Work time registration: the definitive guide
Since 2019, all companies in Spain must record each employee's work hours. We explain the legislation, requirements, and how to comply simply.
What is work time registration?
Work time registration is the legal obligation for all companies in Spain to document each employee's start and end times every working day. This obligation was established by Royal Decree-Law 8/2019, which amended Article 34.9 of the Workers' Statute.
The purpose of the registration is to ensure compliance with the maximum legal work week (currently 40 hours per week on an annual basis), control overtime, and protect workers' rights. Records must be kept for a minimum of 4 years and be available to workers, their legal representatives, and the Labor and Social Security Inspection.
Failing to keep the working-time record is a serious infringement under the Law on Social Order Infringements and Sanctions (LISOS, art. 7.5), fined from €751 to €7,500 depending on the grade (art. 40.1.b).
Legal obligations for work time registration
Daily entry and exit recording
The company must record each worker's start and end time every day. Recording only total hours is not sufficient.
4-year retention
Records must be kept for a minimum of 4 years and be accessible to workers, their representatives, and the Labor Inspection.
Available for inspection
The company must be able to present records to the Labor Inspection without delay. A digital system with real-time access meets this requirement automatically.
Employee access
Workers have the right to know their own time records. An app with personal history access fulfills this requirement naturally.
One record per person
The record must identify each worker's working time. The most reliable approach is for everyone to clock in with their own credential (app login or NFC), without sharing codes or using biometric data.
Penalties for non-compliance
Not keeping work time records, keeping them incorrectly, or not retaining records for 4 years is considered a serious offense under LISOS. Penalties are graduated by severity.
Serious infringements are fined €751–1,500 at the minimum grade, €1,501–3,750 at the medium grade and €3,751–7,500 at the maximum grade (art. 40.1.b LISOS). The grade depends on criteria such as intent, failure to follow prior Inspectorate requirements, turnover and the number of workers affected (art. 39.2). For part-time contracts, not recording time also means the contract is presumed full-time (art. 12.4.c Workers' Statute).
The best way to reduce the risk of penalties is to adopt a compliant digital registration system that generates immutable, accessible, and exportable records, and use it correctly from day one. A system that meets the requirements before an inspection is much cheaper than a fine.
For the legal text, the exact LISOS fines and the status of the digital reform, see our guide to Spain's time-recording law.
Methods that cause problems in practice
Paper sheets or sign-in books — not immutable or accessible in real time
Spreadsheets (Excel, Google Sheets) — can be modified without leaving a trace
Systems without individual credentials — can't verify who clocked in
Biometric systems (fingerprint or face recognition) — Spain's data protection authority (AEPD) considers them high-risk processing for attendance control
How Ficha.Work helps you comply
100% digital registration with mobile app and web dashboard, accessible in real time
Individual credentials per worker: manual clock-in, NFC, or automatic by schedule
Immutable records with complete correction history
Automatic data retention for over 4 years
Exportable PDF and Excel reports, ready to present to the Labor Inspection
Day to day, your workers log their hours from their phone with our clock-in app, and you download the monthly record ready for an inspection.
Still keeping it by hand? Download our free workday record template in PDF and Excel, or add up hours with the hours worked calculator.
Work time registration FAQ
Who is required to register work hours?+
All companies with employees in Spain, regardless of size or sector. The obligation has been in effect since May 2019.
Are self-employed workers required?+
Self-employed workers without employees are not required. However, if a self-employed person has hired workers, they must record each employee's work hours.
What information must the record include?+
The record must include, at minimum, each worker's start and end time for every working day. Including breaks and worker identification is also recommended.
Can records be kept on paper?+
Yes. The law in force (art. 34.9 Workers' Statute) does not set a specific format, as long as the record is daily, reflects actual working time, is kept for 4 years and is available. The Ministry of Labour is processing a Royal Decree that would require digital recording, but as of 17 October 2026 it has not been approved.
How long must records be kept?+
A minimum of 4 years. During this period, records must be accessible to workers, their representatives, and the Labor Inspection.
What happens if the Inspection asks for records and I don't have them?+
It is a serious infringement (art. 7.5 LISOS), fined from €751 to €7,500 depending on the grade (art. 40.1.b LISOS).
Does Ficha.Work comply with current legislation?+
Yes. Ficha.Work complies with RDL 8/2019: each person clocks in with their own credential, corrections keep a history, records are kept for 4 years and can be exported for the Inspectorate.
Comply with work time registration from today
14-day free trial. Cancel before day 15 at no charge. Compliant records from the first clock-in.
Create free account