At what age you can retire in Spain

Key rules

• Final age: The ordinary retirement age stops rising once it reaches 67 in 2027.
• Retiring at 65: You can retire at 65 only with a long contribution record of at least 38 years and 3 months.
• Special regimes: Special regimes may follow different rules from the general system.

The short answer

The ordinary retirement age in Spain is rising step by step from 65 to 67. If you have paid in for a long enough time, you can still retire at 65. Which age applies to you depends on how many years you have contributed, not only on your birth date.

How the age is rising

The rise is gradual. Each year the age goes up by a few months until it reaches 67:

• 2024: 66 years and 2 months
• 2025: 66 years and 4 months
• 2026: 66 years and 8 months
• 2027 onward: 67

In 2026 the ordinary age is 66 years and 8 months. From 2027 it is 67, and it stays there. The step-by-step view is in the timeline below.

When you can retire at 65

You can retire at 65 if you have a long enough contribution record. In 2026 that means at least 38 years and 3 months of contributions. From 2027 the requirement stays at 38 years and 3 months.

Months of extra payments (the two extra pay months in a year) do not count as extra time. Only the years you actually contributed count.

If you have less than 38 years and 3 months, the ordinary age applies. That is 66 years and 8 months in 2026, then 67 from 2027.

What this means for you

• If you are a newcomer with only a few years paid in Spain, plan on the ordinary age, which will be 67.
• If you have worked in Spain for decades, check whether you reach 38 years and 3 months. If you do, 65 is open to you.
• These rules cover the general contributory system. Special regimes can have different rules, so check yours if you are not in the general system.

To see which age applies to your own record, ask the Seguridad Social, which can show your contribution history and your retirement date.

For payments per year, working while you draw a pension, yearly increases and the maximum pension, see the quick answers below.

Timeline and deadlines

How the retirement age rises to 67

• Ordinary retirement age is 66 years and 2 months: In 2024

• Ordinary retirement age is 66 years and 4 months: In 2025

• Ordinary retirement age is 66 years and 8 months if you have less than 38 years and 3 months of contributions: In 2026

• Retire at 65 if you have at least 38 years and 3 months of contributions: In 2026 and from 2027 onward

• Ordinary retirement age reaches 67 and stays there: From 2027 onward

Quick answers about the Spanish pension

How many payments a year does the Spanish pension have?

The Spanish contributory pension is paid in 14 instalments a year: 12 monthly payments plus two extra payments, in June and November (or December in some cases). Payments go in by bank transfer, usually in the last days of the month. The account can be a Spanish one or another account you choose, including one abroad.

Can I work while drawing my Spanish retirement pension?

Yes, you can work while drawing a pension, but you receive only 50% of it, and only if you started drawing it at or after the ordinary retirement age. Part-time work (flexible retirement) reduces the pension in proportion to your hours. Full-time work (active retirement, or jubilación activa) requires a 100% base pension, and you and your employer pay an 8% solidarity contribution. Self-employed people who employ at least one worker can reach 100% of the pension.

How much does the Spanish pension go up each year?

Contributory pensions are revalued every January by the average annual rise in consumer prices over the previous December-to-November period. For 2026 the increase was 2.7%. Minimum and non-contributory pensions may rise more.

What is the maximum monthly pension in Spain?

The maximum contributory pension in 2026 is about 3,360 euros a month in 14 payments, or about 47,000 euros a year. In 2025 it was about 3,267 euros a month. The cap applies to contributory retirement pensions, not to minimum or non-contributory ones.