A nanny contract is a written agreement that defines the relationship between a childcare provider and the hiring family. It includes job terms such as working hours, compensation, household expectations, responsibilities related to child care and safety, and legal rights on both sides. Parents or guardians use this contract when hiring a nanny for in-home care, either as live-in or live-out support. Having a signed agreement helps both parties avoid any misunderstandings and maintain professional boundaries.
This nanny contract template includes all essential sections expected in a professional contract, including caregiver responsibilities, weekly schedule, compensation terms, benefits, and legal protections. It uses fill-in fields and selection options to adjust the agreement based on the family’s needs, whether hiring part-time, full-time, or live-in care. It can be used for short-term or ongoing arrangements and includes optional clauses covering emergency contacts, tax classification, media sharing, and early termination.
Nanny Contract Template
How to Use This Nanny Contract Template
This agreement begins with basic information about the parties involved and progresses through each category of employment terms in a fixed order. Each section below matches how the content is arranged in the contract and includes important details about how to complete it.
Introductory Clause and Party Information
The contract begins by naming the individuals entering the agreement: the employer and the nanny. Full legal names, residential addresses, and the cities and states of residence must be entered for both parties. This section also includes the date the agreement is created, which will serve as the effective date unless otherwise specified later. The language “collectively referred to as the Parties” is a legal phrasing that confirms the employer and nanny will be jointly identified as such throughout the rest of the document. This section establishes who is bound by the terms that follow and should be completed in full before proceeding.
Term of Agreement
In this section, the agreement’s starting date is entered along with the intended duration of employment. Two options are given: a specific end date, or an open-ended arrangement that continues until either party gives advance notice. The notice period should be written in days (e.g., 14 or 30) and completed even for indefinite agreements to avoid confusion if one party decides to end the contract.
Children in Care
Here, the names and birthdates of all children receiving care are listed. This confirms who is included under the nanny’s responsibility. Even if one child is the main focus, all dependents should be named to avoid future disputes about the scope of care.
Services and Responsibilities
This section itemizes the core duties the nanny is expected to perform. Common tasks are already listed, including meal preparation, hygiene assistance, educational activities, and light household chores related to the children. Additional lines are provided to document any specific responsibilities that go beyond general care, such as managing medication, organizing outings, or helping with homework.
Work Schedule
A full weekly schedule can be created here using day-by-day fields, with blanks for start and end times and AM/PM checkboxes. The total number of working hours per week is entered above the grid. If hours vary seasonally or rotate, that can be addressed in the “Additional Terms” section. Documenting expected hours in detail will be helpful for payment tracking and overtime planning.
Location of Services
This part confirms the main address where the nanny will provide care. In most cases, this is the employer’s home, but additional locations can be written in if the job includes travel between households or pickup and drop-off at school or activities.
Live-In or Live-Out Arrangement
This section identifies the housing arrangement. One of the checkboxes must be selected to show if the nanny will live at the residence or commute daily. If the nanny lives on-site, there is space to specify if the room is private or shared. These details affect expectations for availability, privacy, and compensation.
Compensation
Hourly pay and overtime rates are recorded here. The section also includes checkboxes for how and when payments will be made. Any box not relevant should be left blank to avoid confusion. If the payment schedule differs from the options provided (e.g., semi-monthly), the “Other” line can be used to describe it. Accurate completion here is important for tax reporting and payment tracking.
Transportation
This part covers how the nanny will handle transportation for the children. The employer can check if a vehicle will be provided, if reimbursement is available, or if no travel costs will be covered. If mileage is being reimbursed, it’s important to follow current IRS rates and document how records will be submitted.
Additional Benefits
All extra benefits agreed upon should be selected here. Options include paid leave, health coverage, holiday pay, and non-cash support such as a mobile phone or parking access. The number of vacation or sick days per year should be entered in the provided blanks. If benefits are customized, use the empty lines to describe them fully.
Time-Off and Leave
This section focuses on types of time off the nanny is entitled to, including annual vacation days, sick leave, and any special types of leave such as bereavement or unpaid personal days. Leaving this section blank can lead to misunderstandings if the nanny requests time off and the employer denies it due to undocumented limits. Defining the number of leave days in advance is essential to prevent disagreements, especially during busy seasons, holidays, or unexpected absences.
