Law of SpainModule 3
The State of Autonomies and regional law: Autonomous Communities, the division of powers, foral and regional civil law, local government and languages
Spain is **not a federal state in the formal sense**, but it is **far from centralised**. The Constitution allows **nationalities and regions** to form **Autonomous Communities**, and today the country has **seventeen Autonomous Communities** and **two autonomous cities** (Ceuta and Melilla). Each has a **statute of autonomy**, a **parliament**, a **government** and wide **legislative and administrative powers**. This ‘**State of Autonomies**’ is the most important feature of Spanish public law, and it affects **private law**: several regions have their **own civil law**, which can change a couple’s **property regime**, a family’s **inheritance** and a contract’s **rules**. A foreigner who buys a home, marries or makes a will in Spain therefore needs to know **which region’s law applies**. This module explains the system. **Statutes and competences change**, so check the current text.
This course explains the law of Spain, not US law. Rules that look the same elsewhere may be different.
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See what is included in the Courses & AI Lab Pass →General education on the law of Spain, using invented people and businesses. It states laws and procedures in simplified form and is not legal advice. The law and its practice change, and every case turns on its facts, the region and the authority concerned. It does not offer legal representation or a legal opinion on any case. Consult a Spanish abogado for any real matter.
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