Domestic Services & Proration

Domestic services — primarily housecleaning — are one of the most commonly misunderstood IHSS categories. They are subject to a monthly hour cap and a proration formula based on who shares the home. Understanding how this works helps you accurately represent the recipient's needs.

What Domestic Services Covers

Under IHSS, domestic services covers housecleaning only — sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, kitchen surfaces, and general tidying of the home. It does not include laundry (covered under Related Services) or personal care tasks.

The 6-Hour Monthly Cap

California caps domestic services at a maximum of 6 hours per month per household. This is a hard cap — regardless of the size of the home or the severity of the recipient's condition, no more than 6 hours per month may be authorized for housecleaning.

How Proration Works

If the recipient shares the home with other people, the 6-hour cap may be prorated based on how many rooms the recipient uses exclusively versus how many are shared. The formula is:

          Recipient's rooms = exclusive rooms + (shared rooms ÷ number of occupants)

          Prorated hours = (recipient's rooms ÷ total rooms) × 6 hrs

Example: A home with 4 rooms, where the recipient has 1 exclusive bedroom and shares 3 rooms with one other adult. Recipient's rooms = 1 + (3÷2) = 2.5 of 4 rooms = 62.5% × 6:00 = 3:45 per month.

Important Exceptions

Natural or adoptive children under 14 are not counted as occupants for proration purposes
If other household members are also IHSS recipients, hours may be further adjusted
Adults 18+ or children 14+ who could reasonably assist with cleaning may reduce authorized hours

Count your rooms accurately. Include all rooms used by the household — bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bathrooms, and dining room. The more precise your room count, the more accurate your domestic services estimate.

Educational information, not legal advice. Only your county can authorize IHSS services, and only after an assessment. IHSSHours.com is an independent resource and is not affiliated with CDSS or any county IHSS office. · More IHSS guides