Many families want the person they love to be cared for by someone they already trust: a daughter, a husband, a grandson, a sister. In Los Angeles County, that’s often possible. Through In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), a relative can be paid to provide the care they may already be giving.
The process has a lot of steps, and a missed one can hold up pay for weeks. Here’s exactly how it works in LA County, who to call, and what to watch for.
Not in Los Angeles County? See our statewide guide, How to Set Up a Relative as an IHSS Provider in California.
Who can be a paid provider
In IHSS, the person receiving care (the recipient) is the employer. They choose who to hire, and that can be a relative, a friend, a neighbor, or a caregiver from the county’s registry. The rules are a little different depending on how you’re related.
Who are you hiring?
Tap the person’s relationship to the IHSS recipient to see what they can be paid for.
- Can be paid for personal care, paramedical services, going with the child to medical appointments, and Protective Supervision if it’s authorized.
- Children don’t get household services like cleaning or laundry, so no one is paid for those.
- Both parents can enroll. Together, their hours can’t go over the child’s authorized hours.
- The parent must be authorized to work in the U.S. If not, the family can still hire someone else for the child’s hours.
- The county may need to move the child to a different IHSS program first. Ask before you switch, and confirm the hours won’t change.
- Can be paid for personal care and paramedical services.
- Generally isn’t paid for household tasks like cleaning, laundry, shopping, and meals, which a spouse is expected to share.
- Can be paid for going to medical appointments or for Protective Supervision only if they had to leave full-time work, or can’t take it, because no other suitable provider is available.
- Ask your social worker how these rules apply to your case.
- Follows the same rules as any other provider.
- If you live together, some household tasks may be shared, so hours for them can be lower.
- If you live in the same home, you may be able to self-certify as a live-in provider on form SOC 2298, which can make your IHSS pay exempt from income tax.
- Follows the same rules as any other provider.
- If you live in the same home, you may be able to self-certify as a live-in provider on form SOC 2298.
- Follows the same rules as any other provider.
- Needs to be someone the recipient trusts. The recipient is the employer and can hire or let go of any provider.
For everyone: the provider must finish enrollment, pass a background check, and be authorized to work in the U.S. A family provider is paid only for the recipient’s authorized hours; hiring family doesn’t add hours.
For more on what California allows, read Can a Family Member Be an IHSS Provider?.
Who to call in Los Angeles County
In LA County, IHSS is run by the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS). The Personal Assistance Services Council (PASC) is the county’s IHSS Public Authority. It supports providers and keeps a registry of caregivers. Knowing which office handles what saves a lot of phone time.
Los Angeles County
Who to call, and for what
Phone numbers checked November 2026. More on the LA County DPSS IHSS page.
Step by step in Los Angeles County
Use this tracker to check off each step and keep an eye on your deadline. You can save it as a PDF to bring to appointments. The state’s SOC 426 and SOC 846 forms are linked here so you can read them ahead of time, but use the copies the county gives you.
My LA County enrollment tracker
Check off each step as you finish it. Enter the day you started, and we’ll show your 90-day finish-by date. Your progress stays on this device only.
To save or print, open this page in your phone’s regular browser. Tap the ••• or share menu, then choose “Open in browser.”
Based on LA County DPSS rules as of November 2026. The IHSS Helpline has the final word on your case.
FlagYou have 90 days to finish every enrollment step, plus up to 45 more for good cause. Hours worked before you’re fully enrolled can sometimes be paid back once you finish, but only within that window. Don’t count on it. The safest plan is to finish enrollment before you start working paid hours.
Want to know what orientation covers? See IHSS Provider Orientation: How to Enroll.
The background check
Every IHSS provider, including family, gets fingerprinted through Live Scan for a California Department of Justice background check. Most delays happen here, so get fingerprinted as soon as you have the form. You may have to pay the fingerprinting fee; ask the IHSS Helpline when you call.
Worth knowingCertain convictions can keep someone from being an IHSS provider. The most serious group, which includes child or elder abuse and fraud against a government health program, can’t be waived. For a second group, which includes certain serious or violent felonies, the recipient can sign a waiver to hire that person anyway. If this applies to your relative, ask the IHSS Helpline before you start.
What a relative gets paid
A relative is paid the same as any other IHSS provider, for the hours the county authorized for the recipient. Hiring family doesn’t add hours. If the recipient has more than one provider, they split those hours.
