Three Kings’ Day, new V-16 mild for drivers, minimal wage enhance, the brand new nationwide journey cross, these are simply a few of the adjustments and occasions occurring in Spain through the first month of 2026.
Three Kings’ Day
The festive season in Spain isn’t over but firstly of January with the ringing in of the New Year. There’s one more celebration on January fifth and sixth with the arrival of the Reyes Magos (Wide Men or Three Kings). On the evening of January fifth, the Kings arrive in cities and cities throughout Spain with a number of pomp and circumstance and quite a few parades. They then journey across the nation delivering their presents to youngsters earlier than a sort of second Christmas is well known on January sixth.
El Niño Lottery
Every yr at Christmas, Spaniards go mad for lotteries, queuing for hours to purchase tickets for the well-known Christmas lottery – El Gordo (‘The Fat One’), as it’s recognized. There is, nonetheless, a second Christmas lottery, referred to as El Niño on January sixth. It is not fairly as well-known and the prizes aren’t fairly as massive, however nonetheless over €700 million is dished out for it yearly.
V-16 emergency lights
From January 1st 2026, will probably be necessary for all drivers in Spain to hold a V-16 emergency mild of their vehicles. Moving ahead, they are going to exchange warning triangles, in case of an accident or a breakdown. It’s primarily a small yellow or orange LED mild that’s outfitted with geolocation connectivity and is able to emitting a high-intensity 360º mild. If you don’t have one in every of these new lights you could possibly be fined €80 to €200, relying on the scenario, however Spain’s Directorate of Traffic (DGT) has confirmed there shall be a grace interval firstly of the yr whereas folks get used to the brand new guidelines.
READ ALSO – Driving in Spain: Which V-16 emergency mild do you have to purchase?
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Nationwide journey cross
Spain is to launch a new journey cross from January 2026, which presents limitless journey on commuter and mid-distance trains in addition to state buses throughout the nation’s 17 areas. The cross will value €60 per thirty days for adults, and €30 for younger folks below 26. The major kinds of transport it is not going to embrace are the high-speed rail providers such because the Ave and personal bus corporations.
New financial institution switch guidelines for self-employed
From the start of subsequent years, Spain’s Tax Agency shall be altering the way in which it screens and data cost transfers. Previously, banks have been required solely to report transactions of €3,000 and over, however from January, all monetary establishments – even apps like Bizum – must report all financial transactions carried out by the self-employed and small enterprise house owners.
READ ALSO: The key adjustments to financial institution transfers and cash limits in Spain
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Compulsory insurance coverage for e-scooters
From the beginning of 2026, house owners of non-public mobility autos (PMVs) in Spain resembling electrical scooters, hoverboards, electrical skateboards, electrical bikes and Segways for instance, shall be required to buy legal responsibility insurance coverage to experience them. This is a part of an modification to the Automobile Insurance Law, which was lately accredited by the Spanish authorities. Read extra about it HERE.
Tax deadline for the self employed
If you have been self-employed in Spain in 2025, you’ll have to file your fourth quarter earnings and bills from 2025 by January Twentieth 2026. If you’ve a gestor or an accountant, this implies they are going to often ask on your spreadsheets or invoices and receipts earlier than this date, to allow them to file them for you on time. If you’re submitting your self, then you definately’re almost certainly already conscious of the upcoming deadline and know when to get every part prepared by.
READ ALSO – Calendar: The tax deadlines in Spain in 2026
Increase in minimal wage set to be determined in January
Spain shall be rising its minimal wage or interprofessional wage (SMI) subsequent yr, almost certainly from the tip of January. Although the precise quantity hasn’t been agreed on but, the federal government imagine will probably be lastly accredited someday subsequent month. A panel of specialists has beneficial that Ministry of Labour enhance it by between 3.1 p.c and 4.7 p.c, which might imply round €56 gross additional per thirty days. This would push up the minimal wage to €1,240 gross per thirty days for a full-time contract job (40 hours/week), paid in 14 instalments, as is widespread in Spain.
READ ALSO: Spain mulls elevating minimal wage to €1,446 per thirty days in 2026
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Increase in monetary requirement for digital nomads
Non-EU distant staff and self-employed hoping to use for Spain’s digital nomad visa and transfer right here subsequent yr must show they earn greater than those that utilized this yr. This is as a result of the monetary requirement is linked to minimal wage and since this shall be rising, so too will the quantity digital nomads need to earn. You should show you make 200 p.c of the minimal wage. If this have been to extend to €1,240 over 14 funds as above, it implies that nomads must present earnings of €2,893.32 per calendar month. The present quantity is €2,763 per thirty days, so this may imply a rise of simply over €130 additional per thirty days.
Doctors to proceed hanging
Doctors have rejected the newest proposal from the Ministry of Health on the reform of the Framework Statute and have confirmed that new walkouts will proceed in January. Currently, stoppages are deliberate for January 14th and fifteenth, which means many non-urgent appointments and procedures will both be cancelled or re-scheduled. Doctors carried out comparable strikes for 4 days between December Ninth-Twelfth, in addition to extra again in October and June of 2025. They are demanding a 35-hour work week , the gradual elimination of 24-hour on-call shifts, in addition to voluntary early and partial retirement.
January gross sales
Sales in Spain do not start on Boxing Day (UK) or the day after Christmas as in lots of different nations, they often wait till after the Three Kings on January sixth. Like many different locations it is a time of the yr when you possibly can benefit from a few of the largest reductions. They may even attain as much as 70 p.c off the unique value.
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Festivals and occasions
Just as a result of Christmas has solely simply occurred does not imply that Spain stops celebrating, no, the truth is a complete new yr of festivities is about to start. As effectively because the Three Kings, there shall be a number of different occasions occurring in several areas of the nation. La Vijanera takes place on January 4th within the village of Silió in Cantabria with individuals wearing masks and animal-like costumes, whereas La Fiesta de la Vaquilla shall be held between January Twentieth-Twenty third in Braojos de la Sierra, Canencia , Navalafuente, Navarredonda-San Mamés in San Ildefonso and Colmenar Viejo within the area of Madrid. It’s primarily based on the traditions of the previous cattle herders, the place folks gown up and parade fake cows by way of the streets. One of San Sebastián’s most necessary festivals may also be going down – La Tamborrada. It begins at midnight on January nineteenth the place individuals gown as both troopers or cooks and march by way of town taking part in drums. This continues for a full 24-hours till January Twentieth.
New low-emission zones
On January 1st 2026, the federal government’s extension for cities with greater than 50,000 inhabitants and all of the Spanish islands to create a low-emission zone will finish. This implies that there shall be many extra ZBEs as they’re referred to as in smaller cities and cities throughout the nation. The goal is to assist cut back air air pollution in Spain’s city areas by 2050, in step with the 2015 Paris Agreement, in addition to to ensure autos are cleaner and extra sustainable. Read right here to search out out which cities could have them by the start of subsequent yr.
