Public Conduct — Spain
What travelers need to know about public conduct in Spain. What is legal at home can be a serious crime here — each rule links to its official source.
Public Conduct in Spain: restricted — there are real limits travelers must follow.
Spain's national Citizen Security Law fines a range of public behaviour that is not a crime. Serious infractions include refusing to identify yourself when police ask, or giving them false details, and disobeying or resisting police. Minor infractions include drinking alcohol in streets, public places, establishments or public transport when it seriously disturbs public peace, obscene exposure in public, disrespecting police officers doing their job, damaging or defacing public property or private property on the street, climbing buildings or monuments without permission where it puts people or property at real risk, and unauthorised street selling. This is the national law; towns and regions can have additional local rules.
Serious infractions (Ley Orgánica 4/2015, art. 36, including refusing to identify yourself or giving false details, art. 36.6): fine of 601 to 30,000 euros, lowest band 601 to 10,400 euros. Minor infractions (art. 37, including drinking in public when it seriously disturbs public peace, art. 37.17; obscene exposure, art. 37.5; disrespecting police, art. 37.4; damage to public property, art. 37.13; unauthorised street selling, art. 37.7): fine of 100 to 600 euros (art. 39.1). Items used to commit the infraction can be confiscated (art. 39.2.b).
§ Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado - Ley Orgánica 4/2015, de 30 de marzo, de protección de la seguridad ciudadana, texto consolidado (última actualización 23/02/2021), arts. 36, 37 y 39Verified Sep 22, 2026