Your first quarter as an autónomo: an action calendar without panic

An autónomo's first quarter does not mean three months from the registration date. The Spanish tax system uses calendar quarters: January–March, April–June, July–September and October–December.

If you register on 18 February, your first quarter ends on 31 March. The transactions from 18 February through 31 March must be reported in April.

Before the first working day

Two separate registrations are required before the activity begins:

1. Register with Hacienda — the Spanish tax authority — through Modelo 036.
2. Register with RETA — the Special Scheme for Self-Employed Workers.

The RETA registration must be submitted before the activity starts and can be completed up to 60 calendar days in advance.

At this stage, define:

• the activity and IAE — Economic Activities Tax — codes;
• the IVA — Value Added Tax — regime;
• the IRPF — Personal Income Tax — regime;
• whether ROI/VIES registration is required for EU business transactions;
• the expected net income used to calculate Social Security contributions.

First month: build the system

From the first invoice, record consistently:

• every sales invoice;
• every supplier invoice and expense document;
• IVA charged to clients;
• deductible IVA paid on expenses;
• IRPF withholding;
• each client's country and tax status;
• the payment method and actual receipt of funds.

Invoice numbering must be sequential. Whenever possible, support an expense with a complete invoice issued to the autónomo rather than only a till receipt.

AEAT requires ledgers for income, expenses and investment assets. Professional activities also require a ledger for client advances and disbursements. Invoices and related tax evidence must be retained for at least four years.

Every month: a short close

At the end of each month:

1. Reconcile invoices with bank transactions.
2. Confirm that all expenses have been recorded.
3. Calculate accumulated IVA separately.
4. Reconcile IRPF withheld by clients.
5. Review the income estimate reported to Social Security.

IVA collected from a client is not the autónomo's income. It is sensible to keep it in a tax reserve until Modelo 303 is filed.

If actual income moves materially away from the forecast, Importass allows you to update expected net income and the contribution base.

Final week of the quarter

Before closing, check:

• whether all client invoices have been issued;
• whether any expenses are missing;
• whether NIF and VAT numbers are correct;
• whether Spanish and intra-EU transactions are classified correctly;
• whether major purchases have sufficient documentation;
• which assets must be depreciated;
• whether IRPF withholding matches the accounts;
• which tax forms are actually required.

Forms that may be required

Not every autónomo files every form.

Modelo 303 — IVA return

This reports IVA charged to clients and deductible IVA on expenses. It is normally filed when the activity is subject to IVA and the obligation was included in the tax registration.

Modelo 130 — advance IRPF payment

This applies to business and professional activities under estimación directa — direct assessment.

A professional may be exempt when at least 70% of professional income is subject to client withholding. In the first year of an activity, the percentage is calculated using the income of the relevant quarter.

Modelo 349 — intra-EU transactions

This may be required when the autónomo is registered in ROI/VIES and has carried out transactions with businesses in other EU countries.

Modelo 111 — withholding on payments

This may apply when salaries or professional fees have been paid with IRPF withheld.

Modelo 115 — withholding on rent

This applies when business premises are rented and IRPF is withheld from the rent.

Filing windows

Period	General filing	Bank direct debit
First quarter	1–20 April	normally through 15 April
Second quarter	1–20 July	normally through 15 July
Third quarter	1–20 October	normally through 15 October
Fourth quarter	1–30 January	closes before the general deadline

These windows apply, among others, to quarterly Modelo 303 and Modelo 130 filings. Bank direct debit closes earlier and dates may shift for non-working days. Always check the AEAT calendar for the relevant year.

Five common first-quarter mistakes

1. Spending collected IVA as if it were personal income.
2. Treating IRPF withheld by a client as an additional tax rather than an advance already paid.
3. Deducting purchases that are unrelated to the activity or lack adequate evidence.
4. Applying the same IVA treatment to Spanish, EU and non-EU clients.
5. Starting to collect documents on the filing deadline.

Minimum quarter-end result

Before filing, the autónomo should have:

• an income ledger;
• an expense ledger;
• an investment asset register;
• the full invoice file;
• a payment reconciliation;
• the IVA calculation;
• the IRPF calculation;
• a list of EU transactions;
• submission receipts for every return;
• funds reserved for tax payments.

The main principle is simple: quarter-end work does not begin in April. It begins with the first invoice. When the records are kept current, filing becomes a normal close rather than a reconstruction of three months from a bank statement.

General information only; check your case against official sources or with a qualified professional.