{"id":2564,"date":"2024-04-15T15:56:53","date_gmt":"2024-04-15T13:56:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/?p=2564"},"modified":"2025-11-24T11:14:38","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T10:14:38","slug":"becoming-self-employed-in-spain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/blog\/becoming-self-employed-in-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"Becoming self-employed in Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"2564\" class=\"elementor elementor-2564\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2302529 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2302529\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6c6389cf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6c6389cf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Are you looking to launch an entrepreneurial venture in Spain but unsure of the steps to follow?<\/p>\n<p>Then you&#8217;re in the right place.<\/p>\n<p>Achieving your <strong>self-employed visa Spain<\/strong> isn&#8217;t complicated \u2014 but it&#8217;s essential to properly activate your self-employment status. That\u2019s where <a href=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/about-us\/\">our experts<\/a> have developed this detailed step-by-step guide.<\/p>\n\n<h2>What is an <em>aut\u00f3nomo<\/em>?<\/h2>\n<p>Being self-employed in Spain means working as an independent contractor or freelancer. In Spain, this status is known as <em>aut\u00f3nomo<\/em> \u2014 a physical person who carries out an economic activity for their own account, without an employment contract.<\/p>\n<p>This status does not separate personal and professional assets.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>aut\u00f3nomo<\/em> category is increasingly popular across sectors such as tourism, startups, education, and more \u2014 offering abundant professional opportunities in Spain.<\/p>\n<p>Due to geographic proximity, many French citizens choose to launch their businesses across the Pyrenees and pursue a <strong>self-employed visa Spain<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Prerequisites for expatriates<\/h2>\n<p>Even if you are not a Spanish citizen, you can still obtain <em>aut\u00f3nomo<\/em> status and become self-employed in Spain \u2014 provided you meet the following requirements:<\/p>\n<ul>\n  <li><strong>Reside in Spain for tax purposes<\/strong>: You must live in Spain for more than 183 days per year, or have your main economic activities centered here.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>Hold a Foreigner\u2019s Identification Number (NIE)<\/strong>: This is mandatory for all administrative procedures in Spain \u2014 from opening a bank account to registering for taxes. You can apply for your NIE through local police stations (comisar\u00edas) or via a lawyer. The process can take up to three months.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>Open a Spanish bank account<\/strong>: You\u2019ll need your ID, NIE, and proof of Spanish residency to open one. This is required to receive payments and manage business finances.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2>Declaration to the <em>Hacienda<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es\/Sede\/en_gb\/inicio.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Agencia Tributaria<\/a>, commonly known as <em>Hacienda<\/em>, is Spain\u2019s tax authority responsible for managing all aspects of the <a href=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/blog\/types-taxes-spain\/\">Spanish tax system<\/a>, including income tax, VAT, and filings.<\/p>\n<p>To obtain your <strong>self-employed visa Spain<\/strong>, you must declare your activity to <em>Hacienda<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>You can apply online, but we strongly recommend booking an in-person appointment at your local office. Staff can guide you through the process and ensure your paperwork is correct.<\/p>\n<p>At your appointment, you\u2019ll complete one of two forms:<\/p>\n<ul>\n  <li><strong>Modelo 36<\/strong> \u2014 for complex or high-turnover activities.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>Modelo 37<\/strong> \u2014 simplified version for most freelancers.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Your choice depends on your activity type and VAT regime. To select the correct code for your profession, consult the official <a href=\"https:\/\/www2.agenciatributaria.gob.es\/ADUA\/internet\/es\/aeat\/dit\/adu\/adws\/certificados\/Tabla_de_epigrafes_IAE.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">IAE Epigraphs list<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If your services are provided to clients in other EU countries, you must register for the <em>Regimen de Operadores Intracomunitario<\/em> (Intra-Community VAT regime).<\/p>\n<p>Your appointment will also cover your tax obligations, including quarterly and annual filing deadlines.<\/p>\n\n<h2>Social Security registration<\/h2>\n<p>Next, you must register with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seg-social.es\/wps\/portal\/wss\/internet\/OficinaSeguridadSocial\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Social Security<\/a> \u2014 the body managing healthcare, pensions, and contributions for workers in Spain.<\/p>\n<p>Like with <em>Hacienda<\/em>, book an appointment online and visit your local office. There, you\u2019ll complete <strong>Modelo TA0521<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Upon completion, you\u2019ll receive a Social Security number and be enrolled in the <strong>RETA<\/strong> (R\u00e9gimen Especial de Trabajadores Aut\u00f3nomos) \u2014 the special scheme for self-employed individuals.<\/p>\n<p>The process is free and takes just minutes.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019ll also learn about available benefits \u2014 for example:<\/p>\n<ul>\n  <li>Entrepreneurs under 30 may qualify for reduced contributions.<\/li>\n  <li>Contributions increase gradually over the first two years.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h3>Monthly Social Security Contribution (First Two Years)<\/h3>\n<ul>\n  <li>First 6 months: \u20ac60.00<\/li>\n  <li>Months 7\u201312: \u20ac152.50<\/li>\n  <li>Months 13\u201318: \u20ac186.25<\/li>\n  <li>From month 19: \u20ac283.30<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h2>Your obligations as <em>aut\u00f3nomo<\/em><\/h2>\n<p>Congratulations \u2014 you now hold your <strong>self-employed visa Spain<\/strong> (i.e., you\u2019re officially an <em>aut\u00f3nomo<\/em>)!<\/p>\n<p>As a self-employed individual, you are responsible for two main taxes:<\/p>\n<ul>\n  <li><strong>Personal Income Tax (IRPF)<\/strong>: A progressive tax based on your annual earnings. Rates vary by Spanish autonomous community.<\/li>\n  <li><strong>VAT (IVA)<\/strong>: A consumption tax applied to goods and services. The standard rate in Spain is 21%, which must be included in your invoices.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Remember: You must file quarterly returns (Modelo 130 for IRPF and Modelo 303 for VAT) and an annual summary (Modelo 100).