Worth knowingIn 2026, LA County IHSS providers earn $19.64 an hour, $2.74 above the state minimum wage. The 2027 rate depends on a new agreement between the county and the union. Overtime is paid at time and a half after 40 hours a week. See 2027 raises by county
If you live with the recipient, you may be able to keep IHSS pay out of your taxable income by self-certifying on form SOC 2298. For how overtime works, read How IHSS Overtime Is Calculated.
Family first, and also a job
Being paid to care for someone you love is a gift, and it’s also real employment with real rules. Timesheets have to match the hours actually worked and the tasks the county authorized. Providers who don’t live with the recipient check in and out electronically. And it helps to agree early on schedules, backup care, and what happens if the arrangement stops working.
Our caregiver communication guide has a simple care agreement families can use, and What Every IHSS Caregiver in California Should Know covers the rules of the job.
Mistakes to avoid
Most delays come down to a few small things.
FlagThese are the mistakes we see most:
- Starting paid work before enrollment is finished.
- Using a general Live Scan form instead of the IHSS one.
- Bringing copies instead of an original ID and Social Security card, or names that don’t match.
- Forgetting the recipient has to name you as their provider (SOC 426A).
- Not signing up for the ESP or phone timesheets, so you can’t submit hours.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get paid to take care of a family member in Los Angeles County?
Yes. Through IHSS, most relatives can be paid caregivers once the person they care for is approved and they finish provider enrollment. The pay is for the recipient’s authorized hours.
Can a parent be paid by IHSS to care for their child?
Yes. Since February 2024, parents of minors don’t need to prove they left a job or that no one else is available. They must finish enrollment and be authorized to work in the U.S.
Can a spouse be an IHSS provider?
Yes, for some services. A spouse can be paid for personal care and paramedical services. Household tasks generally aren’t paid, and other services have extra conditions.
How long does IHSS provider enrollment take in LA County?
It depends mostly on the background check. You have 90 days to finish all steps, plus up to 45 more for good cause.
How much does IHSS pay in Los Angeles County?
$19.64 an hour in 2026, which is $2.74 above the state minimum wage. The 2027 rate depends on a new agreement.
Who do I call to become an IHSS provider in LA County?
Call the IHSS Helpline at (888) 822-9622 to start enrollment and sign up for orientation. PASC, at (877) 565-4477, offers provider support and a caregiver registry.
Can I be paid for hours I worked before enrollment was done?
Sometimes, within limits, once you finish every step. It’s safest to finish enrollment before working paid hours.
Do IHSS providers who live with the recipient pay income tax?
Live-in providers may be able to exclude IHSS pay from income tax by self-certifying on form SOC 2298. Ask a tax professional about your situation.
You’ve got this
Setting up a relative as an IHSS provider takes some paperwork and patience, but families in LA County do it every day. Take it one step at a time, keep copies of everything, and call the IHSS Helpline when you’re stuck. The result is care from someone who already knows and loves the person they’re caring for.
Need a backup caregiver, or someone outside the family? Search caregivers on IHSS Connect for free.
Keep reading
More for family caregivers
Sources
- LA County DPSS — IHSS Provider Enrollment RequirementsEnrollment steps; original ID and Social Security card; 90 days plus 45 for good cause; retroactive pay limits; disqualifying crimes
- LA County DPSS — In-Home Supportive ServicesHow to apply; IHSS application line; PASC registry; recipient as employer
- LA County DPSS — IHSS Brochure (PA 6253, PDF)IHSS Helpline, PASC, Service Desk, and phone timesheet numbers
- Disability Rights California — IHSS Parent Provider Eligibility UpdateParent provider limits removed February 2024; work authorization; services for minors
- Orange County SSA — Able and Available Spouse (PDF)Which services a spouse can be paid for, based on state IHSS regulations
- Undivided — IHSS Provider Requirements: Can a Family Member Be a Provider? (updated April 2026)Both parents as providers; PASC registry
- Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors IHSS wage increase (Sept. 2025)$19.64 hourly wage effective January 1, 2026
- CDSS — Live-In Provider Self-CertificationSOC 2298
LA County DPSS and CDSS are the authorities on IHSS. Wages and phone numbers change; check with the IHSS Helpline or PASC.
About this article
This guide walks families through setting up a relative as a paid IHSS provider in Los Angeles County, from the recipient’s application to the first timesheet. It’s an update of our April 2026 article, with current LA County rules, contacts, and the 2024 parent provider changes.
IHSS Connect is an independent, free registry for families and caregivers. We are not part of DPSS, PASC, CDSS, or any union, and this article is general information, not legal or tax advice.
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