Back in 2023, Madrid introduced the zero social security fee offer for autónomos, which meant that newly self-employed people could have their social security fees paid for by the regional government during their first year.
It was also available in 2024 to those whose monthly earnings were below minimum wage.
The idea is to promote self-employed work and encourage entrepreneurship, which Spain isn’t famed for in general.
In Madrid these incentives include:
- Financial aid available for self-employed workers who return to work.
- Reductions in social security fees for those starting a self-employed activity.
- Financial aid for caring for a minor affected by cancer or another serious illness.
Spain has a flat social security fee for new autónomos of €80 per month in 2025 but after two years it goes from €225 per month for the lowest earners up to €530 per month for the highest earners, hence why Madrid’s offering of covering such costs can really help self-employed workers in the Spanish capital.
Q&A: What is Spain’s flat fee for new self-employed workers?
The period in which to request the zero social security fee for 2025 is now open and is available to certain people, if they meet a series of requirements and are self-employed. These are:
You must be covered by the “Incentives and measures to encourage and promote self-employment” scheme, included in the Self-Employment Statute. This means being one of the following:
- Be a beneficiary of the reduced social security fee, starting from the date of registration for the following twelve full calendar months.
- Based on your annual net income, have benefitted from the reduced social security fee during the next twelve full calendar months.
- Those who have a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33 percent, or are victims of gender violence or victims of terrorism, who have had the reduced quota for twenty-four full calendar months.
- Those with a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33 percent, or are victims of gender violence or victims of terrorism who, as a result of their annual net income, have enjoyed the reduced quota during the following thirty-six full calendar months.
- Those who have ceased their self-employment activity due to the birth of a child, adoption, custody for the purposes of adoption, foster care and guardianship and return to carry out a self-employed activity within the following two years.
- Those who are beneficiaries of the aid for the care of minors affected by cancer or another serious illness.
You must also be up to date with the tax obligations with the State Administration, Community of Madrid, and with Social Security. And you must be registered as living and working in the region of Madrid.
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How can I apply?
To request the zero social security fee and get your social security payments covered, you need to apply via Digital Administration Portal of the Community of Madrid here. You will need a digital certificate or Cl@ve to do this and enter into the Electronic Notification System of the Community of Madrid.
This is where you can submit your supporting documents such as NIE, receipt of benefits, certificate of being signed up in the RETA system of autónomo or self-employment, medical reports or disability certificates and tax returns.
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When can I apply?
Applications are open now, but it must be a maximum period of three months following the end of each 12-month period of receiving the reduction or bonus.
Or within three months following the end of the application of the bonus, in the case of self-employed workers who are beneficiaries of the aid for the care of minors affected by cancer or another serious illness, in which the benefit during any period has been less than 12 months.
