How to verify domestic help before hiring: a simple step-by-step guide
6 min readUpdated 12 Oct 2026
The short answer
Talk to the person first, collect their details and ID, speak to a previous employer, run a background check with their permission, follow any local police registration rules, and start with a trial period. The background check itself usually takes minutes; the whole process takes about an afternoon.
Why verify at all?
Domestic staff often work alone in your home — around children, elders, keys and valuables. Checking who you're hiring isn't about suspicion. It's the same basic care any employer takes before handing someone that much trust.
Done openly, with the person's agreement, it's also fairer to them than relying on rumours or a neighbour's opinion.
Step by step: how to verify domestic help
- 1
Tell them you'd like to verify
Explain that you check everyone you hire, what will be checked, and that they'll get a WhatsApp message asking for their permission. Being open from the start avoids awkwardness later.
- 2
Collect the right details
Full name as on their ID, father's or husband's name, date of birth, mobile number, one ID number and their current address. See the checklist below.
- 3
Look at the original ID
Match the photo to the person and the name to what they told you. Copy the ID number carefully — one wrong digit means a check can't match the right person. Don't keep photocopies you don't need, and store any copy safely.
- 4
Speak to a previous employer
Call them; don't rely on a letter alone. Ask how long the person worked there, what their duties were, and why they left.
- 5
Run a background check — with their permission
A service like InstaBGC checks their ID, court records, police FIR records and address, plus a driving licence or nursing registration where it applies. You pay only after they agree, and the report usually arrives within minutes.
- 6
Follow your city's police rules
Some cities and housing societies ask homeowners to register domestic staff with the local police. That's a separate process from a background check — see our guide to police verification for domestic help.
- 7
Agree terms and start with a trial
Write down wages, working hours, weekly off, leave and duties. Start with a short trial period before handing over keys or full access to the home.
Checklist: details to collect
- Full name, exactly as on their ID
- Father's or husband's name
- Date of birth (they must be 18 or older)
- Mobile number they use on WhatsApp
- One ID number: Aadhaar, PAN or Voter ID
- Current address, with PIN code
- Drivers: driving licence number
- Caregivers and home nurses: nursing or council registration number, if they have one
Signs worth a second look
- Details on the ID don't match what they told you.
- They won't let you speak to anyone they've worked for before.
- Pressure to start immediately, before any check is done.
- They decline a background check. That's their right — and it's also fair for you to weigh it in your decision.
None of these proves anything on its own. Use them as reasons to ask more questions, not to judge.
What a background check can't tell you
A background check reports what available records show for the details provided. It isn't a home visit — a digital address check uses records only. A court or FIR result is not proof of guilt, and no result is not a guarantee that none exist. FIR coverage varies by city and doesn't include cases never reported to the police.
It also can't tell you how someone will treat your family, how honest or skilled they are, or how they'll behave in future. That's what references, a trial period and your own judgement are for.