Divorce Regulatory Agreement Spain (Convenio Regulador)

A Divorce Regulatory Agreement Spain (Convenio Regulador de Divorcio) is the written agreement between spouses seeking a mutual consent divorce (divorcio de mutuo acuerdo) — or separation (separación de mutuo acuerdo) — governing the consequences of the marriage breakdown, submitted for judicial approval under Article 90 of the Código Civil. The Convenio Regulador is the legal instrument that transforms a private agreement between the spouses into a judicially enforceable order, once approved by the Juzgado de Primera Instancia, or — since the reform introduced by Ley 15/2015, de 2 de julio, de la Jurisdicción Voluntaria — by a notario (for divorces without dependent minor children or court-protected children).

Article 90 of the Código Civil lists the minimum mandatory content of the Convenio Regulador: the care and custody arrangements for minor children (custodia de los hijos menores); the arrangements for maintaining the family home (atribución del uso de la vivienda familiar); the payment of maintenance (pensión de alimentos) for children; the arrangement of visiting rights and contact with the non-custodial parent (régimen de visitas); and any compensatory pension (pensión compensatoria) to be paid by one spouse to the other under Article 97 CC where one spouse's economic position is significantly harmed by the divorce.

The divorcio de mutuo acuerdo in Spain was significantly simplified by Ley 15/2005, de 8 de julio, which removed the previously required legal separation period before divorce and permitted divorce at any time after three months of marriage. The subsequent Ley 15/2015 (Ley de Jurisdicción Voluntaria) permitted divorces without dependent minor children to be processed before a notario or a Letrado de la Administración de Justicia (LAJ), without the need for judicial proceedings.

Where the spouses have dependent minor children (hijos menores de edad) or court-protected adult children (hijos mayores de edad con la capacidad judicialmente modificada), the divorce must be processed before the Juzgado de Primera Instancia with jurisdiction over the family domicile under Article 769 of the Ley de Enjuiciamiento Civil (LEC). The juez de familia (family court judge) reviews the Convenio Regulador to verify that the agreed terms are in the children's best interests (interés superior del menor — a principle enshrined in Ley Orgánica 1/1996 de Protección Jurídica del Menor) and may modify any provisions contrary to that interest.

The Convenio Regulador, once approved by the juzgado or the notario, has the force of a judicial resolution (título ejecutivo) — it is directly enforceable through the courts. Failure to comply with the terms of an approved Convenio Regulador — for example, failure to pay pension de alimentos or obstruction of the régimen de visitas — may be enforced through the execution proceedings of the Juzgado de Primera Instancia and, for serious and persistent non-compliance, through criminal proceedings for abandono de familia under Articles 226–228 of the Código Penal.

The legal framework governing the Divorce Regulatory Agreement Spain (Convenio Regulador) in Spain draws on several key statutes and regulatory bodies. Under Spanish law, the Código Civil governs marriage (Article 66), divorce (Article 81), custody (Article 92), and maintenance (Article 142). The Ley Orgánica 1/1996 (LOPJM) protects minors. The Registro Civil records births, marriages, and deaths. The Ley 15/2015 de Jurisdicción Voluntaria governs non-contentious proceedings. The Ley Orgánica 1/1982 protects fundamental rights including image and privacy. Parties executing a Divorce Regulatory Agreement Spain (Convenio Regulador) in Spain should confirm the document reflects current law, including any amendments enacted since the original drafting date. The Código Civil, Article 90 sets the foundational requirements.

A Divorce Regulatory Agreement Spain is required whenever both spouses consent to divorce (divorcio de mutuo acuerdo) and wish to formalise the arrangements for children, assets, the matrimonial home, and ongoing financial obligations in a single judicially approved instrument.

The Convenio Regulador is needed when a married couple has made the decision to divorce and has reached agreement on all principal matters — child custody (custodia compartida or custodia exclusiva), child maintenance (pensión de alimentos), use of the family home (atribución de la vivienda familiar), and division of the matrimonial property regime (liquidación del régimen económico matrimonial). The agreed terms are presented to the court or notario for approval under Article 90 CC.

The agreement is required when the spouses have minor children (hijos menores de edad) — the divorce must be processed before the Juzgado de Primera Instancia under Articles 769 et seq. LEC and the Convenio Regulador must address the specific matters required by Article 90 CC relating to the children.

A Convenio Regulador is needed when the spouses have no dependent minor children and wish to divorce through the notarial procedure under Ley 15/2015 (Ley de Jurisdicción Voluntaria) — both spouses and their respective abogados appear before the notario, the agreement is reviewed, and the notario formalises the divorce as an acta de divorcio notarial.

The agreement is required when spouses seek to obtain a pension compensatoria under Article 97 CC — one spouse's income, career prospects, or standard of living has been significantly harmed by the marriage or its breakdown, entitling them to ongoing financial support from the other spouse.

