In Galicia, a concert or festival does not need a single permit. It needs the authorisation that matches the space and the size of the event. The general rule is a declaración responsable filed with the concello, which authorises the event from the moment it is filed. A municipal licence comes into play when the event needs a self-protection plan, and that depends on capacity. Beneath that sit tiered mandatory insurance, security guards per 1,000 attendees and a resale ban that is tougher than the national one.
The foundation is Ley 10/2017 of 27 December on public entertainment and recreational activities in Galicia, in force since 2 July 2018 and amended by Ley 5/2025 from 1 January 2026. Its article 12 does not set out the authorisations: it refers to the regime of Ley 9/2013 on entrepreneurship and economic competitiveness in Galicia. The regulation that turns everything into numbers is Decreto 226/2022 of 22 December, published in DOG no. 13 of 19 January 2023. Self-protection rules changed in August 2026 with Decreto 83/2026. If you organise in other regions, see our guides to the Basque Country, Andalusia and Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia.
What authorisation does an event in Galicia need: declaración responsable or licence?
The answer lies in two articles of Ley 9/2013. Article 40 subjects shows to a declaración responsable as a general rule, filed "con carácter previo" (beforehand) to organising the event (40.2.a). Under article 40.5, the declaration authorises the activity from the moment it is filed, without prejudice to the concello checking it afterwards.
Article 41 lists the exceptions that require a municipal licence or regional authorisation. Four matter for a promoter:
- Venues with a capacity above 500 people (41.1.a). This is the venue's opening licence, not the event's.
- Extraordinary events that require a self-protection plan (41.1.c). For example, a one-off concert in a venue licensed for another activity.
- Setting up installations for events that must have a self-protection plan (41.1.d). The festival with a stage, marquees and fencing.
- Events in more than one municipality (41.1.e). These are authorised by the consellería (regional department), under article 4.a) of Ley 10/2017.
The Xunta explains this in its frequently asked questions on Ley 10/2017. Asked whether an open-air festival with a stage, marquee and bar needs a licence, it answers that it does if it must have a self-protection plan "conforme o artigo 41.d)" (in accordance with article 41.d)). If it does not need one, the declaración responsable applies. One caveat: that document cites the thresholds of Decreto 171/2010, which has since been repealed. The current ones are further down.
Who grants it, and how long does it take?
Almost everything goes through the concello. This is how Ley 9/2013 and Ley 10/2017 divide it up:
| Case | Authorisation | Who | Deadline and silence | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Event without a self-protection plan | Declaración responsable | Concello | Authorises from the moment it is filed | Ley 9/2013, arts. 40.2.a and 40.5 |
| Setting up installations for an event with a self-protection plan | Municipal licence | Concello | Fifteen days; silence counts as approval | Ley 9/2013, arts. 41.1.d and 42 quinquies |
| Extraordinary event in a venue, with a self-protection plan | Municipal licence | Concello | One month; silence counts as approval | Ley 9/2013, arts. 41.1.c and 42 quater |
| Venue with more than 500 people | Opening licence | Concello | Three months; silence counts as approval | Ley 9/2013, arts. 41.1.a and 42.5 |
| Event in more than one municipality | Regional authorisation | Consellería | The Xunta's own procedure | Ley 10/2017, art. 4.a |
| Popular fiestas organised by the concello | Exempt | — | — | Ley 9/2013, art. 41 bis |
The licence under article 41.1.d) requires a report setting out the type of event, location, expected attendance and schedule. It also requires an insurance declaration, a person responsible for the set-up, CE marking and a low-voltage certificate (article 42 quinquies). The one under 41.1.c) adds an emergency plan, a self-protection plan, an acoustic impact study and a medical arrangement (42 quater).
Demountable installations have their own deadline. If they go ahead with a declaración responsable, article 4.2 of Decreto 226/2022 requires it to be filed "con una antelación mínima de 2 días hábiles" (at least 2 working days in advance) before the set-up. Before opening, article 4.3 requires a certificate from a competent technician or an inspection body.
The exemptions are narrow. Besides the municipal one, Ley 9/2013 contains an exception for fiestas in its fourth additional provision which, according to the Xunta's FAQs, only covers those run by fiesta committees or neighbourhood associations. A festival of amateur bands organised by anyone else falls under the general regime of articles 40 and 41.
When is a self-protection plan mandatory in Galicia?
