Signs, menus and customers: language duties for small businesses

Key rules

• Owner's language level: You do not need a personal regional-language level to open or run a business, but the business has duties on signs and customer service.
• Regional rules: Signage and customer-service duties are set region by region, so the rules for your location are the ones that count.
• Labels: Product labels must follow the Spanish (Castilian) labelling rules.
• Enforcement: Inspections are mostly triggered by complaints, and many cases end with a warning to correct the problem.

The strength of signage and customer-service duties and the fine scales differ by region and may change, so confirm them with your regional consumer authority.

Do you need a language level as the owner?

No. You do not need a personal level in Catalan, Basque, Galician or any other regional language to open or run a business. Registering with Social Security and the tax agency, and getting local licences, do not ask for it. The duties fall on the business, not on you.

Some activities add language criteria. These are mainly ones that involve public contracts, subsidies or teaching. Check the conditions of any contract or grant before you apply.

Which duties apply to your business?

Each region with a second official language sets its own rules, so start by finding out where your business is. Rules in one region do not apply in another. The duties are about signs, information for customers and how you serve them.

• Catalonia: businesses open to the public must have signs, notices and information posted in Catalan. You can add other languages.
• Balearic Islands and Valencian Community: a similar duty applies to some signs and labels, which must be offered in the co-official language. It is stricter for the Valencian public sector.
• Basque Country: in some cases, information must be given in both official languages.
• Galicia: the duties are weaker. Galician is mostly encouraged, not required.
• Navarre: the duties apply only in the Basque-speaking zone.

Product labels

Labels follow the national and EU rules on labelling in Spanish (Castilian). Regional language rules on top of that vary, so ask the regional consumer authority about your products.

Serving customers

Customers in co-official regions have a right to be served in the co-official language. How strong that is for a private business depends on the region.

• In Catalonia, you must have the means to serve customers in Catalan in an active way.
• In the Basque Country, the right to be served in Basque applies to companies where there is a service to the public.
• The Balearic Islands and the Valencian Community give a similar right.
• In Galicia, customers can use Galician, but a private shop does not have to hire Galician speakers.

The heaviest duties fall on public bodies and regulated services. The extent of the private-sector duty is under court review in some places, so ask before you hire or rearrange your service.

What happens if you get it wrong?

The regional consumer and language authorities enforce these rules. Most cases start with a customer complaint. Many end with a warning or a request to correct the problem, and large fines are rare. Fines are graded as minor, serious or very serious, and the amounts depend on the region's scale. If you get a warning, fix it quickly. Ask the regional consumer authority for the current scale.

The checklist and the questions below cover the practical steps.

Checklist

• Find out which co-official region your business is in, since each region sets its own signage and labelling duties.

• Check that signs, notices and information open to the public are posted in the co-official language where your region requires it, for example Catalan in Catalonia.

• Check that product labels follow the Spanish (Castilian) labelling rules.

• Ask the regional consumer authority which customer-service language duties apply to your type of business.

• Ask the regional consumer authority for the current fine scale, so you know what a minor, serious or very serious breach costs.

• Fix any problem quickly if you get a warning or a request to correct it.

Frequently asked questions

Who starts most language inspections of a business?

Customer complaints start most cases, because inspections are mainly complaint-driven. Regional consumer and language authorities handle them.

How are fines for language breaches graded?

Fines are graded as minor, serious or very serious under each region's consumer protection or language law. The amount depends on the region's scale and the size of the case.

Does a small private shop in Galicia have to hire Galician speakers?

No, Galician law recognises the right to use Galician but sets no strict duty on private firms to provide staff who speak it. The practical duty falls mostly on public bodies and regulated services.

Can a regulated activity ask for a regional language level from the owner?

Yes, some regulated activities that involve public contracts, subsidies or teaching may add language criteria. Ordinary registration and local licences do not ask for one. Check the specific call or licence conditions with the office that issues them.