A Convenio Regulador is also needed when the parties have already been legally separated (separación judicial) under Articles 81–84 CC and now wish to convert the separation into a divorce — the Convenio Regulador may maintain the terms of the prior separation agreement or modify them.

Parties in Spain should prepare a Divorce Regulatory Agreement Spain (Convenio Regulador) proactively rather than waiting for a dispute to arise. Courts interpret agreements based on the written terms rather than oral representations. Under Spanish law, the Código Civil governs marriage (Article 66), divorce (Article 81), custody (Article 92), and maintenance (Article 142). The Ley Orgánica 1/1996 (LOPJM) protects minors. The Registro Civil records births, marriages, and deaths. The Ley 15/2015 de Jurisdicción Voluntaria governs non-contentious proceedings. The Ley Orgánica 1/1982 protects fundamental rights including image and privacy. Where the transaction involves regulated activities, prior approval from the relevant authority may be required before execution.

A valid Divorce Regulatory Agreement Spain under Código Civil Article 90 must contain the following mandatory and recommended elements to be approved by the Juzgado de Primera Instancia or the notario.

Identification of Spouses: Full legal names, DNI/NIE, and addresses of both spouses. Date and place of the marriage (matrimonio) and the Registro Civil where it was recorded. The applicable matrimonial property regime (régimen económico matrimonial) — sociedad de gananciales (community of property), separación de bienes (separation of property), or participación (participation regime) — as this determines how assets are divided.

Child Custody Arrangements: The agreed custody regime for each minor child (hijo/a menor de edad) — exclusive custody (custodia exclusiva or monoparental) to one parent, or joint custody (custodia compartida or coparental) — and the residential arrangements. Article 92 of the Código Civil governs joint custody and requires the court to assess whether it is in the children's best interests (interés superior del menor). Each child's name, date of birth, and current school must be stated. The parental authority (patria potestad) arrangement — generally shared by both parents unless serious cause requires modification — must be addressed.

Regimen de Visitas: The visiting and contact arrangements for the non-custodial parent or, in joint custody, the detailed schedule for each parent. This includes: ordinary weekday and weekend visits; school holiday periods (Navidad, Semana Santa, verano); special days (birthdays, Father's/Mother's Day, bank holidays); overnight arrangements; and pick-up and drop-off logistics. The regime should address what happens in case of non-compliance and how disputes about the regime are resolved.

Pension de Alimentos: The monthly maintenance payment (pensión de alimentos) for each minor child under Articles 142–160 CC — covering food, clothing, housing, medical care, and education. The amount must reflect the needs of the child and the economic capacity of both parents (Article 146 CC — la pensión alimenticia se determina según las necesidades del que la recibe y los recursos del que la paga). The payment mechanism (bank transfer, date, account), annual indexation (actualización conforme al IPC — Índice de Precios al Consumo), and procedure for modification are essential provisions.

Atribución de la Vivienda Familiar: The allocation of the use of the family home (atribución del uso de la vivienda familiar) under Article 96 CC. Where there are minor children, the court may assign use of the family home to the custodial parent regardless of ownership. Duration of the assignment, conditions of use, and who bears the mortgage (hipoteca), community charges (gastos de comunidad), and maintenance costs must be stated.

Liquidación del Régimen Económico Matrimonial: The agreed division of the matrimonial property (bienes gananciales or other shared assets) — real estate, vehicles, financial accounts, investments, business interests, and debts. For sociedad de gananciales, the gananciales liquidation agreement (liquidación de sociedad de gananciales) may be incorporated or referenced. This requires a separate escritura pública if real estate is involved.

Pensión Compensatoria: The agreed compensatory pension (pensión compensatoria) under Article 97 CC — the amount, payment term (indefinite or for a fixed period), the threshold events for modification (cambio de circunstancias) or extinction (extinción — remarriage, death, cohabitation of the recipient). Where no compensatory pension is agreed, this fact should be expressly stated.

Governing Law and Jurisdiction: Spanish law — Código Civil, LEC Articles 769–778 — and submission to the Juzgado de Primera Instancia of the family domicile or the notario.

Forms-legal.com provides this Divorce Regulatory Agreement Spain template as a reference. Divorces involving minor children or significant assets should be handled with the assistance of qualified abogados — each spouse should have independent legal representation.

Under Spanish law, the Código Civil governs marriage (Article 66), divorce (Article 81), custody (Article 92), and maintenance (Article 142). The Ley Orgánica 1/1996 (LOPJM) protects minors. The Registro Civil records births, marriages, and deaths. The Ley 15/2015 de Jurisdicción Voluntaria governs non-contentious proceedings. The Ley Orgánica 1/1982 protects fundamental rights including image and privacy.