Who Needs to Register as a Freelancer? Your Country-by-Country Legal Guide in 2025
- Vena Verga-Danemar
- Aug 17, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Jul 13
If you’re offering your services independently, working on your own time, with your own clients, chances are you’ve asked yourself — do I need to register as a freelancer or set up a business?
Here’s the thing most online guides won’t tell you: “freelancer” is not a legal term everywhere. And this matters — a lot.
As someone who supports coaches, consultants, and small service providers in building legally aligned businesses, I see this confusion all the time.
Freelancers often assume they don’t need to register anything. But depending on where you live, that assumption could lead to tax penalties, lost benefits, or worse — building a business on shaky legal ground.
Let’s break this down.
What is a Freelancer, Legally Speaking?
A freelancer is someone who works independently, often for multiple clients, and gets paid per project or per hour. You are not an employee. You don’t have a boss. But you also don’t get paid if you get sick, unless you have insurance. And no, you don’t automatically get legal protection just because you’re "just a freelancer."
But here’s what most people miss: being a freelancer still comes with legal responsibilities.
Whether you’re a graphic designer in Switzerland, a life coach in Sweden, or a virtual assistant in the US, one question matters more than anything when you're starting out:
Who needs to register as a freelancer—and what does that even mean?
Freelancing and self-employment are often used interchangeably, but from a legal standpoint, they’re not always the same thing.
Here is a simply way of remembering the difference:
In some countries, you can freelance without registering a business entity. Think of Germany: if you're a "Freiberufler" (freelancer), you're not automatically a sole proprietor.
In others, freelancing means you must register as a sole proprietor or choose another legal form. In the UK or Sweden, for example, the moment you start working for yourself, you’re running a business — even if it’s just you, your laptop, and one client.
So... Do You Need to Register as a Freelancer?
This question is actually wrong. The key question you need to ask is this:
Can I register as a freelancer without setting up a business entity?
If yes, you may be able to start freelancing with minimal requirements.
If no, you’ll need to choose a business structure (sole proprietorship, limited liability company, etc.) and complete the relevant paperwork before your first invoice.
The most common requirement? Registering with your local tax agency.
But again, each country treats freelancing differently — which is why I compiled this practical guide based on real-life experience helping service providers across Europe and beyond.
Freelancer Registration Requirements by Country
Below is a summary of freelancer registration requirements across key countries. I've included the legal classification, registration needs, and where to go to make it official.
Skip to the country:
How to Register as a Freelancer in the United States
In the United States, freelancers do not need to register to get started, provided, they use their own names! Now, if you want to use another name and not your name, then registering a DBA or “Doing Business As” is required.
You need to pay taxes if your income reaches $400
If you are a freelancer, you are considered an unregistered sole proprietor.
If you want to register as a freelancer, then you need to operate under the name of a business (which can be your name) and register a business entity (either a sole proprietorship, limited liability company or partnership)
How to register?
First, Get an EIN Number.
The next steps will differ, so you need to check the state where you live in.
In New York, for example, click here for the steps. In general, here are the things you need to prepare when you register:
1. EIN Number
2. Business Mailing Address
3. Business name
4. Phone Number
5. Email Address
How to Register as a Freelancer in Norway
Visit the Guide for Freelancers here.
As a freelancer, you are considered an unregistered sole proprietor.
The rule is: there is no need to register as a sole proprietorship (a business entity) unless you have more than five employees, are reselling purchased goods, or you use goods as collateral.
Of course, if you prefer to incorporate a limited liability company, registration is required from the start.
Here are the links on how to register different business entities in Norway:
How to Register as a Freelancer in Switzerland
Freelancers usually register as a self-employed individuals. Here is a guide for self-employed individuals.
As a rule, you must register as a self-employed individual as soon as you have at least three clients and earn a minimum of CHF 2300 per year – expenses already removed. This means that you can start freelancing without registering!
Where to register as a self-employed individual: AHV/AVS or the compensation office / Ausgleichkassen in the Canton where your company is domiciled.
Do you need to register as a sole proprietor if you are a freelancer?
No. You don't need to register as a sole proprietor (Einzelfirma, Ditta Individuale, Raison Individuell) unless you are earning more than CHF 100,000 per year, in which case, you also need to register for VAT. Below this threshold, it is only voluntary to register your sole proprietorship.
Where to register? Handelregisteramt / Registre du Commerce where your business is going to be located.
How to Register as a Freelancer in Denmark
Freelancers must obtain a NEM ID and CPR number.
Are you a freelancer or a sole proprietor? Here is a guide:
How to Register Your Sole Proprietorship or Limited Liability Company, check out these links:
How to Register as a Freelancer in Germany
Freelancers (Freiberufler) are self-employed individuals who work simultaneously for multiple clients and employers.
Unlike tradespeople (Gewerbetreibende), they usually operate under their own name rather than a company name and do not have to register with the trade office or pay a trade tax.
How to register: Register as a freelancer with the tax office no later than four weeks after you start working. The responsible tax office is the one at your place of business, in most cases, probably at your place of residence.
You can inform them in an informal letter that you are taking up freelance work. The letter should contain your contact details, tax identification number, description of the activity, and the start date. What if you are, in fact, a tradesperson? Then register your sole proprietorship by filling up this form: Fill up Gewerbeanmeldung
If you are a Small Business not earning more than 22,000 Euros in the first year and 50,000 Euros in the second year, you can be considered a Kleingewerbe. As a Kleingewerbe, you don't need to be entered in the commercial register (Handelregisteramt). But you still need to be registered in the trade office (Gewerbeamt)
How to Register as a Freelancer in Sweden
As a freelancer in Sweden, you are automatically considered a sole trader / sole proprietor unless you opt to set up a limited liability company.
As a sole proprietor, you must register with the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket). You can, but do not have to, register with the Swedish Companies Registration Office (Bolagsverket).
To register as a Sole proprietor, click here.
To register as a Limited Liability Company, click here.
How to Register as a Freelancer in the Netherlands
As a freelancer (zelfstandige zonder personeel, zzp'er), you need to register with the KVK and choose whether you will be a sole proprietor (Eenmanszaak), general partnership (Vennootschap onder firma) or Limited Liability (Besloten vennootschap (bv) or naamloze vennootschap (nv))
Click here for more details on how to register.
When: You must register your company. Within one week before or after the start of your business activities.
How to Register as a Freelancer in the United Kingdom
In the UK, a freelancer is automatically considered a sole trader or a sole proprietor.
To start freelancing, you need to register as a sole proprietor as soon as you earned at least £1,000 from self-employment in a given year (usually from April of the last year to April of the current year). Click here to see the rules that are applicable to sole traders.
Of course, you can set up a limited liability company instead. Click here.
Or Partnership, click here for the details.
How to Register as a Freelancer in Australia
Freelancers must register and get an ABN or Australian Business Number. Click here to apply for one. This is important because if you fail to quote your ABN when invoicing Australian businesses, they can legally withhold up 47% of the payment. When you register for an ABN, you will be asked whether you are registering as a sole trader, sole proprietor, or some other business entity. This means you need to choose a business structure before starting your freelancing job.
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About the Author
Hi! I’m Vena Verga-Danemar, an Onlinepreneur Legal Strategist. As both a lawyer and an online business owner, I’ve helped dozens of coaches, consultants, and course creators legally start and grow their businesses using strategies that don’t require working 24/7.
Follow me in Instagram and Linkedin for tips and strategies on running a sustainable business that attracts leads and clients without the legal drama.
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