Published on March 16, 2026
Mandatory Digital Time Registration in 2026: Current Status, Deadlines, and How to Prepare
Is digital time registration mandatory yet? We analyze the bill's parliamentary status, expected deadlines, and what your company should do now to stay ahead.
Is digital time registration mandatory in Spain?
As of March 2026, work time registration has been mandatory since May 2019 (Royal Decree-Law 8/2019). What is NOT yet mandatory is the digital format. Current law allows paper, Excel, or any other method, as long as records are kept for 4 years and available to the Labor Inspection. However, the Government has been processing a reform since 2024 that would exclusively require digital format. The bill establishes that records must be electronic, immutable, with individual credentials per worker, and accessible in real time to inspectors. Biometric data (facial recognition, fingerprints) is explicitly excluded as a clock-in method.
Parliamentary status: why hasn't it been approved yet?
The digital time registration bill has been stalled in Congress for months. The main reason is political deadlock: the text is being processed as part of a broader labor reform that includes reducing the maximum work week to 37.5 hours, a measure that faces opposition from some parliamentary groups. Until this broader reform is unblocked, mandatory digital registration remains on hold. There is no confirmed approval date. The Government has indicated on several occasions that it could approve measures by decree if the parliamentary deadlock persists, but as of March 2026, no decree on this matter has materialized.
What requirements will the digital regulation have?
Although the final text may vary, the main requirements of the bill are clear and stable: 100% digital registration system (paper and Excel eliminated as valid methods), individual credentials per worker (PIN, QR code, or NFC card — biometric data excluded), immutable records with full traceability of any correction or modification, real-time remote access for the Labor and Social Security Inspection, and data retention for a minimum of 4 years. These requirements essentially match what the Labor Inspection's guidelines have recommended since 2020, though without mandatory force until the law is passed.
What are the penalties for non-compliance?
Penalties for not keeping work time records already exist today under current legislation. The Law on Infractions and Sanctions in the Social Order (LISOS) classifies non-compliance as a serious offense, with fines ranging from €751 to €7,500 at medium severity. At maximum severity — when a systematic pattern of non-compliance is detected, uncompensated overtime exists, or a large number of workers are affected — penalties can reach €225,018. Under the new digital regulation, not using a compliant system would be considered a specific offense, potentially aggravating current penalties. Companies already using a compliant digital system will not need to make changes when the law passes.
What should your company do now?
The legislative direction is clear: digital registration will be mandatory. The only unknown is when. Companies that act now will have two advantages: avoiding the last-minute rush when the law passes (with the provider saturation and implementation timelines that entails), and already complying with the Labor Inspection's recommendations, reducing the risk of penalties in case of an inspection. The first step is to evaluate your current system. If you use paper, Excel, or a system that doesn't meet the expected requirements (individual credentials, immutable records, real-time access), it's time to migrate. Look for software that already meets all the bill's requirements, so that when it passes you won't need to switch again.
How Ficha.Work meets all requirements
Ficha.Work has been designed from day one to comply with both current and future regulations. It offers 100% digital registration with a mobile app and web dashboard, individual credentials per worker (manual clock-in, NFC, or automatic by schedule, with no biometric data), immutable records with complete correction history, real-time access from any device, and data retention for over 4 years. All included from €1 per user per month, with no limited plans or premium features behind paywalls. 14-day free trial, no credit card, no commitment. Don't wait for the law to force you: prepare now and avoid penalties, stress, and last-minute scrambling.
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