What gets you a public-order fine under the Ley de Seguridad Ciudadana

Key rules

• Fine tiers: Public-order fines run from 100 to 600 euros for minor cases, 601 to 30,000 euros for serious cases and 30,001 to 600,000 euros for very serious cases.
• Early payment: Paying within 15 days of notice of the procedure gives a 50% reduction but means accepting the fine.
• Protest notice: Organisers must give written notice at least 10 days and no more than 30 days ahead, or 24 hours when urgent.
• Drugs in public: Using or carrying drugs in public is a serious case even if you are not selling.

The short version

Spain's public-safety law (the Ley de Seguridad Ciudadana) fines specific behaviour in public. Fines come in three tiers: minor cases run from 100 to 600 euros, serious cases from 601 to 30,000 euros, and very serious cases from 30,001 to 600,000 euros. Where your fine lands inside a tier depends on how serious the conduct was and whether you have been fined before.

Conduct that gets you fined

Disrespect to officers. Showing disrespect or a lack of consideration towards police officers doing their job is a minor case. Expect a fine of 100 to 600 euros.

Refusing to identify yourself or disobeying officers. This is more serious than disrespect. It falls in the serious tier. In the worst cases it can become a crime, which is a matter for the criminal courts, not just a fine.

Using or carrying drugs in public. Consuming or possessing drugs in a public place is a serious case, even if you are not selling. Leaving drug-use items such as syringes in public is also covered. So are drug plantations that can be seen from outside. The drugs are seized. For simple possession, fines tend to be at the low end of the tier. The penalty can be suspended if you agree to join a treatment or rehabilitation programme.

Photographing or filming officers. Using images of officers in a way that puts them at risk is fined. Depending on the case, it is serious or minor. Ordinary filming that does not endanger anyone is not the target.

Protests without notice. Organisers of a demonstration on public roads must give written notice to the local government office (the Delegación or Subdelegación del Gobierno) at least 10 days and no more than 30 days beforehand, or 24 hours when urgent. A demonstration without notice is not automatically illegal. It can be dissolved if it risks public order. Organisers can be fined. Holding an unnotified protest near critical infrastructure is a serious case. Other failures can be minor. If you only attend, the duty to give notice is the organisers', not yours.

Paying early

Pay within 15 days of being told the procedure has started and you get a 50% reduction. Paying ends the procedure. It also means you accept the fine and give up administrative appeals. You can still go to court. The 15 days count from the date on the notice, so read it as soon as it arrives.

Traffic fines follow their own separate rule, not this one.

What to do if you are stopped

• Show your ID when asked. Refusing is itself a fine.
• Stay calm and polite, even if you disagree.
• Keep any notice you receive and note the date you got it.
• If a fine seems wrong, decide before the 15 days run out whether you want the discount or want to contest it.

The timeline, warnings and questions below cover the deadlines and common traps.

Timeline and deadlines

• Organisers give written notice of a demonstration on public roads to the Delegación or Subdelegación del Gobierno: at least 10 days and no more than 30 days before the event, or 24 hours when urgent

• Pay a traffic fine to get its 50% reduction: within 20 calendar days

What to watch out for

• Refusing to identify yourself or disobeying officers: Disobeying or resisting officers, or refusing to identify yourself, is a serious infraction with a fine of 601 to 30,000 euros. Serious cases can become crimes. Show your ID and follow the officer's instructions, then raise any complaint afterwards.

• Disrespect towards officers: Showing disrespect to officers doing their job is a minor infraction, fined from 100 to 600 euros. Sharing images of officers that put them in danger is also fined. Stay calm and polite, and do not publish images that could endanger officers.

• Using or carrying drugs in public: Consuming or possessing drugs in a public place, or leaving drug-use tools there, is a serious infraction, fined from 601 to 30,000 euros. The drugs are seized. Do not use or carry drugs in public. If fined, ask about suspending the penalty by joining a treatment programme.

• Organising a demonstration without notice: Organising an unnotified demonstration, or one that fails the requirements, can lead to a fine of 100 to 600 euros, or 601 to 30,000 euros in serious cases such as near critical infrastructure. Police can also dissolve it if there is a risk to public order. Give written notice to the government authority before the event.

• Missing the early-payment window: If you let the 15 days after notification pass, you lose the 50% reduction. Read the date on your notice as soon as it arrives and decide whether to pay or contest the fine.

Frequently asked questions

Is refusing to show my ID to police a minor or a serious fine?

Refusing to identify yourself is a serious infraction, with a fine of 601 to 30,000 euros. Disrespect towards officers is treated more lightly, as a minor infraction of 100 to 600 euros. Serious cases of disobedience or resistance can even become crimes under the Criminal Code.

Can I avoid the fine for using drugs in public by going into treatment?

Yes, the penalty can be suspended if you agree to take part in a treatment or rehabilitation programme. The drugs are seized either way. Ask about this option when you answer the notice.

Can I still go to court if I pay the fine early?

Yes, paying early ends the procedure but your right to appeal in court remains. Traffic fines have their own rule, with a 50% reduction if you pay within 20 calendar days.

Is a demonstration without prior notice automatically illegal?

No, a demonstration without notice is not automatically illegal, but police can dissolve it if there is a risk to public order. Organisers can also be fined, from 601 to 30,000 euros for serious cases and 100 to 600 euros for minor ones.