Collection rate for noise fines remains low
Barcelona has collected payments for 4,183 of the 8,257 noise fines issued in 2025, slightly more than half of the total, according to updated figures from the Municipal Tax Institute. As of 15 September 2026, this represents 50.7% of sanctions settled by number, but the amount recovered, 363,229 euros, is just 23.48% of the 1,546,933 euros originally claimed. In December 2025, the city had collected 4,097 fines, worth 353,010 euros. An additional 86 cases were resolved between January and mid-September 2026, adding 10,219 euros to the total.
District-by-district disparities revealed
Data provided to ERC following a parliamentary inquiry shows significant variation across districts. Ciutat Vella recorded the highest number of noise sanctions in 2025, with 2,297 notifications, but had the lowest payment rate: only 32.83% were paid by the end of December. Sant Martí followed with 1,292 fines, 60.06% of which were settled before the year ended. In Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, nearly three-quarters of fines were paid.
Fines for incivility against people who do not reside in Barcelona are very difficult to collect, despite the introduction of card payment terminals.
, Jordi Castellana, republican councilor
New coexistence rules and enforcement challenges
The current coexistence by-law, in force since 15 February 2025 under the city council’s official guidance, allows for corrective measures of up to 750 euros for disturbances affecting public peace. Early payment discounts have been reduced from 65–75% to 40–50%. However, enforcement remains problematic, particularly for non-residents. Republican councilor Jordi Castellana noted that fines for tourists are rarely collected. "For traffic fines, there are European mechanisms that allow vehicle identification, but for a fine for noise or drinking in the street, there is no equivalent," he said. "Many of these sanctions are not even notified, and those under 70 euros cannot even be enforced in another EU country." ERC has called for greater transparency on annual sanctioning data and for alternative measures such as mediation to improve compliance and neighbourhood coexistence.
Traffic fines show higher recovery rates abroad
The Municipal Tax Institute uses a contracted service via the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (FEMP) to recover unpaid traffic fines from drivers outside Spain. This system enabled the collection of 31.05% of the 15,036 traffic fines issued in 2025 to foreign residents, a significantly higher recovery rate than for noise offences.
Primary sources: Barcelona City Council, ajuntament.barcelona.cat, opendata-ajuntament.barcelona.cat. Reported by elperiodico.com, qoshe.com, elperiodico.cat, El Periódico Barcelona.