Employment Classification
This section indicates how the nanny will be treated for tax purposes. The employer must select one option: either as an employee (W-2) or an independent contractor (1099). Long-term nannies with fixed schedules are usually classified as employees. Choosing the correct option matters for tax filings, payroll reporting, and legal compliance.
Emergency Contact
Space is given to name two people who can be contacted if the employer is unreachable during an emergency. These individuals should be adults trusted to make quick decisions, such as relatives, neighbors, or close friends of the family.
Confidentiality
This section sets the expectation that the nanny will not share private family matters. It includes sensitive topics such as health, finances, legal issues, and day-to-day conversations. This is especially relevant for families who keep detailed routines or involve the nanny in personal discussions. Breaches of confidentiality are later included in the termination section.
Media and Social Sharing
This section restricts the nanny from posting or distributing any photos, videos, or online mentions of the children or family without written permission. It applies to both public and private platforms. The clause protects household privacy and helps prevent unwanted exposure online.
Grounds for Termination
Here, specific reasons are listed that justify immediate termination. These include endangerment of the children, substance use during working hours, dishonesty, and refusal to perform duties. Listing these events in advance helps both parties understand what behaviors are unacceptable and what would result in the contract ending without notice.
Governing Law
This section names the state whose laws apply to the agreement. It typically matches the employer’s home state and determines which rules govern payment, termination, and employment status.
Additional Terms
A blank section is provided to write in anything that has not already been addressed elsewhere. This could include probation periods, agreements about camera monitoring, recurring schedule reviews, or pet-related tasks.
Entire Agreement
This section confirms that everything agreed between the nanny and employer is contained within this document. Any previous verbal or written discussions are no longer considered valid once this contract is signed. Future changes or additions must be made in writing and signed by both parties.
Signatures
Both parties must sign and date the contract to show their agreement to the terms. Space is provided for names, signatures, and dates. Either ink or digital signatures can be used depending on how the contract is being finalized.
FAQs
In most places, a written nanny contract is not legally required but it is strongly recommended. A signed agreement protects both parties by recording job duties, pay terms, time-off policies, and termination conditions. Some states or cities may require written terms for domestic workers, especially if the nanny is classified as an employee.
This nanny contract template is designed for one family hiring one nanny. In a nanny share, where two families employ the same caregiver, each household would typically need a separate contract—or a more advanced agreement that includes shared responsibilities, payment splits, and liability terms.
Typical duties often include supervising children, preparing meals and snacks, helping with hygiene and dressing, driving to and from school or activities, organizing educational or play-based activities, and handling light housekeeping related to the children (such as laundry, dishes, and toy cleanup). Some families also request help with homework, bedtime routines, or occasional errands. Responsibilities should be discussed in advance and written into the contract to avoid confusion later.
A nanny is typically hired on a regular schedule for ongoing care and is involved in a child’s daily routine, development, and well-being. Nannies often work part-time or full-time and may have household responsibilities beyond direct supervision. A babysitter, on the other hand, is usually hired occasionally for short-term care such as during evenings or weekends and is not expected to manage long-term tasks like meal planning, educational activities, or transportation. Because of these differences, a written contract is standard for nannies but not usually used for casual babysitting.
In many states, it is legal to place nanny cameras in common areas of the home without notifying the nanny, as long as no audio is recorded and the cameras are not placed in private areas like bathrooms or bedrooms. However, disclosing the use of cameras is strongly recommended for maintaining trust and avoiding legal concerns. If cameras are in use, it’s best to mention them in the contract’s “Additional Terms” section and confirm that recording does not violate any local laws or the nanny’s reasonable expectation of privacy.
Most long-term nannies who work scheduled hours and follow the family’s instructions should be classified as W-2 employees under IRS rules. This means the employer must withhold taxes and issue a W-2 at year-end. 1099 classification applies only in very limited cases, and misclassification can lead to penalties.
About This Template
This nanny contract template includes all essential sections for documenting a nanny’s working terms and can be adapted for different household arrangements. Before finalizing, both parties may wish to review state labor laws, clarify how schedule changes or reimbursements will be handled, and retain a signed copy for future reference. The template is available in both Word and Google Docs formats for easy customization.