Working Days – Spain
In Spain, official public holidays are divided into three levels: national, regional (autonomous communities), and local, which results in a different work calendar depending on the autonomous community and municipality. For payroll and HR management purposes, it is essential to distinguish between national public holidays, which are common throughout the territory, and regional or local holidays, which vary annually by decree. The ordinary working day is 40 hours per week from Monday to Friday.
Annual summary
| Other year | Working days | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 253 | |
| 2026 | 253 | |
| 2027 | 253 | |
| 2028 | 250 |
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Holiday rules and practice in Spain
How public holidays work in Spain, and what that means when you count working days.
- Standard work week
- Monday–Friday
- 40 hours per week
- Substitute days
- Yes
- By Royal Decree, when a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday becomes a substitute working holiday ('festivo en sustitución'). This is decided at national level annually.
- Regional variation
- Yes
- Spain has a three-tier holiday system: 8 national holidays (fiestas nacionales), up to 2 regional holidays per autonomous community (17 regions), and additional local/municipal holidays. This calculator shows national holidays only.
Bank holidays
Spain does not distinguish between bank holidays and public holidays. All official non-working days are called 'festivos' or 'días festivos'.
Local terminology
| Working day | día laborable or día hábil |
|---|---|
| Public holiday | festivo / día festivo |
| Bridge day | puente |
National holidays
- Año Nuevo (Jan 1)
- Epifanía del Señor / Reyes Magos (Jan 6)
- Viernes Santo / Good Friday
- Fiesta del Trabajo / Labour Day (May 1)
- Asunción de la Virgen (Aug 15)
- Fiesta Nacional de España (Oct 12)
- Todos los Santos (Nov 1)
- Día de la Constitución (Dec 6)
- La Inmaculada Concepción (Dec 8)
- Navidad (Dec 25)
Worth knowing
- 'Puente' (bridge day) is a cultural practice of taking a working day off between a holiday and a weekend to create a long weekend. It is not a statutory right but extremely common.
- Easter Monday is NOT a national holiday in Spain — though many regions observe it regionally.
- Immaculate Conception (Dec 8) and Constitution Day (Dec 6) often create a natural 'puente'.
- Regional governments set 2 additional holidays for their territory each year.
Frequently asked questions
How many national public holidays does Spain have and who establishes them?
Spain has 8 national public holidays of a paid and non-recoverable nature, set by the central Government through Royal Decree each year. To these are added up to 2 public holidays per autonomous community and the local holidays determined by each municipality. The maximum number of public holidays per year is 14, including national, regional, and local holidays.
What happens when a national public holiday falls on a Sunday?
When a national public holiday falls on a Sunday, the annual Royal Decree on the work calendar establishes a 'substitute holiday', which is normally moved to the following Monday. This transfer applies at the national level and must be correctly reflected in the payroll system to avoid discrepancies in the calculation of working days. Autonomous communities can also establish transfers for their own regional public holidays.
Is Easter Monday a national public holiday in Spain?
No, Easter Monday is not a public holiday of national scope in Spain, unlike in other European countries. However, several autonomous communities, such as Catalonia, Valencia, or the Balearic Islands, include it among their regional public holidays. It is important to verify the calendar of each territory before finalizing the calculation of working days for employees in different regions.
What is a 'puente' (bridge) and does it have any effect on the calculation of working days?
A puente is the common practice of taking as non-working the day that falls between a public holiday and the weekend, in order to create a longer rest period. It is not a statutory right recognized in the Workers' Statute, but rather depends on the applicable collective agreement or an agreement between the company and the employee. For purposes of the official count of working days, the bridge day remains a working day unless there is an agreement to the contrary.
How does the system of public holidays by autonomous community affect payroll management in companies with employees in several regions?
Each autonomous community sets up to 2 of its own public holidays per year, which means that employees of the same company may have different work calendars depending on their place of work. For correct payroll calculation, it is essential to apply the work calendar corresponding to the place where services are provided, not to the company's registered office. HR management systems must be configured with the specific calendars of each province or autonomous community to avoid errors in the calculation of remuneration.