This is the question that decides the authorisation, and the answer changed on 25 August 2026. Decreto 83/2026 of 20 July, published in DOG no. 146, amended annex I of Decreto 172/2022, the Galician self-protection catalogue. Two months later came Order INT/1068/2026, which approved the new national guideline in the BOE of 10 October 2026.
| Type of space | Galicia (Decreto 83/2026) | National guideline (2026) | Decreto 171/2010, repealed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permanent enclosed building | 1,000 people or more | 1,000 people or more | 2,000 people or more |
| Demountable or seasonal enclosed installation | 1,500 people or more | 1,000 people or more | 2,500 people or more |
| Delimited space | 5,000 people or more | 5,000 people or more | — |
| Non-delimited space | 10,000 people or more | 20,000 people or more | 20,000 people or more, open air |
The repealed column comes from the Xunta's FAQs, which still cite it. Galicia has halved the national open-air threshold: an open festival of 12,000 people needs a plan in Galicia and would not need one under the national guideline.
Our reading of the marquee row: the national guideline is a basic one, and its section 1.4 only allows authorities to set "valores umbrales más restrictivos" (stricter threshold values). Galicia's 1,500 is less strict than the national 1,000 and predates the guideline. With that wording, the prudent course is to prepare a plan from 1,000 people in a closed marquee, and with it the licence. The magazine's report on the 2026 guideline explains the other changes.
The plan is entered in the Galician register. For temporary activities, the new article 13.2 bis allows an implementation commitment "previamente al inicio de la actividad" (before the activity begins) to be provided in place of the certificate.
What public liability insurance does Galicia require, by capacity?
Article 8 of Ley 10/2017 requires owners and organisers to hold a public liability policy. The organiser of an occasional event needs one even if the venue already has its own, and a lack of insurance can lead to "suspensión inmediata" (immediate suspension) (8.4). The cover amounts are in article 8.1 of Decreto 226/2022:
| Capacity or expected attendance | Delimited open-air event | Non-delimited open-air event | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to 100 | €200,000 | €100,000 | €300,000 |
| 101 to 150 | €300,000 | €200,000 | €400,000 |
| 151 to 300 | €500,000 | €400,000 | €600,000 |
| 301 to 500 | €600,000 | €500,000 | €750,000 |
| 501 to 1,000 | €700,000 | €600,000 | €900,000 |
| 1,001 to 1,500 | €1,000,000 | €700,000 | €1,200,000 |
| 1,501 to 2,500 | €1,200,000 | €1,000,000 | €1,600,000 |
| 2,501 to 5,000 | €1,500,000 | €1,200,000 | €2,000,000 |
Recreational activities under heading II have the same amounts as shows in each type of space. Above 5,000, article 8.2 adds "60.000 euros por cada 1.000 personas o fracción" (€60,000 for every 1,000 people or part thereof), up to €6,000,000.
Our own calculation for a festival of 12,000 people in a fenced venue: that is 7,000 people above 5,000, seven bands of €60,000: 1,500,000 + 420,000 = €1,920,000. The €6,000,000 cap is reached in a delimited venue with 80,000 people.
Two more adjustments. Article 9 allows the concello to apply, "mediante un informe motivado" (by means of a reasoned report), a reduction coefficient of up to 30% if the event carries no special risk. In the example, the minimum would fall to €1,344,000. Fiestas run by committees or neighbourhood associations have their own minimum of €200,000 (article 11.1). Our guide to public liability insurance for events explains what the policy covers.
What security, medical cover and toilets does Decreto 226/2022 require?
The decree turns what the law leaves open into ratios. There are four blocks.
Guards and command post
Article 13.5 requires at least "un vigilante de seguridad por cada 1.000 asistentes" (one security guard per 1,000 attendees) when seated. For standing audiences the ratio rises "a 2 vigilantes por cada 1.000 asistentes, a partir de los 2.000 primeros" (to 2 guards per 1,000 attendees, after the first 2,000). It does not apply to fiestas and verbenas run by committees or neighbourhood associations.
Our calculation for 12,000 people standing. If the double ratio only applies to what goes beyond 2,000, the result is 2 + 20 = 22 guards. If it applies to the whole audience once that threshold is passed, it is 24. The text allows both readings, and the prudent one is the second. The details on accreditation are in our guide to security guards at events.
Outdoors, between 2,000 and 5,000 people, the organiser appoints a person who is present "en todo momento" (at all times) coordinating first aid, fire and evacuation (13.4). Above 5,000, article 13.3 makes a forward command post linked to 112 a "condición indispensable" (essential condition).
