It's one of the most common questions among self-employed monotributistas in Argentina: do I need to get ART? The answer depends on a single factor, and it isn't how much you bill or which tax category you're in: it's whether someone works for you as an employee. Here is why the ART system does not cover you yourself, what alternative exists, and what obligation appears the moment you hire your first employee.
Why a monotributista with no staff is not covered by the ART system
Law 24,557 on Occupational Risks requires every employer with employees to join an ART (art. 3). A monotributista working alone is not anyone's employee: they are their own employer, and the ART system is built to cover the relationship between an employer and an employee, not the risk of someone working for themselves. That is why there is no standard process today for a monotributista to join an ART to cover themselves, even if they wanted to pay for it.
The real alternative: a personal accident policy
If you work alone and want cover in case an accident keeps you from working, the alternative available in the insurance market is a personal accident policy. It is not an ART and does not replace its specific benefits (medical care for a workplace accident, rehabilitation, vocational retraining): it's a different product, designed to pay you a sum of money if you suffer a disability or an accident, regardless of whether it happened while working. Taking it out is a commercial decision, not a legal requirement.
Hiring one employee changes the obligation completely
The moment a monotributista takes on an employee, even just one and even part-time, they are bound by the same obligation as any company: they must enroll that worker with an ART (Law 24,557, art. 3). Your monotributista tax category does not exempt you from anything: what creates the obligation is the employment relationship with that person, not how you invoice. The ART covers your employee, not you.
What changed with the 2024-2026 labor reform
Law 27,742 ("Bases") did not change the general rules of Law 24,557: mandatory coverage, benefits and deadlines remain the same. It did create a new, separate category: a monotributista can have up to 3 "colaboradores" with no employment relationship, and for them the unified monthly contribution includes a personal accident coverage scheme, not ART enrollment (Decree 847/2024). That category is meant for someone who adds help without hiring an employee; if you hire someone as an employee instead, you still need an ART like any employer.
How to insure your first employee
If you're about to register your first worker, ART is quoted with two pieces of information: your industry and your payroll (how many employees and what wages you'll declare). With that, an insurance broker compares the authorized occupational risk insurers and puts together a proposal; after that, the premium is declared and paid every month together with the rest of payroll contributions, in Form 931 filed with ARCA.
Conclusion
In short: if you are a monotributista working alone, ART is not for you, and the alternative to cover yourself is a personal accident policy. If you hire even one employee, ART stops being optional and becomes a legal requirement, just as it is for any SME. Knowing this difference avoids two common mistakes: overpaying for something that doesn't cover you, or going without mandatory coverage the moment you hire someone.
Related reading
The complete ART guide for SMEs and monotributistas
Who must carry it, how the premium is calculated and paid, what it covers and what happens with debt or no ART.
Go to the ART guideFrequently asked questions
Can I pay for ART to cover myself if I'm a monotributista with no employees?
There is no standard process for that today: the Law 24,557 system covers employees, and a monotributista working alone is not covered as a worker under that system. The market alternative is a personal accident policy.
What's the difference between ART and a personal accident policy?
ART is the mandatory Law 24,557 system for employees, with specific benefits (medical care, rehabilitation, vocational retraining, cash benefits). A personal accident policy is a different commercial product, unrelated to that law, that pays a sum of money after an accident.
If I hire just one employee, do I already need ART?
Yes. The obligation appears with the first employee, regardless of your monotributista tax category (Law 24,557, art. 3).
Are the Bases Law's "colaboradores" covered by an ART?
No. For a monotributista with up to 3 colaboradores with no employment relationship, the unified contribution includes a personal accident coverage scheme, separate from ART enrollment (Decree 847/2024).
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