This study analyzes the practices of domestic workers in Jakarta, Indonesia, through the concept of the hidden transcript, focusing on how (in)formality in care labor is structurally reconfigured. Domestic labor, as a form of care work, is shaped by (in)formality as a key structural condition. The hidden transcript refers to the informal and often invisible practices through which subordinated actors navigate risk and pursue political effects in contexts where open resistance is constrained. In Jakarta, care labor remains highly informal, producing both precarity and reciprocal ties. While formalization has been demanded, progress is slow due to vested interests in informality. However, compromise strategies and shifting social and physical conditions have opened space for gradual change. In this context, domestic workers exercise agency through hidden transcript practices that mitigate harm and improve conditions. The study highlights the interplay between structure and practice, offering a framework that bridges structural and agentic perspectives on care labor.