All states · Updated for 2026
How to pay a nanny in Louisiana
Everything a Louisiana family has to do to pay a nanny, housekeeper or caregiver legally: the taxes, the registrations, the forms, and the deadlines. CareTab does the math and reminds you; you keep paying them the way you already do.
The short version
- Federal: withhold 7.65% Social Security and Medicare from their pay and match it; pay FUTA (0.6% of the first $7,000.00); file Schedule H with your 1040; give them a W-2 by Jan 31.
- Louisiana unemployment tax: register with Louisiana Workforce Commission after $1,000 or more in cash wages for domestic service in a calendar quarter (la. r.s. 23:1472; threshold not restated on the lwc pages fetched — confirm with lwc); your rate comes on a notice on the first $7,000.00 of wages; file Quarterly Wage and Tax Report (LWC online Tax Services) quarterly.
- Louisiana income tax: withholding is voluntary for household employers (form L-4 (R-1300)).
- New hire report: within 20 days of their start date.
- Minimum wage: $7.25/hour. Overtime: 1.5× over 40 h/week for live-out nannies.
- Paid sick leave: not mandated by the state.
- Workers' compensation: Louisiana's workers' compensation law excludes domestic employees (La. R.S. 23:1035) — not verified against the statute text in this pass; confirm with the LWC Office of Workers' Compensation. Voluntary coverage available.
Step by step
- Get an EIN from the IRS (free, online, 10 minutes).
- Have your nanny complete Form I-9 and, if they want federal income tax withheld, a W-4 and L-4 (R-1300).
- File the Louisiana new-hire report within 20 days at the state site.
- Register with Louisiana Workforce Commission once you cross $1,000 or more in cash wages for domestic service in a calendar quarter (la. r.s. 23:1472; threshold not restated on the lwc pages fetched — confirm with lwc) (registration).
- Each payday: track hours, pay at least minimum wage and overtime, withhold 7.65%, give a pay stub.
- Each quarter: file Quarterly Wage and Tax Report (LWC online Tax Services). Reports and tax are due the last day of the month after each quarter (Apr 30, Jul 31, Oct 31, Jan 31); LWC allows annual domestic filers, due Jan 31. New employers are assigned the average rate for their industrial classification (minimum 1.0%, maximum 6.2% for 2026) — enter the rate from your LWC notice.
- January: W-2 to your nanny, W-2/W-3 to the SSA, L-3 (with W-2s) to the state. April: Schedule H with your 1040.
Run your numbers
Use the free Louisiana nanny tax calculator: take-home pay, what you withhold, and your total cost including employer taxes.
Frequently asked
Do I have to pay nanny taxes in Louisiana?
Yes. Once you pay a household employee $3,000.00 or more in a year you owe Social Security and Medicare (7.65% withheld from your nanny and 7.65% from you), and FUTA once you pay $1,000.00 in any quarter. Louisiana unemployment tax applies after $1,000 or more in cash wages for domestic service in a calendar quarter (la. r.s. 23:1472; threshold not restated on the lwc pages fetched — confirm with lwc).
Do I withhold Louisiana income tax from my nanny?
Louisiana does not require household employers to withhold state income tax; you can withhold voluntarily using L-4 (R-1300) if your nanny asks.
What forms do I file in Louisiana?
Quarterly Wage and Tax Report (LWC online Tax Services) quarterly with Louisiana Workforce Commission, L-3 (with W-2s) annually, a W-2 for your nanny and W-3 to the SSA by Jan 31, and Schedule H with your federal return.
Does my nanny get overtime in Louisiana?
Live-out nannies get 1.5× over 40 hours a week. Live-in nannies are exempt from overtime in Louisiana. Louisiana has no state minimum wage or overtime law; federal FLSA rules apply (live-in domestic workers exempt from overtime, not minimum wage).
What is the minimum wage for a nanny in Louisiana?
$7.25 per hour in 2026.
Pay your Louisiana nanny legally for $14.99/month
Hours, paychecks with every tax computed, pay stubs, PTO, and a filing calendar with Quarterly Wage and Tax Report (LWC online Tax Services) pre-filled. 14-day free trial, no card needed.
Start free trialSources: Louisiana DOR R-1306 (1/26) Withholding Tables and Formulas, effective on or after January 1, 2026; Louisiana DOR – Withholding tax (L-1 quarterly return, L-3 due January 31); Louisiana Workforce Commission – Unemployment Insurance Tax Rates (2026 wage base $7,000; new employer rate = industry average); Louisiana Workforce Commission – Employer Taxes FAQ (quarterly due dates; annual domestic filers due Jan 31); Louisiana New Hire Reporting Center – law (20-day deadline). Rules for 2026 are provisional. General information, not tax or legal advice.