The Beckham Law (2024 Guide)
Spain's Special Expatriate Tax Regime is the primary reason high earners choose the Spanish Digital Nomad Visa over Portugal's D8. It offers a flat 24% tax rate and shields your foreign wealth.
Key Benefits
- Flat Income Tax: 24% on Spanish-sourced income and remote work salary up to €600,000.
- Over €600k: Taxed at 47%.
- Wealth Tax Exemption: Only your Spanish assets are subject to the wealth/solidarity tax.
- No Modelo 720: You are not required to declare overseas assets (bank accounts, crypto) to the Spanish tax authority.
Eligibility Rules
Not everyone qualifies automatically. To apply for the Beckham Law, you must meet strict conditions:
- You have not been a tax resident in Spain for the past 5 tax years (prior to 2023, this was 10 years).
- You must be relocating to Spain under a valid employment contract (W2) or as a registered freelancer (Autónomo) providing services to foreign companies (max 20% of income from Spanish clients).
- You must apply within 6 months of registering with the Social Security system in Spain. Miss this window, and you are permanently on the progressive tax scale (up to 47%).
The 183-Day Factor
Under the Beckham Law, you are treated as a non-resident for tax purposes, even though you hold a residence permit and live in Spain for more than 183 days. This legal fiction is what protects your foreign-sourced passive income (dividends, capital gains from US/UK brokerages) from Spanish taxation.