Register a Domestic Worker With Police in Punjab and Islamabad

In Punjab, you register a domestic worker with the police for free at any Police Khidmat Markaz, and it takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Bring your CNIC, the worker's CNIC, the worker's photo and an affidavit. In Islamabad, the police charge Rs 500, accept the form online, and say it takes one working day.

A domestic worker here means a maid, cook, driver, guard, gardener or anyone else you hire to work in your home. Punjab Police say an employer is "bound to register" such a worker. Islamabad Police call it highly recommended. We read both forces' own service pages, and the Punjab law that sets the employer's other duties.

Domestic worker registration in Punjab is free and done on the spot

Punjab Police's Khidmat Markaz service page lists "Employee Registration" as free, done on the spot in about 15 to 20 minutes, and handed over by hand. It covers a servant, a maid or any other worker you hire for your home.

The Police Khidmat Markaz, or PKM, is Punjab Police's service counter. There are dozens across the province, and the full list of Police Khidmat Markaz services includes tenant registration, character certificates and FIR copies. PKM's page says the point of employee registration is that "Police has information about the people living in that area", and that it helps you learn about any criminal record of a worker before you rely on them.

These are the papers the page lists:

Register a domestic worker in Punjab, step by step

Collect both CNICs, a photo of the worker and an affidavit, then visit any Police Khidmat Markaz with the worker's details. The counter registers them on the spot and gives the papers back to you by hand. No fee is charged.

1. Check the worker's CNIC first. Make sure the card is real and the face matches. You can check CNIC details through NADRA's own channels.
2. Make copies. Copy your CNIC and the worker's CNIC.
3. Get a photo of the worker.
4. Prepare an affidavit with the worker's name, CNIC number, your address and the date they started.
5. Visit a Police Khidmat Markaz and ask for employee registration. Keep what you are given in a safe place.

A separate service is worth knowing. PKM's "General Police Verification" costs Rs 300 and takes 3 working days, and PKM says it is also valid for checking servants, maids and other workers before hiring them. Registration records who works in your house. Verification checks the person's record.

Islamabad police charge Rs 500 and accept the form online

Islamabad Capital Territory Police list "Servant Registration" for maids, drivers and other domestic staff. The fee is Rs 500, paid by the employer, and the police say it takes one working day. You can apply at a Police Khidmat Markaz, a police station or online.

The ICT Police servant registration page has an online form. It asks for the worker's full name, father's name and CNIC, your name, CNIC and work address, and the police station for your area. You upload a passport size photo, both sides of the CNIC and a fingerprint picture. After you submit, an application ID appears, and you can track it with your CNIC.

The page sends mixed signals. Its heading says "Mandatory Verification for Domestic Staff". Its own FAQ answers "Is servant registration mandatory?" with "It is highly recommended". We would treat it as expected, because it costs little and protects you. Among Islamabad's PKMs, the F-6 centre near Super Market lists employee registration and opens 24 hours. If the police do not help, Islamabad Police have their own online complaint route.

The Punjab tenant law does not cover domestic workers

The Punjab Information of Temporary Residents Act 2015 covers tenants and hotel or hostel guests only. It does not mention servants or domestic workers. So its penalty of up to six months in jail does not apply to an unregistered maid.

We read the Act on the Punjab Code. It defines a tenant, a guest, a landlord and a hotel manager. Nothing in it covers someone who works in a house. Many people mix the two up, because tenant registration with Punjab Police happens at the same counter.

Punjab Police's page still says employers are "bound" to register. We could not find the law it rests on on an official site. Some districts may rely on an order under section 144, but we could not find one on an official site, so check with your local police station.

What else the Punjab Domestic Workers Act 2019 requires

Police registration is only one duty. The Punjab Domestic Workers Act 2019 bans hiring a child under 15, requires a written letter of employment, limits work to eight hours a day, and gives one full day off a week. Employers also pay for a yearly medical check.

We read the Act on the Punjab Labour Department's website. The main duties:

• Age. No child under 15 may work in a household. A worker under 18 may do only light, part time work. Hiring a child under 12 can bring up to one month in jail. Hiring one under 15 can bring a fine of Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000.
• Letter of employment. Section 5 says every hire needs a letter showing the work and the wage, with a copy sent to the labour inspector. You may keep a copy of the worker's ID.
• Hours and leave. No more than eight hours a day, and at least one whole day off each week.
• Medical check. Once a year, at the employer's cost.
• Wages. The government sets a minimum wage for domestic workers. The current figures are in Punjab's minimum wage notice.

Breaking the other rules can bring a fine of up to Rs 5,000 the first time and up to Rs 10,000 after that.

Common questions

Is it free to register a maid with Punjab Police?

Yes. Punjab Police's Khidmat Markaz lists employee registration as free, done on the spot in about 15 to 20 minutes.

How much does servant registration cost in Islamabad?

Rs 500, paid by the employer. Islamabad Police say it takes one working day.

Can I register a domestic worker online?

In Islamabad, yes, through the ICT Police servant registration form. In Punjab, the PKM page says to visit a Khidmat Markaz.

What documents do I need to register a domestic worker?

In Punjab: your CNIC, the worker's CNIC, the worker's photo and an affidavit. Islamabad also asks for address proof and a fingerprint picture.

Is there a fine for not registering a servant?

We found no penalty in Punjab's tenant law, which does not cover workers. Ask your local police station whether a district order applies.

Can a 14 year old work as a maid in Punjab?

No. The Punjab Domestic Workers Act 2019 bans any child under 15 from working in a household.

How we verified this

What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.

Last checked at about 5 am PKT on 2 October 2026. We read the Punjab Police Khidmat Markaz services page on pkm.punjab.gov.pk (Employee Registration and General Police Verification), the ICT Police Servant Registration page on islamabadpolice.gov.pk, the Punjab Information of Temporary Residents Act 2015 on the Punjab Code, and the Punjab Domestic Workers Act 2019 on labour.punjab.gov.pk. We did not submit a registration ourselves. We could not find the legal source for Punjab Police's statement that employers are bound to register workers.