This includes medical treatment, lost wages during recovery, compensation for any permanent disability, and potentially ongoing support payments. There is no cap on this personal liability. A serious injury could result in a claim that financially devastates a household.

How much does COID registration cost?

There is no registration fee. Once registered, you pay an annual assessment fee calculated on your domestic worker's total earnings. For the 2025/2026 assessment year, the minimum domestic employer assessment is R560. MyHelper handles registration and annual ROE submission as part of its compliance service.

Get COID compliant today. MyHelper handles your COID registration, annual Return of Earnings and full domestic employer compliance. R399 once-off registration plus R249 per month. Get started today →