San Marino’s new family law comes into force today, Monday 28 September.
The changes touch on different moments of family life: the birth of a child, months of parental leave, nursery costs, children’s illnesses and the need to care for a non-self-sufficient relative. However, the law’s entry into force does not coincide with the actual start of every benefit: some will kick in on later dates, while others will require implementing procedures and regulations.
A €1,000 baby bonus, even for children born in 2026
Among the most immediate measures to be aware of is the €1,000 baby bonus for every child born or adopted from 1 January 2026. This provision therefore also covers births and adoptions that took place before the law entered into force. The contribution applies to children of residents or holders of an ordinary residence permit and is subject to a household per-capita annual income limit of €25,000. It does not count towards taxable income.
The amount of ordinary family allowances also changes: they remain monthly but increase according to the number of dependants: €100 for the first, €125 for the second, €155 for the third, €180 for the fourth and €210 from the fifth onwards. The new amounts take effect from the month following the law’s entry into force, meaning from October, and from 2027 they will be adjusted annually for inflation. The law also envisages a future review in light of ICEE (equivalent economic situation indicator) criteria.
Greater protection during maternity and parental leave
On the leave front, the main financial change concerns the period following maternity leave. During the first three months of parental leave, the allowance rises to 80% of salary, with a minimum of €1,500 a month. For the following period the law provides for 40%, with a minimum of €1,000 a month, and then 20%, with a minimum of €500, according to the conditions and timeframes set out in the measure. Leave can be taken alternately by the parents and extends up to the child’s first eighteen months, with a longer duration in the case of multiple births. Leave periods also count towards notional contributions and seniority for career progression.
Specific protection is introduced for unemployed women. If they are residents or hold an ordinary residence permit, and have no job or social safety-net support during the period specified by the law, they will be entitled to a pregnancy and postpartum allowance equal to 80% of the average local contractual wage of an industrial worker, for a maximum of 150 days.
Measures are also planned for non-working student mothers attending secondary school or university who meet the required criteria. The allowance is €1,500 a month for the first three months, €1,000 up to the child’s first year and €500 for the subsequent period up to the eighteenth month, provided that, for this last phase, the child does not attend nursery school. The duration can extend to twenty-four months in the case of multiple births.
Twenty paid days for fathers
Paternity leave rises to 20 days paid at 100%, to be used within the first year after birth, even on non-consecutive days and even while the mother is on leave. Part of it can be taken in hourly instalments; for the additional ten days, hourly splitting depends on compatibility with the job and agreement with the employer. The law also grants fathers notional contributions and continued seniority during leave, and prohibits dismissal during that period.
The aim is to allow greater sharing of time devoted to children even after birth. During the first four years of a child’s life, fathers and mothers will be able to request part-time work, even simultaneously. To encourage employers to grant this, contribution relief is provided. The part-time work period also receives pension protection, with rules for supplementing contributions and calculating pensions. Where duties allow, the law also provides for the possibility of requesting remote or flexible work for those covered by the regulation.
Medical visits, children’s illnesses and nursery fees
In day-to-day childcare, paid leave for children’s medical appointments increases from five to eight hours a year. Protection is also extended when a child falls ill: up to the age of 14, each employed parent — or self-employed parent in good standing with contributions — can alternately access sickness benefits in the case of the child’s certified illness lasting more than two days or hospitalisation.
The law also addresses service costs. Reductions in nursery school fees vary according to per-capita taxable income and the number of children. For a family with one child and a per-capita income not exceeding €9,000 a year, the reduction is 50%. With two children, percentages range from 20% to 85% depending on the income bracket; with three or more children, they can reach 100%. Benefits are also provided for school meals. These provisions apply from the month following the law’s entry into force, pending the full operability of the ICEE.
For single pregnant women and single-parent households meeting the conditions set out in the law, a €50 monthly contribution is introduced upon request. Accrued monthly payments will be disbursed in a single instalment in December, credited to the SMAC Card. For certain single-parent households in particularly severe circumstances, exemption from nursery fees and school meal costs is also provided for, under the conditions set out in the law.
Caregivers and pensions: other changes
One chapter of the reform concerns those who provide ongoing family care for a non-self-sufficient person. The law formally recognises the role of family caregiver, distinguishing profiles based on weekly commitment and providing for a subsidy and support measures. For the qualification and financial support to become concretely accessible, implementing regulations must be adopted within four months of the law’s entry into force. Training courses and temporary respite measures are also envisaged.
On the pensions front, the penalty for early retirement by working mothers is reduced: the reduction is 1.5 percentage points with one child, 3 points with two, and 4.5 points with three or more children. The law also amends incentives for those who delay retirement.
