Webcam model taxes in Spain: self-employment, income tax and VAT explained simply

Is it income you have to declare?

Yes. What you receive from a platform such as Stripchat is income from an economic activity and, like any other income, it is declared in your personal income tax (IRPF). It doesn't matter that the platform is outside Spain or that you are paid by bank transfer, e-wallet or another method: what counts is that you live and work in Spain.

That is why it is better to set things up properly from the start than to have to fix them later.

Registering with Hacienda and Social Security

When the activity is regular, the usual step is to register as self-employed: with Hacienda, through the census declaration of starting an activity under the business code your accountant recommends, and with Social Security, in the self-employed scheme (RETA).

Since 2023 self-employed contributions in Spain are based on the net income you expect to earn, and there are reductions for people registering for the first time. Amounts and conditions change every year, so check them on the Social Security website or with your accountant before you register.

Income tax: quarterly payments and the annual return

As a self-employed worker you will usually make quarterly income tax prepayments and then file the annual return, which adjusts what you have already paid. You can deduct expenses related to the activity, as long as they are backed by invoices and connected to your work.

Expenses people often discuss with their accountant include equipment (camera, lights, microphone), part of their internet bill or materials used in shows. What is deductible, and in what proportion, depends on your case.

VAT with a foreign platform

VAT is the part that raises the most questions. When you provide services to a company established outside Spain, VAT can work differently from a sale to a private person, and in some cases it means registering in the intra-EU operators register (ROI) and filing information returns.

How it affects you depends on where the company you contract with is established and how your activity is organised. This is exactly where it pays to ask an accountant who knows online content creators.

Keep records from day one

• Keep the weekly payout records shown in your model dashboard.
• Note currency conversions if you are paid in dollars.
• Keep invoices for all the equipment you buy.
• Use a bank account or e-wallet just for this activity.

With everything organised, your accountant can file your returns faster and with fewer mistakes.

Privacy and the tax office

Registering doesn't mean your viewers will find out who you are. Your tax details are handled by Hacienda, Social Security and your accountant, and on the platform only your stage name is visible. For the rest of your privacy, read our anonymity guide.

More information to get started

If you are thinking about starting, visit our Work as a webcam model from home page and read what webcam models really earn on the Costa Blanca, where we explain how and when Stripchat pays according to its own sources. If you live on the Costa Blanca, there are also guides for Dénia and Jávea. Adults 18+ only; all the work is online.