<\/p>\n\n<p>Now you have all the information needed to become a self-employed professional in Spain.<\/p>\n<p>If you still have doubts \u2014 don\u2019t risk mistakes. Turn to the professionals.<\/p>\n\n<p>Whether you\u2019re based in <strong>Cullera<\/strong>, <strong>Sueca<\/strong>, <strong>Javea<\/strong>, <strong>Moraira<\/strong>, or <strong>Alicante<\/strong>, at <a href=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/about-us\/\">Delagu\u00eda y Luz\u00f3n<\/a>, our <strong>legal advisors<\/strong> and <strong>qualified lawyers<\/strong> are here to help you <a href=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/blog\/setting-up-a-business-in-spain\/\">establish your business in Spain<\/a> and obtain your <em>aut\u00f3nomo<\/em> status.<\/p>\n\n<p>By working with our firm, you can focus entirely on your business \u2014 while we handle the administrative, legal, and tax complexities.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll clarify your rights and duties, help you optimize your tax position, and ensure full compliance with Spanish law.<\/p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/contact\/\">Contact us today<\/a> to discuss your project with our advisors.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<style>\r\n.lwrp.link-whisper-related-posts{\r\n            \r\n            margin-top: 40px;\nmargin-bottom: 30px;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-title{\r\n            \r\n            \r\n        }.lwrp .lwrp-description{\r\n            \r\n            \r\n\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-container{\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-multi-container{\r\n            display: flex;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-double{\r\n            width: 48%;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-triple{\r\n            width: 32%;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container{\r\n            display: flex;\r\n            justify-content: space-between;\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-row-container .lwrp-list-item{\r\n            width: calc(16% - 20px);\r\n        }\r\n        .lwrp .lwrp-list-item:not(.lwrp-no-posts-message-item){\r\n    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sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><br><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">Law firm in Moraira<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/law-firm-javea\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><img width=\"480\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/law-firm-in-javea.jpg\" class=\"attachment-480x480 size-480x480 wp-post-image\" alt=\"law firm in javea\" srcset=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/law-firm-in-javea.jpg 795w, https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/law-firm-in-javea-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/law-firm-in-javea-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><br><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">Law firm in J\u00e1vea<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/law-firm-villajoyosa\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><img width=\"480\" height=\"321\" src=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/law-firm-in-Villajoyosa.jpg\" class=\"attachment-480x480 size-480x480 wp-post-image\" alt=\"law firm in Villajoyosa\" srcset=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/law-firm-in-Villajoyosa.jpg 795w, https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/law-firm-in-Villajoyosa-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/law-firm-in-Villajoyosa-768x513.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><br><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">Law firm in Villajoyosa<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/law-firm-san-juan-de-alicante\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><img width=\"480\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/law-firm-in-san-juan-de-alicante.jpg\" class=\"attachment-480x480 size-480x480 wp-post-image\" alt=\"law firm in san juan de alicante\" srcset=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/law-firm-in-san-juan-de-alicante.jpg 795w, https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/law-firm-in-san-juan-de-alicante-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/law-firm-in-san-juan-de-alicante-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><br><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">Law firm in San Juan de Alicante<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/areas-of-expertise\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><img width=\"480\" height=\"270\" src=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/legal-services-in-valencia.jpg\" class=\"attachment-480x480 size-480x480 wp-post-image\" alt=\"legal services in valencia\" srcset=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/legal-services-in-valencia.jpg 795w, https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/legal-services-in-valencia-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/legal-services-in-valencia-768x433.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><br><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">Areas of specialisation<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"lwrp-list-item\"><a href=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/about-us\/\" class=\"lwrp-list-link\"><img width=\"480\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/despacho-de-abogados-e1729087260525.jpg\" class=\"attachment-480x480 size-480x480 wp-post-image\" alt=\"despacho de abogados\" \/><br><span class=\"lwrp-list-link-title-text\">About us<\/span><\/a><\/div>                <\/div>\r\n                <\/div>\r\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Discover what it takes to become self-employed in Spain, from initial registration steps to ongoing tax and Social Security duties. Clear guidance helps new freelancers navigate requirements and avoid costly mistakes. For tailored support, contact De la Gu\u00eda Luz\u00f3n at +34 963 74 16 57.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10128,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mbp_gutenberg_autopost":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[54,49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2564","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-living-in-spain","category-labour-law"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2564","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2564"}],"version-history":[{"count":57,"href":"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2564\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19688,"href":"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2564\/revisions\/19688"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10128"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delaguialuzon.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}