091/092 (Policía Nacional/Local), 062 (Guardia Civil). ✅ cita previa, certificado digital/Cl@ve → Ch. 20. → Ch. 03 / 19. SIM cards must be registered to a named person (no anonymous SIMs).

Family, school, pets & everyday life

Q: The language question: Catalan as the language of instruction

At state (and many concertado) schools in the Balearics, Catalan (locally „mallorquí") is the language of instruction. The Balearic education law stipulates that at least 50 % of subjects be taught in Catalan — in practice the share is often considerably higher. 🟡 Castilian (Spanish) and a foreign language (usually English) are added. usually manage this without difficulty; older late starters tend to find the Catalan entry harder → a frequent argument for international schools. (lenguas cooficiales). Forms/official notices often arrive in Catalan, but you are entitled to Castilian. ✅

Q: International schools on Mallorca

Concentrated in the south-west (Portals Nous, Calvià, Sant Agustí, Palma, Bendinat). 🟡 Orientation and rough annual fee range (indicative for 2025/2026, matrícula/tuition only — excluding uniform, lunch, bus, clubs, one-off registration fee): clubs, registration. 🟡 full payment by mid-July, tiered sibling discounts). 🟡

Q: Enrolment (matrícula / escolarización)

A two-stage process via the CAIB education portal (Conselleria d'Educació of the Balearics): 1. solicitud (application in the central allocation phase) — then 2. matrícula (the actual enrolment at the allocated school). matrícula late June; Bachillerato slightly later (application June, matrícula July). 🟡 → exact dates per school year in the Conselleria's current escolarización calendar.

Q: University: UIB

Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB) — the public university of the Balearics, campus near Palma (Carretera de Valldemossa). Over 40 years old; Grados (bachelor's), Másters, doctorate; Erasmus/exchange (International Relations Office); a few English-taught degree programmes (e.g. English Studies). ✅ 🔴 Specific tuition fees (public universities charge per crédito ECTS, EU citizens pay considerably less than non-EU) — check at the UIB registrar's office/the fee schedule, don't guess.

Q: Pets: bringing a dog/cat to Mallorca

Three mandatory building blocks: ✅ 1. Microchip (ISO standard) — must be implanted before the rabies vaccination. 2. Rabies vaccination (vacuna antirrábica) by an authorised vet; after the first vaccination, a wait of at least 21 days before travelling. 3. EU pet passport (pasaporte europeo para animales de compañía / EU Pet Passport) with the chip no. and a valid rabies vaccination. check the current status with the vet before travelling. 🟡 (certificado sanitario / EU Health Certificate). ✅

Q: Ley 7/2023 — the new animal-welfare law (bienestar animal)

Ley 7/2023, de 28 de marzo (BOE-A-2023-7936), in force since 29.09.2023. ✅ Obligations include: only to „dangerous" dogs. ✅ 🟡 Status (as of 2025/2026): the specific obligation (including the minimum cover) depends on an implementing regulation (reglamento) that is still pending, and is therefore not yet fully enforceable/enforced nationwide. The minimum cover discussed in the draft: ~100,000 €. → 🔴 Check the final amount/entry into force against the reglamento/BOE. Recommendation: dog liability insurance (seguro de responsabilidad civil) is cheap and sensible anyway. register). ✅

Property Guys

*The “arriving-with-kids-and-dog" package: the school system (público/concertado/privado/international), enrolment, bringing in pets, the new animal-welfare law, and ordinary everyday life (internet at the finca, waste, cost of living, the language of officialdom).*

⚠️ Money & figures: school fees and living costs are indicative values (🟡) drawn from several consistent specialist sources (as of 2025/2026) — not guaranteed fixed prices. Schools change their tasas annually; only each school's current fee schedule is binding.

The Spanish/Balearic school system — the four pillars#

In Spain (and therefore in the Balearics) there are essentially four school types: 🟡

Type	Spanish	Meaning
State	`colegio/centro público`	free (apart from books/materials); languages of instruction Catalan + Castilian
Partly subsidised	`colegio concertado` (`centro sostenido con fondos públicos`)	private provider (often church/religious) with a state subsidy → low fees; very popular with Spanish families
Private	`colegio privado`	fully fee-paying, often a religious provider
International	`colegio internacional`	own curriculum (German/British/IB), fees usually 4,000–16,000 €/year 🟡 → see below

Compulsory schooling (enseñanza obligatoria) in Spain: ages 6–16 (Educación Primaria 6–12, ESO 12–16).

Before that, optional: Educación Infantil (0–6, in 2 cycles). After that, optional: Bachillerato (16–18) or Formación Profesional (vocational training). ✅

School year: roughly mid-September to mid/late June; long summer holidays (July/August). 🟡

Relevance: the school type determines language, cost and integration. Those staying “only a few years" often choose international (English/German); those wanting to integrate long-term often choose público/concertado.

