Already paying a nanny informally? How to regularise

Terms used

• Alta — The alta is the registration of a worker with Social Security, which starts legal employment from the filing date.
• CCC — The CCC is the contribution account code Social Security gives you as a household employer.
• TIE — The TIE is the foreigner's identity card showing a non-EU resident's permit, including any right to work.
• Cl@ve — Cl@ve is Spain's online digital identity system for dealing with public administrations.
• Arraigo — Arraigo is a residence permit route for foreigners with established ties in Spain, handled by the Oficina de Extranjería.

Key rules

• Registering now: Registering starts legal employment from the filing date and does not cancel contributions owed for earlier months.
• Back contributions: Unpaid contributions can be claimed for the whole period worked, with surcharges and interest, and the limitation period is 4 years.
• No work permit: You cannot validly register a nanny without work authorisation, so the permit comes first.
• Fines: Employing someone without registering them can bring a fine per worker, in addition to the contributions.

Can you register your nanny now?

Yes. You can register voluntarily at any time. Registration starts the legal employment from the date you file it and you pay contributions from then on. It does not wipe out the months you already paid in cash. Those stay exposed.

What you may owe for the past

Unpaid contributions for unregistered work can be claimed for the whole period worked, with surcharges and interest, and the limitation period is 4 years. The claim covers both the employer and employee shares. It also includes the unemployment contribution, because household workers have had unemployment cover since 2024.

Two other things can follow:

• The Labour Inspectorate can fine you for employing someone without registering them. Fines are set per worker and rise with seriousness. Ask the Labour Inspectorate or a labour adviser for the current ranges.
• Your nanny can ask for recognition of the earlier employment and can claim unpaid wages.

Before you file, talk to a labour adviser about your own past months. They can tell you what is likely to be claimed and how to approach it.

How unregistered work is detected

Direct visits are limited, because inspectors need consent or a court order to enter a private home. Most cases come to light in other ways:

• A complaint to the Labour Inspectorate by your nanny or a third party.
• An accident or medical incident at work.
• Your nanny claiming unemployment benefit or unpaid wages.
• Cross-checks of data, such as tax declarations for childcare or domestic expenses, immigration procedures and bank records.

The longer the arrangement runs, the more chances there are for one of these to happen.

Steps to regularise

1. Check your nanny's right to work. Spanish and EU/EEA citizens need only an ID or passport. Non-EU nannies need a residence and work authorisation, shown on the TIE card or a visa or authorisation resolution. Keep a copy and note the expiry date.
2. Get a digital identity. Cl@ve or an electronic certificate.
3. Register as a household employer with Social Security, online or in person at a Social Security office with an appointment. You receive your contribution account code (CCC).
4. Sign a contract. Written is advisable. It is mandatory in some cases, such as a fixed-term contract of more than four weeks.
5. File the alta. Use your nanny's affiliation number. If they have none, request one when you file.
6. Keep up the routine. Pay contributions monthly, issue payslips and report changes and the end of employment.

The timeline and checklist below set out the same process in order. The documents list shows what to gather.

If your nanny has no work permit

You cannot validly register a nanny who has no work authorisation. Penalties for employing a foreigner without permission are heavier, and you remain liable for unpaid contributions. Your nanny can look into an arraigo permit, such as arraigo socio-laboral, at the Oficina de Extranjería. They must meet its requirements. Do not file the alta until the authorisation exists.

If your nanny works fewer than 60 hours a month

If your nanny works fewer than 60 hours a month for several employers, you are still responsible for the contributions for your share. This has been the case since 2023.

Timeline and deadlines

• Get your digital identity (Cl@ve or electronic certificate): before you start the registration

• Request registration as a household employer with Social Security to get your contribution account code (CCC): after you have your digital identity, online or in person with an appointment

• Sign the contract with your nanny: before you file the registration; a written contract is mandatory for a fixed term of more than four weeks

• File the registration (alta) of your nanny with their affiliation number: once the contract is signed and your account code is issued

• Pay contributions, issue payslips and report any changes: every month from the start of the registration

Documents you need

• Your nanny's ID or passport, if they are a Spanish or EU/EEA citizen.

• The registration certificate with the NIE (foreigner's number), if your nanny is an EU citizen.

• The TIE card (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero), or a visa or authorisation resolution stating the right to work, if your nanny is from outside the EU. Keep a copy and check the type and expiry date.

• Your nanny's Social Security affiliation number (NAF). If they do not have one, you request it when you file the registration.

• Your own digital identity, either Cl@ve or an electronic certificate, to register as an employer online.

• A signed contract. Written is advisable, and it is mandatory in some cases such as a fixed-term contract of more than four weeks.

Checklist

• Check your nanny's right to work: an ID or passport for Spanish and EU/EEA citizens, or a TIE card or work authorisation for anyone else, and keep a copy.

• Get a digital identity (Cl@ve or electronic certificate) and register as a household employer with Social Security.

• Sign a written contract with your nanny.

• File the alta of your nanny in the household special system, which starts the legal employment from that date.

• Ask a labour adviser or the Labour Inspectorate what you may owe for the months you paid informally: unpaid contributions for the whole period worked, with surcharges and interest, which can be claimed for 4 years.

• Keep in mind that a complaint, an accident, a wage or unemployment claim, or a tax or bank cross-check can expose unregistered work, and fines for each worker can reach several thousand euros.

• Ask your nanny to look into an arraigo permit at the Oficina de Extranjería if they have no work authorisation, because you cannot register them without one.

Frequently asked questions

Does registering my nanny now cover the months I already paid in cash?

No, registering your nanny now only counts from the date of the registration onwards, and the earlier months are not made legal automatically. The Labour Inspectorate can still ask for back contributions with surcharges for those months. Your nanny can also ask for the earlier employment to be recognised.

How do the authorities find out about an unregistered nanny?

Most cases come to light through a complaint from the nanny or a third party to the Labour Inspectorate. Other triggers are a workplace accident, a claim for unemployment benefit or unpaid wages, and cross-checks of tax declarations, immigration files and bank records.

Can I register a nanny who has no work permit?

No, you cannot validly register a nanny who has no work authorisation. The nanny can look into a route such as arraigo socio-laboral at the Oficina de Extranjería (the immigration office), and you register them once they hold a valid authorisation.

Do I need a written contract with my nanny?

A written contract is advisable in every case, and it is mandatory in some, for example a fixed-term contract of more than four weeks. Sign it before you file the registration of your nanny.