1. Home
2. Guides

Guide · 3 min read

5 mistakes that can cost you the Beckham Law

Most people who lose the regime don't lose it on the numbers. They lose it on a date, a detail or a form. These are the mistakes we see most often.

By the Reliv teamUpdated November 2026

1. 1Waiting until the last month. The 6 months run from your Social Security registration, not from the day you arrive. Paperwork from abroad can take weeks, and once the window closes it can't be reopened.
2. 2Assuming you qualify. Your previous years in Spain, how you were hired and your role in the company can all change the answer. Check before you count on the 24%.
3. 3Opting in without running the numbers. With a modest salary and children, standard income tax can cost less. And if you opt in and later give the regime up, you can't come back to it.
4. 4Forgetting the annual Form 151. The regime has its own yearly return, due by 30 June, separate from the standard income tax return. It's mandatory even if your employer already withholds 24%.
5. 5Leaving your family out. Your partner and children may be able to join the regime, with their own conditions and their own paperwork. Many families find out too late.

This guide is general information, not personalised tax advice.