The language question: Catalan as the language of instruction#

At state (and many concertado) schools in the Balearics, Catalan (locally “mallorquí") is the language of instruction. The Balearic education law stipulates that at least 50 % of subjects be taught in Catalan — in practice the share is often considerably higher. 🟡 Castilian (Spanish) and a foreign language (usually English) are added.

For children moving here this means: they learn two national languages at the same time. Younger children

usually manage this without difficulty; older late starters tend to find the Catalan entry harder → a frequent argument for international schools.

Language of officialdom: in the Balearics, both Catalan AND Castilian are official languages

(lenguas cooficiales). Forms/official notices often arrive in Catalan, but you are entitled to Castilian. ✅

Relevance: the Catalan requirement is the most important difference from the mainland cliché of “learning Spanish" — families regularly underestimate it.

International schools on Mallorca#

Concentrated in the south-west (Portals Nous, Calvià, Sant Agustí, Palma, Bendinat). 🟡 Orientation and rough annual fee range (indicative for 2025/2026, matrícula/tuition only — excluding uniform, lunch, bus, clubs, one-off registration fee):

School	Orientation / qualification	Indicative fee/year 🟡
Eurocampus — German School (Colegio Alemán), Palma/Son Vida	German curriculum; qualifications up to the Abitur (Abitur exam in cooperation with the German School Barcelona)	from ~4,000 € (by far the most affordable of the international schools)
King Richard III College, Portals Nous	British curriculum (IGCSE/A-Levels)	~7,900–14,900 €
Baleares International College (BIC), Sant Agustí + Sa Porrassa	British curriculum	~8,400–15,500 €
Bellver International College, Palma	British curriculum (since 1950)	~7,650–12,750 €
Agora Portals International School, Portals Nous	Spanish + British streams, IB (International Baccalaureate)	~7,750–13,400 €
Queen's College, Palma	British curriculum	~7,600–13,000 € (peak figures up to ~15,500 € quoted)
Green Valley School, Palma	British curriculum	~11,800–12,650 €

Rule of thumb for extra costs: realistically budget +15–20 % on top of the pure tasa for uniform, meals, bus,

clubs, registration. 🟡

Sibling/advance-payment discounts are common (e.g. at King Richard III College: 5 % for

full payment by mid-July, tiered sibling discounts). 🟡

IB: the International Baccalaureate is offered at only a few schools on Mallorca (including Agora

Portals) — good for highly mobile families, as it is recognised worldwide. 🟡

🔴 Check the figures at the original school before enrolling. The fee tables vary by year group (Infantil cheaper than Bachillerato/Sixth Form) and are adjusted annually.

Relevance: the choice of school is often the location factor when buying property — the south-west school hotspot drives demand and prices in Calvià/Portals/Bendinat.

Enrolment (matrícula / escolarización)#

A two-stage process via the CAIB education portal (Conselleria d'Educació of the Balearics):

1. solicitud (application in the central allocation phase) — then 2. matrícula (the actual enrolment at the allocated school).

Dates (indicative, set anew each year by BOIB order): for Infantil/Primaria/ESO usually application early May,

matrícula late June; Bachillerato slightly later (application June, matrícula July). 🟡 → exact dates per school year in the Conselleria's current escolarización calendar.

Empadronamiento is effectively mandatory: without municipal residence registration (→ Ch. 19), regular

enrolment at a state school is practically impossible; the padrón is a central proof point in the points system (baremo). ✅

Baremo (selection criteria when oversubscribed): points for, among other things, catchment zone/proximity, **siblings at

the school** (most heavily weighted), income, disability. 🟡

New in Palma (from 2026/27): Zona Escolar Única — any family registered in Palma can apply to any

school in the city with full proximity points. 🟡

The online application generally requires a certificado digital / Cl@ve (→ Ch. 20).

Relevance: anyone wanting to move in for the school year must empadronar early and hit the May/June windows — mid-year entry usually only works via remaining places.

University: UIB#

Universitat de les Illes Balears (UIB) — the public university of the Balearics, campus near Palma (Carretera de Valldemossa). Over 40 years old; Grados (bachelor's), Másters, doctorate; Erasmus/exchange (International Relations Office); a few English-taught degree programmes (e.g. English Studies). ✅ 🔴 Specific tuition fees (public universities charge per crédito ECTS, EU citizens pay considerably less than non-EU) — check at the UIB registrar's office/the fee schedule, don't guess.

