Rules for business premises in Spain
Which inspections, logs and checks Spanish law requires of business premises
One page per sector and one per installation. Each says what the rule requires, from what size or power, how often, who does it and which paper is kept, with the article and the link to the official gazette. And what the rule does not say, which is usually what gets repeated most.
Every inspection at a glance
The essentials of each installation in one row. The exact conditions and exceptions are on its page.
| Inspection | Rule | How often | Who does it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fire protection (RIPCI) | RD 513/2017 (RIPCI), Arts. 21 and 22 and Annex II | 3 and 6 months; 1 and 5 years; inspection every 10 years unless exempt | Owner (3 and 6 months), maintenance company (1 and 5 years), inspection body (10) |
| Self-protection plan | Basic Self-Protection Directive (Orden INT/1068/2026), Annexes I and II | Drill at least once a year; plan reviewed at least every 5 years | The owner of the activity; drafted and signed by a qualified technician |
| Low-voltage inspection | REBT (Royal Decree 842/2002), ITC-BT-05 | Every 5 years; every 10 for residential common areas over 100 kW | An accredited inspection body (OCA) for low voltage |
| Thermal installations (RITE) | RITE (Royal Decree 1027/2007, amended by RD 178/2021) | Maintenance per table 3.1; inspection every 4 years above 70 kW | Maintenance company; inspection by an independent accredited expert |
| Legionella | RD 487/2022, annexes IV and V | Hot water: daily temperature; yearly disinfection; quarterly Legionella test | Holder; treatment by qualified staff or a ROESB-registered firm |
| Lift inspection | ITC AEM 1 (RD 355/2024), Arts. 5 and 11 | Monthly maintenance; inspection every 2, 4 or 6 years by building type | Lift maintenance company and inspection body (OCA) |
| Swimming pools | RD 742/2013, Arts. 3 and 11 and annex III | Public use: daily check before opening and monthly lab analysis | Holder, with trained staff and a laboratory |
| HACCP (APPCC) | Regulation (EC) 852/2004, Art. 5 and annex II; RD 1021/2022, Art. 20 | Permanent; reviewed when a product or a process changes | The business itself, with a named person; no external certificate |
| Defibrillator (AED) | RD 365/2009 plus each region's decree (Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia…) | Maintenance per the manufacturer; report each use (72 h in several regions) | The holder of the premises: notification, maintenance and trained staff |
A summary: the thresholds that trigger each obligation are on each inspection's page.
Rules by sector
- Restaurants and barsThe obligations of a restaurant or a bar in Spain: what is specific to the kitchen and the checks on the premises, each with the condition that triggers it, how often it applies and its article.
- GymsA gym: no national law; qualifications, insurance and notices under each region's sports professions act, plus low voltage, Legionella, pool, RIPCI and defibrillator as premises.
- HotelsA hotel: guest register and reporting within 24 hours, regional classification, low voltage and lift as a public-assembly venue, RIPCI, Legionella, pool, kitchen and defibrillator.
- Residents' associationsThe obligations of a Spanish residents' association: upkeep, reserve fund, owners' meeting and administrator under the Horizontal Property Act, building logbook, building inspection and the checks on each communal installation.
- Shops and franchisesA shop: responsible declaration up to 750 m², opening hours, prices, franchises with no register since 2018, complaint forms, accessibility adjustments and the inspections of premises open to the public.
- OfficesThe obligations of an office in Spain: temperature and upkeep of the premises, screen work, health and safety, coordination with contractors, internal reporting channel, right to disconnect and building checks.
- SchoolsA school: minimum facilities, protocols against violence and a wellbeing coordinator, canteen and menus from April 2026, self-protection and the building inspections.
- Industrial unitsAn industrial unit: fire inspection every five years under the 2025 regulation, chemical storage (APQ), air receivers, work equipment, low voltage, cooling towers and self-protection.
Inspections by installation
- Fire protection (RIPCI)RIPCI checks: quarterly by the owner, yearly and five-yearly by the maintenance company, records kept for five years and an inspection every ten years, with its exemptions.
- Self-protection planWho needs a self-protection plan under the Basic Directive in force since 11 October 2026, what it contains, how often it is reviewed and what the regions add.
- Low-voltage inspectionInspection by an accredited body every 5 years for the premises in ITC-BT-05 (bars, restaurants and hotels always) and every 10 years for residential common areas over 100 kW.
- Thermal installations (RITE)Maintenance company from 5 kW; contract, annual certificate and efficiency inspection every 4 years above 70 kW, with the minimum intervals of table 3.1.
- LegionellaWhat Royal Decree 487/2022 requires of the holder of business premises: a control plan, hot water temperatures, yearly disinfection, Legionella sampling and records kept for five years.
- Lift inspectionWhat ITC AEM 1 (Royal Decree 355/2024) requires of a lift's holder: a contract with a lift maintenance company, monthly servicing, a periodic inspection every 2, 4 or 6 years and deadlines for defects.
- Swimming poolsWhat Royal Decree 742/2013 requires by type of pool: self-monitoring, daily and monthly checks, information for users and incidents, and what it leaves to the autonomous communities.
- HACCP (APPCC)What Article 5 of Regulation 852/2004 requires of a bar, a restaurant or an institutional kitchen in Spain: the seven principles, the records, the flexibility and what is no longer in force.
- Defibrillator (AED)What the Spanish national rule on defibrillators requires, and who must have one in Madrid, Catalonia, Andalusia and the Basque Country, with each threshold and article.