Pharmacies in Madrid: Night Duty, Prescriptions and Copays
Madrid pharmacies take turns staying open at night. How to find one, what you pay for prescribed medicines and which rules apply to visitors.
To find a pharmacy open at night in Madrid, look for the farmacia de guardia (duty pharmacy) rota published by the Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos de Madrid, which every closed pharmacy also posts on its door. Prescriptions from the public system are electronic and linked to your health card. What you pay depends on your income, with monthly caps set by a May 2026 reform.
How do you find a duty pharmacy at night?
Pharmacies in Madrid take turns staying open outside normal hours. The Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos de Madrid (COFM), the regional pharmacists’ association, organizes the rota from the opening hours each pharmacy reports for the year. Some pharmacies also choose to open 24 hours a day.
Ways to find the nearest one:
- Check the door of any pharmacy. Closed pharmacies display a notice with the nearest duty pharmacies for that night.
- Use the official listings. The COFM publishes the duty rota, and the Madrid city list is also released as open data based on COFM information. Check its website, cofm.es, for your town and date.
- Call the 012 line of the Comunidad de Madrid if you cannot get online.
At night, many duty pharmacies serve customers through a small hatch (ventanilla) for security. Ring the bell and wait. In a medical emergency, do not look for a pharmacy first; call 112, as explained in our guide to emergencies in Madrid.
How do electronic prescriptions work?
Public doctors in Madrid issue prescriptions electronically (receta electrónica). There is no paper to carry: you hand over your health card at any pharmacy in the Comunidad de Madrid, and the pharmacist sees what you have been prescribed and how many packs you can collect now.
- Long-term treatments are released in batches, so you return each month or as scheduled.
- The Comunidad’s Tarjeta Sanitaria app shows your current medication list.
- You can collect medicines for a family member if you bring their card.
To get a card and be linked to a family doctor, follow our guide to the Madrid health card. Prescriptions written by private doctors are usually on paper or through the private e-prescription systems, and the medicine is sold at full price.
How much do you pay for prescribed medicines?
Your share, called aportación farmacéutica or copayment, is a percentage of the price based on your income and whether you are working or a pensioner. Real Decreto-ley 11/2026 changed the brackets and caps from May 14, 2026. The table below reflects the rules as of November 2026, as summarized by the consumer association OCU.
| Group and annual income | Share of the price | Monthly cap |
|---|---|---|
| Workers, under €9,000 | 40% | €8.23 |
| Workers, €9,000 to €17,999 | 40% | €18.52 |
| Workers, €18,000 to €34,999 | 45% | €61.75 |
| Workers, €35,000 to €59,999 | 45% | No cap |
| Workers, €60,000 to €99,999 | 50% | No cap |
| Workers, €100,000 or more | 60% | No cap |
| Pensioners, under €18,000 | 10% | €8.23 |
| Pensioners, €18,000 to €59,999 | 10% | €13.37 |
| Pensioners, €60,000 to €99,999 | 10% | €18.52 |
| Pensioners, €100,000 or more | 60% | €61.75 |
Some groups pay nothing, including people receiving the minimum living income (ingreso mínimo vital) or non-contributory pensions, and treatments for work accidents and occupational illness. Your bracket comes from tax data, so it updates automatically. If you think the bracket on your card is wrong, ask at your health center.
Can you buy prescription medicines without a Spanish prescription?
Not legally. Medicines classified as prescription-only in Spain, including antibiotics, need a valid prescription. Pharmacists in Madrid enforce this, and asking them to make an exception puts them in a difficult position.
- Prescriptions from another EU country can be dispensed in Spain if they contain the information required by EU rules. Some EU countries’ electronic prescriptions can now be read in Spanish pharmacies through the EU e-health network; the pharmacist will tell you if yours works.
- Prescriptions from outside the EU are generally not valid. You need to see a doctor in Spain, public or private, who can issue a new one.
- Medicine brands differ. Take the generic name of the active ingredient, not the brand, when you ask.
What can visitors buy without a prescription?
Over-the-counter products are sold only in pharmacies, not supermarkets. That includes basic pain relievers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen in standard strengths and pack sizes, antihistamines for mild allergies, rehydration salts, cold remedies and treatments for minor skin problems. Pharmacists in Madrid often give advice on minor complaints, and many speak some English.
Visitors with a European Health Insurance Card who see a public doctor get a public prescription and pay a share of the price under Spanish rules. Without cover, you pay the full price of the medicine.
Bottom line
Take a photo of your current medicine boxes, with the active ingredient and dose, before you travel or move. It is the fastest way for a Madrid pharmacist or doctor to find the Spanish equivalent if you run out.
FAQ
What are normal pharmacy opening hours in Madrid?
Hours vary by pharmacy. Some close for a midday break and others stay open all day, so check the sign on the door or the duty listing.
Can I get the morning-after pill without a prescription?
Yes. Emergency contraception with levonorgestrel is sold over the counter in Spanish pharmacies without a prescription.
Do Madrid pharmacies take back old medicines?
Yes. Pharmacies have SIGRE collection points for expired medicines and empty packaging.
Does my monthly cap reset each month?
Yes, the caps are monthly. If you think you paid more than your cap in a month, ask at your health center how the excess is returned.
