20 CFR § 404.1065 - Self-employment coverage.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t20/s404.1065"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "20 CFR § 404.1065 - Self-employment coverage."
title_number: 20
title_name: "Employees' Benefits"
section_number: "404.1065"
section_name: "Self-employment coverage."
chapter_name: "SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION"
part_number: "404"
part_name: "FEDERAL OLD-AGE, SURVIVORS AND DISABILITY INSURANCE (1950-  )"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
cfr_part: "404"
---


# 404.1065 Self-employment coverage.

For an individual to have self-employment coverage under social security, the individual must be engaged in a trade or business and have net earnings from self-employment that can be counted as self-employment income for social security purposes. The rules explaining whether you are engaged in a trade or business are in §§ 404.1066 through 404.1077. What are net earnings from self-employment is discussed in §§ 404.1080 through 404.1095. Section 404.1096 describes the net earnings from self-employment that are counted as self-employment income for social security purposes. See § 404.1913 for the effect of a totalization agreement on self-employment coverage. An agreement may exempt an activity from coverage as well as extend coverage to an activity.

[50 FR 36574, Sept. 9, 1985]