Health inspection in Spain: what happens and how to prepare
A health inspection in Spain usually starts with someone at the door showing an ID card, at the busiest moment of the day. It doesn't need to be a disaster. Here's who comes, what they look at and what you can do so that any day is a good day for it.
Updated 15 October 2026 · 8 min read
Who inspects
Food safety inspections in Spain are carried out by the health authority of each autonomous community (usually the *Consejería de Sanidad*), and in some large cities by the municipal health service. Inspectors are public officials: they'll identify themselves and they have the right to enter, look around, take samples and ask for documents.
Visits are normally unannounced. How often they come depends on the risk of your business: a kitchen that cooks, cools and reheats gets more visits than a shop selling packaged food. A complaint from a customer or an outbreak can also trigger a visit.
What they check
| Area | What they look at |
|---|---|
| Premises | Clean, in good repair, handwash basins with soap and paper, no signs of pests |
| Temperatures | Fridges and freezers at the right temperature, and whether you record them |
| Storage | Raw and cooked food separated, everything covered and labelled, no food on the floor |
| Handling | Hygiene of staff, clothing, how cross-contamination is avoided |
| Self-control system | Your APPCC plan and its records: cleaning, temperatures, pest control, incidents |
| Traceability | Delivery notes and batches: where each product came from |
| Your own preparations | Labels with the date they were made and when they must be used by |
| Allergens | That you can tell a customer which of the 14 allergens each dish contains |
| Training | Evidence that staff are trained for what they do |
| Registration | That the business is registered with the health authority |
During the visit
- 1Stay with the inspector or have a manager do it. Answer what you're asked, show what they ask to see, and don't argue in the moment.
- 2Have your documents to hand: the APPCC plan, the records, the pest control reports, the delivery notes. Digital is fine if you can show it on the spot.
- 3Read the report before you sign it. At the end the inspector writes up a report (*acta de inspección*). You can add your own comments, and signing it means you've received it, not that you agree with everything in it. Keep your copy.
What can happen afterwards
Most inspections end with a list of things to fix (*requerimientos*) and a deadline to fix them, followed by a check. If there's a risk to health, the inspector can seize products on the spot and, in serious cases, suspend the activity. If an offence is found, a sanctioning procedure can be opened.
| Offence | Fine | Typical cases |
|---|---|---|
| Minor | Up to €5,000 | Irregularities with no direct risk to health |
| Serious | €5,001 to €20,000 | Breaches that create a risk to public health |
| Very serious | €20,001 to €600,000 | Serious risk to health, or repeated serious offences |
Regions can also have their own rules and procedures, so the details vary from one autonomous community to another. The amounts are set according to the risk, the harm caused, intent and repetition.
A checklist to be ready any day
- Fridge and freezer temperatures recorded every day, with the corrective action written down when one goes out of range.
- Cleaning records up to date.
- Pest control contract and the latest visit report in the folder.
- Delivery notes kept and easy to find, with batches where the supplier provides them.
- Everything you make labelled with the date it was made and its use-by date.
- An allergen matrix for every dish on the menu, matching today's recipes.
- Training evidence for every member of staff.
- Your APPCC plan describing the kitchen you actually have.
If you don't speak Spanish fluently
The inspection will be carried out in Spanish (or in the region's co-official language). Make sure someone on the team can follow it, and keep your key documents in Spanish so the inspector can read them without help. It makes the visit faster and avoids misunderstandings that end up in the report.
If you're putting your self-control system together, start with APPCC explained in English. Allergens are covered in allergen rules for restaurants in Spain.
With gramo your temperature, cleaning and goods-in records are signed and timestamped, and the inspection report comes out in Spanish in one click.
Try gramo freeFrequently asked questions
- Do health inspectors in Spain warn you before they come?
- Normally not. Routine inspections are usually unannounced, and their frequency depends on the risk of the business. That's why records need to be up to date every day, not just before a visit.
- Do I have to sign the inspection report?
- You'll be asked to. Signing means you've received it, not that you agree with everything in it. You can add your own comments before signing, and you should keep your copy.
- How much is a fine for a food safety offence in Spain?
- Under Ley 17/2011, minor offences carry fines of up to €5,000, serious ones from €5,001 to €20,000 and very serious ones from €20,001 to €600,000. Regions can have their own rules, and the amount depends on risk, harm, intent and repetition.
- Can the inspector close my business?
- If there's a serious risk to health, the authority can suspend the activity as a precautionary measure until it's fixed. That's the exception; most inspections end with a list of things to correct and a deadline.
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