In summer it seems that everything relaxes: rhythms, schedules, some day-to-day concerns… but there is one thing that does not: regulations. Not only is compliance with them still mandatory during the summer season, but there are some that are specific to this time of year and violating them can lead to fines of up to 1,500 €.
And some of the most common practices when the heat is hot, even if they are strange or unfamiliar, are subject to penalties. For example: your air conditioner leaking in the street can lead to a fine of up to 750 €.
The amount of this penalty – which depends on the City Council of each locality – is set out in the Ordinance of Management and Efficient Use of Water in the City of Madrid, and provides for three types of sanctions depending on their severity:
- Mild (this would be the case of dripping): fines of up to €750.
- Serious: sanction of between 751 € and 1,500 €.
- Very serious: from 3,005 € to 15,025 € (applicable in the case of discharges with hazardous substances or high impact).
What other fines can be given in summer?
The one linked to the dripping of air conditioners is only one of the fines that we can face for summer infractions. In swimming pools, for example -both municipal and regional- Resolutions 73/2025 of the Director General of Sports and the municipal regulations of 2025 establish the applicable sanctions.
Among them, there are fines for bringing your pet into the pool or a chair: both involve penalties of up to €1,500.
Other behaviors such as driving without a shirt are also subject to fines: there is no specific rule that prohibits it, but it depends on the interpretation of each agent, but it can cost from 80 € to 200 € and the withdrawal of three points of the license.
Other strange fines in Madrid
Among the strangest or most curious sanctions we can find some that apply either to Spain in general or to the case of Madrid in particular, such as nail biting or feeding pigeons. You can find more information in this article.