Spain's alcohol laws are set partly at the national level and partly by each autonomous community, so the details of how a rule is enforced — and what a bar or club actually checks at the door — can vary by region. For anyone heading to Marbella or Puerto Banús specifically, the relevant rules are Andalusia's own.
The legal age in Andalusia
Alcohol may not be sold, served or supplied to anyone under 18 in Andalusia. Andalusia's own regional government, the Junta de Andalucía, states the ban directly and pairs it with public-health messaging aimed specifically at summer: the region's press material on the rule pointedly notes the combination of alcohol's dehydrating effect and Andalusian summer heat, alongside a warning about mixing alcohol with energy drinks. The underlying prohibition also extends beyond retail sale — consumption by under-18s in open public spaces is separately restricted under the same regional framework, not just service inside licensed premises.
What the Junta's own published guidance doesn't spell out is a specific fine amount for a venue caught serving a minor — that detail sits in the fuller text of the regional law rather than in the public-facing summary, so this guide doesn't quote a figure it can't verify against an official source.
What door staff typically check
This guide can't state a single, verified national standard for exactly which ID documents Spanish venues are required to accept, because that detail wasn't confirmed against an official source during research — practice can also vary by venue and by door staff on the night. A passport is the safest option to carry regardless. GOV.UK's Spain travel advice makes the broader point that local laws, and how strictly they're enforced, vary by municipality and by venue — worth bearing in mind rather than assuming one bar's door policy tells you how the next one will run things.
See the beach clubs hub for how a beach club's daytime-to-evening dress code and door policy tends to work, and the Marbella & Puerto Banús guide for this site's home area.
Questions people ask
Is the legal drinking age 18 in Marbella and the rest of Andalusia?
Yes — Andalusia's regional government confirms the minimum age for buying, being served or being supplied alcohol is 18, covering shops, bars, restaurants and clubs alike.
What can happen to a venue that serves someone under 18?
Regional law provides for administrative penalties on the business, separate from any consequences for the individual involved. This guide doesn't quote a specific fine range for Andalusia, since the figure wasn't confirmed on an official Andalusian source during research — check current enforcement details with the Junta de Andalucía directly if that matters to you.