Notice to the Galician Emergency Agency
Above 5,000 people, article 13.3 of Decreto 226/2022 requires the event to be notified to the Galician Emergency Agency "con una antelación mínima de un mes" (at least one month in advance). Annex V of Decreto 172/2022, as worded in 2026, says "diez días" (ten days). Our reading: both rules are in force, and giving a month's notice satisfies both.
Medical assistance
Article 12 requires a signposted first-aid kit in venues of fewer than 500 people and open spaces of fewer than 1,000. Between 500 and 1,000 in a venue, and between 1,000 and 5,000 outdoors, a first-aid point and a person with accredited knowledge throughout the event are added. Above that, the decree refers to self-protection. A comparison between regions is in our guide to ambulances at events.
Toilets
For events lasting more than 90 minutes, article 14 requires 3 toilets for up to 500 people and 4 for 501 to 1,000, one of them accessible. Above that, one toilet is added for each band of 500 people, and there must be changing tables in both the men's and women's toilets (14.4).
What rules does Galicia set for ticket sales?
Here Galicia is among the strictest regions. The law sets out the principles in article 18 and the regulation details them in articles 19 to 29.
When sales can open
Article 22.1 of Decreto 226/2022 only allows sales "cuando se haya presentado la correspondiente declaración responsable" (when the corresponding declaración responsable has been filed), or the licence or authorisation has been applied for. A presale opened before the paperwork is filed breaks the rule, even if the event is months away. Article 22.4 adds that tickets and passes cannot exceed the maximum capacity "en ningún caso" (in any case). Getting that figure right is easier if ticket issuing and door counts come from the same access control system.
What the ticket must show and how many go on sale
Article 18.1 of the law requires a sequential number, the organiser's identity and address, the event, venue, date, time, price, points of sale and, if seats are numbered, the type and number of seat. Article 18.2 requires a minimum percentage of seats to be put on sale: if none is stated, "se entenderá que este es del 70 %" (it will be understood to be 70%). For passes or members' events, it is calculated on what is not reserved (18.3).
Commissioned sales: up to 20%
Online sales by a company other than the organiser and "con un recargo sobre el precio de la entrada tendrá el carácter de venta comisionada" (with a surcharge on the ticket price shall be treated as a commissioned sale) (article 25.3). This requires a written agreement with the ticketing company, including the cancellation and refund regime (26). The surcharge "no podrá exceder del 20 %" (may not exceed 20%) of the official price. Our calculation: on a €25 ticket, the maximum is €5. The ticket must carry the "Venta comisionada" (commissioned sale) stamp showing the initial and final price (26.3).
Resale and refunds
Article 18.4 of the law says: "Se prohíbe la reventa de entradas en papel o en cualquier medio o soporte electrónico" (The resale of tickets on paper or by any electronic medium or format is prohibited). Article 18.5 presumes a profit motive when the resale price exceeds the purchase price, and clarifies that commissioned sales commissioned by the organiser are not resale. The European Consumer Centre names Galicia as a region that "ha prohibido de forma expresa la reventa telemática" (has expressly banned online resale). The national framework is in our guide to ticket resale in Spain.
On refunds, article 29 of the decree sets no deadline: the refund is made after a claim and according to the conditions of sale. If the event is suspended after it has started, the same article ties the refund to the cause not being force majeure or to "un tercio del tiempo previsto" (a third of the scheduled time) not having elapsed. The general criteria are in our guide to refund policy.
How late can an event run in Galicia?
Hours are set by the Order of 23 October 2020, published in DOG no. 219, which implements article 17 of Ley 10/2017. Its article 5 gives a time for each type of show or venue:
| Show or venue | Closing time | Art. 5 section |
|---|---|---|
| Theatre and music shows | 4:00 | I.2 |
| Popular fiestas and verbenas | 4:00 | II.5 |
| Concert halls | 4:30 | III.2.4.5 |
| Dance halls and nightclubs | 6:00 | III.2.7.1 and III.2.7.2 |
| Trade fair venues | 1:00 | III.1.7 |
Article 7 adds "media hora" (half an hour) on Friday-to-Saturday, Saturday-to-Sunday and Sunday-to-Monday nights, and on the eves of public holidays and public holidays. Article 9 allows the concello to extend hours for fiestas, Carnival, Easter and Christmas, and 9.5 for musical shows "de características específicas o excepcionales" (with specific or exceptional characteristics). In no case may the extension exceed 2 hours.
At closing, clearing the venue has a maximum of 30 minutes up to 500 people, 45 minutes for 501 to 2,999 and one hour from 3,000 (article 6). There must be 4 hours between closing and the next opening (3.4). No show opens before 6:00 (4.2). If your line-up finishes in the early hours, ask the concello for the extension before fixing times with the artists.