Pets: bringing a dog/cat to Mallorca#

From an EU country (e.g. Germany/Austria)#

Three mandatory building blocks: ✅ 1. Microchip (ISO standard) — must be implanted before the rabies vaccination. 2. Rabies vaccination (vacuna antirrábica) by an authorised vet; after the first vaccination, a wait of at least 21 days before travelling. 3. EU pet passport (pasaporte europeo para animales de compañía / EU Pet Passport) with the chip no. and a valid rabies vaccination.

Travel limit: up to 5 animals with no commercial purpose. 🟡
New EU rules 2025/2026: the pet passport/rabies/third-country entry rules have been tightened —

check the current status with the vet before travelling. 🟡

From a non-EU country (UK, USA, Canada …)#

Instead of (or in addition to) the passport, you usually need an animal health certificate

(certificado sanitario / EU Health Certificate). ✅

Rabies antibody titre test: for “listed" third countries (including **UK, USA, Canada,

Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland) not required; for non-listed** countries, however, it is (blood sample + waiting period). 🟡

Note the return direction too: for re-entry into the UK or USA, their rules apply

— clarify in advance with the relevant authority/vet there (especially for UK re-entry with a dog). 🟡

Relevance: the most common mistake is the order (chip before vaccination) and the 21-day deadline — get the timing wrong and the animal's move is delayed.

Ley 7/2023 — the new animal-welfare law (`bienestar animal`)#

Ley 7/2023, de 28 de marzo (BOE-A-2023-7936), in force since 29.09.2023. ✅ Obligations include:

Liability insurance for ALL dogs (regardless of breed) — new compared with the old rule, which applied

only to “dangerous" dogs. ✅ 🟡 Status (as of 2025/2026): the specific obligation (including the minimum cover) depends on an implementing regulation (reglamento) that is still pending, and is therefore not yet fully enforceable/enforced nationwide. The minimum cover discussed in the draft: ~100,000 €. → 🔴 Check the final amount/entry into force against the reglamento/BOE. Recommendation: dog liability insurance (seguro de responsabilidad civil) is cheap and sensible anyway.

Registration: dogs, cats and ferrets must be registered with, and deregistered from, the pet register (RIACA / municipal

Mandatory course (curso de formación) for dog owners — free, valid indefinitely; the content is

set by reglamento. 🟡 (Practical application also depends on the reglamento.)

Perros potencialmente peligrosos (PPP) — “potentially dangerous dogs"#

A separate, stricter regime (still Ley 50/1999 + RD 287/2002, not abolished by Ley 7/2023): ✅

Eight listed breeds + crosses: Pit Bull Terrier, Staffordshire Bull Terrier, American

Staffordshire Terrier, Rottweiler, Dogo Argentino, Fila Brasileiro, Tosa Inu, Akita Inu. ✅ (CCAA/municipalities may add others, e.g. Presa Canario, Dobermann, Mastín Napolitano. 🟡)

PPP licencia from the municipality: of legal age, no criminal record, a psychotechnical assessment

(certificado psicotécnico), mandatory liability insurance with minimum cover 120,000 €. ✅

In public spaces: a muzzle (bozal) + a non-extendable/tear-proof lead max. 1 m; **only

one** PPP at a time per person. ✅

Dog tax?#

Spain/Mallorca generally levies no dog tax like Germany. 🟡 Instead, there is a municipal registration/chip requirement and (for PPP) licence fees. → Cross-reference: no “dog tax" in the running costs (Ch. 05).

Relevance: Rottweilers & co. are classed as PPP by law in Spain — even the “friendly family dog" then triggers the licence, muzzle and 120,000 € insurance requirements.

More everyday life#

Health & emergencies#

The health system (IB-Salut, convenio especial, private health insurance, German-speaking clinics) → Ch. 19.
Emergency number: 112 (uniform, multilingual). Others: 061 (medical emergency service),

091/092 (Policía Nacional/Local), 062 (Guardia Civil). ✅

Cars, driving licence, authorities#

DGT re-registration, ITV (the “MOT/TÜV"), licence exchange (EU optional; UK agreement; non-EU testing),

cita previa, certificado digital/Cl@ve → Ch. 20.

Banks#

Resident vs. non-resident account, certificado de no residencia, NIE for almost all contracts

→ Ch. 03 / 19. SIM cards must be registered to a named person (no anonymous SIMs).

Internet / telecoms / fibre#

In/around Palma: fibre (fibra óptica) is usually very good (Movistar the largest network, plus Vodafone,

Orange, MásMóvil/Yoigo …). 🟡

On rústico land/a remote finca: fibre is often not available, sometimes not even DSL →

alternatives: 🟡

4G/5G router with an external antenna (~50–100 Mbit/s realistic),
Starlink (satellite, available in the Balearics; ~50–300 Mbit/s, hardware ~400 € + ~40–75 €/month),
local fixed-wireless providers (e.g. radioenlace).
Buying tip: check internet availability before buying the finca at the specific address —

“fast internet" is not a given in the countryside.

