PAE Technical Issues: What Autónomos Need to Know

On February 3, 2025, PAE (the tool used for registering autónomos in Hacienda and Social Security) encountered technical issues due to an update from Hacienda. This has led to difficulties in registering new autónomos and making modifications simultaneously with both Hacienda and Social Security.

In this blog post, we’ll explain how this incident affects freelancers in Spain, what workarounds we are implementing, and what is required from our customers during this process.

What’s Happening with PAE?

PAE is a key tool for freelancers in Spain, enabling the simultaneous registration in both Hacienda (the Spanish tax authority) and Social Security. It simplifies the process by automatically updating both authorities at the same time and, if applicable, assigning the NAF/NUSS (Social Security Number) instantly when registering with Social Security.

However, due to the recent issues, the PAE environment is currently unavailable for these functions. While we are still able to register autónomos with Hacienda without any problem, we are unable to register them with Social Security via PAE. This creates a gap that needs to be addressed manually for now.

How This Impacts Freelancers

For freelancers looking to register as autónomos, there are two main impacts:

1. Registration with Hacienda (AEAT or Tax Office):
   • This process is unaffected by the technical issues, and we can still handle it as usual. There’s nothing additional our customers need to do for this part of the registration.
2. Registration with Social Security (SS):
   • For customers without a Social Security Number (NAF/NUSS): Normally, we would automatically obtain a Social Security Number for you through PAE, but in this case, you’ll need to request it yourself. Once you’ve obtained your NAF, if the registration issue persists, you’ll need to authorize us as a RED representative so that we can complete the Social Security registration on your behalf.
   • For customers with an existing NAF: You will need to authorize us as your RED representative. This requires a Cl@ve or Digital Certificate. If you don’t have a Digital Certificate yet, we can guide you on how to obtain one.

What Do You Need to Do?

We understand that these changes might feel a bit overwhelming, especially for new freelancers who are just starting their journey in Spain. To ensure that we can proceed with your Social Security registration, please follow the instructions based on your specific situation.

If You Don’t Have a Social Security Number (NAF/NUSS):

• You will need to request a Social Security Number from the Spanish Social Security system.
• To do this, log in here using Cl@ve or a Digital Certificate and follow the instructions on the Social Security website.
• Once you have your NAF, please send it to us at ayuda@xolo.io. We’ll then request the necessary authorization for you to accept so we can proceed with your autónomo registration.

If You Already Have a Social Security Number (NAF/NUSS):

• You’ll just need to authorize Xolo to act on your behalf in the RED system.
• To do this, click this link
• Make sure to accept the assignment to Xolo and select the first option (highlighted in green).

Please note that this authorization will automatically be removed if you are no longer a Xolo customer.

The Digital Certificate: A Key Part of the Process

One of the challenges in this situation is that Social Security requires a Digital Certificate to obtain the NAF/NUSS. As many of our customers are new expats in Spain, they may not have a Digital Certificate yet.

To solve this, we’ve partnered with Taxfinch, to help you obtain a Digital Certificate. Here are the key details:

• Cost: €30 + VAT per year of validation (Xolo will cover the first year’s cost of €30 + VAT).
• Processing Time: The process is usually quick but can take up to 1-2 days.
• Payment: The cost of the certificate will be deducted from your next month’s subscription fee if you are affected by this incident.

If you need a Digital Certificate, we’ll redirect you to Taxfinch and help you through the process. Once you have the certificate, you can authorize us in RED, and we will proceed with your Social Security registration.

What’s Next?

We understand that these changes might be inconvenient, and we truly appreciate your patience as we work through this issue. We’ll continue to monitor the situation with PAE and update you as soon as it’s back online. In the meantime, we are here to help you with any questions or concerns. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team for assistance.

Thank you for your understanding and for choosing Xolo to support you in your freelancing journey in Spain!