Minors have been covered by another rule since 7 March 2026. Galicia's Ley 6/2025 requires an official document to be requested when selling alcohol unless the person is obviously an adult (25.1), and requires signs "en gallego y castellano" (in Galician and Spanish) (26.1). The details are in our guide to alcohol and minors at events.
What fines apply for non-compliance?
They are set by article 36 of Ley 10/2017. The offences are defined in articles 32 to 34, partly amended by Ley 5/2025:
| Type of offence | Fine | Examples from the law |
|---|---|---|
| Very serious | €30,001 to €600,000 | Holding an event without the required authorisation; having no valid insurance; exceeding capacity with serious risk (art. 32) |
| Serious | €301 to €30,000 | Exceeding capacity without serious risk; breaching hours; breaching sales rules or reselling (art. 33) |
| Minor | Up to €300 | Failing to display the mandatory information to the public (art. 34) |
Very serious offences can add closure, suspension or disqualification of up to three years, or permanent closure with a ban of up to ten years on the same activity in Galicia. Serious ones, up to one year. Under article 38, offences expire after six months, two years and three years depending on their seriousness.
Our own calculation: the ceiling of a serious offence, €30,000, sits right below the floor of a very serious one, €30,001, and the ceiling of the very serious fine is twenty times higher (600,000 / 30,000 = 20). Exceeding capacity appears in both tables: what decides whether the fine reaches €30,000 or €600,000 is whether there is "riesgo grave para la seguridad de personas o bienes" (serious risk to the safety of people or property).
Our reading: the offence easiest to commit by accident is opening sales before filing the declaration. Article 22.1 of the decree forbids it, and article 33 of the law punishes breaching the sales rules.
Checklist before announcing the event
Work out the self-protection plan first. Using the thresholds in Decreto 83/2026: 1,000 people in a building, 1,500 in a marquee (1,000 if you follow the national guideline), 5,000 in a delimited venue and 10,000 with no perimeter. The authorisation depends on this.
Choose the authorisation and the date. Without a plan, a declaración responsable before organising the event and 2 working days before the set-up. With a plan, a licence under article 41.1.d) with at least fifteen days for the silence rule to apply.
Do not open sales before filing the paperwork. Article 22.1 of Decreto 226/2022 ties sales to the declaration or the licence application.
Calculate insurance using the table in article 8. Above 5,000 people, add €60,000 for every 1,000 or part thereof. And ask the concello whether it will apply the reduction coefficient in article 9.
Count guards using the prudent reading. Two per 1,000 standing, across the whole audience, once you pass 2,000.
Notify the Galician Emergency Agency a month ahead if you expect more than 5,000 people, and set up the forward command post.
Review the contract with the ticketing company. A written agreement, a surcharge of up to 20%, the commissioned sale stamp and at least 70% of seats on sale.
Request the extension of hours in writing if the event runs past 4:00. The cap is 2 hours above the general hours.
Sources
- Ley 10/2017 of 27 December on public entertainment and recreational activities in Galicia, consolidated text — BOE (DOG no. 1, 2 January 2018), arts. 4, 5, 8, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18, 32 to 34, 36 and 38
- Ley 9/2013 of 19 December on entrepreneurship and economic competitiveness in Galicia, consolidated text — BOE, arts. 40, 41, 41 bis, 42, 42 quater and 42 quinquies
- Decreto 226/2022 of 22 December, organisation and development of public entertainment and recreational activities — DOG no. 13, 19 January 2023, arts. 4, 8, 9, 11 to 14, 22 and 25 to 29
- Decreto 83/2026 of 20 July, amending Decreto 172/2022, catalogue of activities that must adopt self-protection measures — DOG no. 146, 5 August 2026, art. 13.2 bis and annexes I and V
- Order of 23 October 2020, opening and closing hours of establishments open to the public and public entertainment — DOG no. 219, 30 October 2020, arts. 3 to 7 and 9
- Most frequently asked questions on the application of Ley 10/2017 — Xunta de Galicia, Dirección Xeral de Emerxencias e Interior, accessed 11 November 2026
- Order INT/1068/2026 of 7 October, Basic Civil Protection Planning Guideline on self-protection — BOE no. 252, 10 October 2026, section 1.4 and annex I, section E
- Ley 6/2025 of 23 December on the protection of the health of minors and the prevention of addictive behaviours in Galicia — BOE no. 40, 14 February 2026, arts. 25 and 26
- Ticket resale — European Consumer Centre in Spain, Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda, accessed 11 November 2026