Waste & recycling#

Household separation via coloured contenedores: yellow (packaging), blue (paper/card),

green (glass), brown (organic), grey/residual. ✅

Punto Verde / Punto Limpio / Deixalleria / Parc Verd = all the same thing: a municipal recycling centre for

bulky waste, electrical appliances, (small amounts of) rubble, paints/oils, batteries, garden cuttings, textiles — drop-off free of charge. 51 of the 53 municipalities have fixed points (Palma several). ✅

basura (municipal waste charge, annual) → running costs Ch. 05.

Learning the language#

Practically helpful: Castilian (understood everywhere) + basic Catalan (authorities,

school, local integration). Language courses, among others, at the Escola Oficial d'Idiomes (EOI) and privately. 🟡

Tax — what families should watch for#

Residencia fiscal: > 183 days or your centre of interests → worldwide tax liability

(→ Ch. 19). Anyone moving here permanently with school-age children will generally become tax-resident.

Family-specific: familia numerosa (large family, an official status) brings, among other things,

a reduced ITP when buying a first home (e.g. 2 % below a value threshold, → Ch. 04) and various other benefits — apply for the status (título de familia numerosa). 🟡

Inheritance/gift in the Balearics with a high reduction for close relatives (foral law) →

Ch. 08.

Wealth/solidarity tax can affect families with a property + assets → Ch. 07.
⚠️ Before moving, involve a tax adviser (asesor fiscal) on leaving/arriving and the double-taxation treaty (→ Ch. 14).

❓ FAQ#

In which language are Mallorca's state schools taught? Predominantly Catalan (at least 50 % of subjects, often more), plus Castilian and English. Those who don't want this switch to an international school (German/British/IB).

What does an international school on Mallorca cost? Indicative for 2025/2026 🟡: from ~4,000 €/year (Eurocampus/German School) to ~15,000 €+/year (top British schools), in each case plus uniform/meals/bus/clubs/registration. No fixed prices — check the school's current fee schedule.

Do I need the empadronamiento for school enrolment? Yes, effectively indispensable for a state school — it is a central proof point in the points system.

Do I have to insure my dog? Ley 7/2023 provides for a liability requirement for all dogs, but its concrete enforcement still depends on the implementing regulation (🟡). For PPP breeds (e.g. Rottweiler, Pit Bull, Akita) the rules are already clear: a licence, a psychotechnical assessment and liability cover ≥ 120,000 €. Dog liability insurance is cheap and recommended anyway.

Is there a dog tax like in Germany? No, generally no dog tax — but a registration/chip requirement and (for PPP) licence fees.

How do I bring a dog/cat from Germany? Microchip (before the vaccination), rabies vaccination, wait 21 days, EU pet passport. Up to 5 animals.

Will I get fast internet at a finca? Not guaranteed. Fibre is often missing in the countryside → a 4G/5G router or Starlink. Check availability before buying at the specific address.

Sources (selection)#

School system/language: Conselleria d'Educació CAIB (escolarización/baremo, Zona Escolar Única Palma) ·

Mallorca-Magazin/Inselzeitung (school types) · TODO Mallorca / Educalista (deadlines 2025–2027)

International schools (indicative fees 🟡): dsmallorca.de (Eurocampus/Abitur) ·

international-schools-database.com (King Richard III, BIC, Bellver, Queen's, Green Valley) · school websites (Agora Portals, balearesint.net, bellvercollege.com, queenscollege.es, greenvalleyschool.es)

University: uib.eu (UIB Grados/Erasmus)
Pets: European Commission/europa.eu (pet passport, 21-day rule) · BMLEH / customs (entry

EU/third countries) · ADAC (entry rules for animals)

Animal-welfare law: BOE-A-2023-7936 (Ley 7/2023) · noticias.juridicas (full text) · Caser/

SeguroParaPerros (reglamento status) · Ley 50/1999 + RD 287/2002 (PPP list, licencia, 120,000 €)

Everyday life: Consell de Mallorca / EMAYA / Ecomallorca (Puntos Verdes/Limpios) · Numbeo / Inselradio /

Mallorca-Expats (indicative living costs 🟡) · Movistar/Starlink/teltarif (internet rústico)

Cross-references: Ch. 03 (banking) · 04 (ITP/familia numerosa) · 05 (basura/running costs) ·

07 (wealth tax) · 08 (inheritance) · 14 (double-taxation treaty) · 19 (residence/health) · 20 (cars/authorities)