The Compostela is the official certificate issued by the Pilgrims’ Office in Santiago de Compostela, confirming that you have completed a pilgrimage to the city of Santiago. The certificate is written in Latin and includes your name, making it a meaningful keepsake of your journey.

In this article, you can read about the most recent rules for obtaining the Compostela.

Please note: the last update of this article was in February 2026, and we review and update this information whenever new changes are announced.

How to get the Compostela certificate?

To receive the Compostela, pilgrims must meet specific walking requirements and prove their route with stamps in their pilgrim passport, known as the credencial.

When reading about the Camino de Santiago, you’ll probably notice that a few similar terms are often used as if they mean the same thing. They’re closely connected, but not always identical. Here’s a short clarification to help keep things simple:

1. Pilgrim’s passport = pilgrim pass = credential = credencial
   These terms all refer to the same document that pilgrims carry while walking the Camino. It is used to collect stamps along the route and serves as proof that you have completed the required distance in order to receive the Compostela. This is what the pilgrim’s passport looks like:
2. Compostela = certificate
   The Compostela is the official certificate issued by the Pilgrims’ Office in Santiago de Compostela. It confirms that you have completed a qualifying pilgrimage to Santiago and is written in Latin with your name on it. This is what the Compostela looks like:
   

Throughout your journey, you are required to collect at least two stamps per day. While the Pilgrims’ Office may sometimes accept only one stamp per day before the final 100 kilometres, they are generally very strict about the last 100 kilometres. For this reason, it’s best to get into the habit of collecting two stamps per day from the very beginning of your Camino.

These stamps can be obtained from accommodation providers, cafés, churches, or other recognised pilgrim-friendly places along the way. Once you arrive in Santiago, you can collect your Compostela at the Pilgrims’ Office by presenting your completed credencial. You will be asked a few short questions about your route and motivation, after which the certificate is issued.

As the way pilgrims walk the Camino continues to evolve, so do the rules for obtaining the Compostela. The most recent change was introduced in 2025, and these are the rules you need to comply with as of 2026. We always recommend keeping an eye on the official guidelines published by the Pilgrims’ Office, but at WAW we also closely monitor any updates and revise this article accordingly. Here are the important 2025 changes:

IMPORTANT! Recent changes have updated the requirements for earning the Compostela certificate. Pilgrims are no longer required to complete the last 100 kilometers into Santiago. Instead, any 100 kilometers on any official Camino route will qualify as long as your final stage ends in Santiago. Additionally, according to the Canon of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, pilgrims must now obtain two stamps per day on their route, not just during the last 100 kilometers as before.

How is it different from before?

Previously, pilgrims needed to complete the last 100 kilometers of the Camino de Santiago to qualify for the Compostela. These are the routes covering the final 100 kilometers:

• 1. Sarria to Santiago
• 2. Baiona to Santiago
• 3. Ourense to Santiago
• 4. Tui to Santiago
• 5. Lugo to Santiago
• 6. Ferrol to Santiago
• 7. Vilalba to Santiago

This requirement made the final stretches especially popular and often crowded. The new rule allows pilgrims greater flexibility in choosing their route while still ending their journey in Santiago de Compostela. Previously, pilgrims could stamp their credentials just once per day along the Camino, except for the last 100 kilometers, where two stamps per day were required.

Why is this new change?

The last 100 kilometers from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela is beautiful and a wonderful part of the Camino. But truthfully, it has become extremely popular and often very crowded. Many pilgrims have limited time available but still wish to receive their Compostela certificate, and rightfully so! This new rule is undoubtedly an effort to encourage people to explore other sections of the Camino Francés and other routes.

Which Camino fits the new rules to obtain the Compostela?

Make sure to always check the most up-to-date information about the Compostela before your Camino to be completely sure. The best way to do this is by visiting the website of the Pilgrims’ Office.

With the updated rules for earning the Compostela, pilgrims now have the flexibility to choose from a broader range of Camino routes. For example, you can complete sections of the Camino del Norte, such as the stretch from San Sebastián to Bilbao or from Santander to Gijón, and still qualify for the Compostela.

Important! If a pilgrim has already started a route on foot outside Spain along one of the routes recognized by the International Pilgrim’s Reception Office system, the required distance in Spain shall be no less than 70 kilometers. Just make sure you include at least one more stage leading up to Santiago de Compostela so that you can apply for your Compostela at the very end. It’s best to stay up to date by regularly checking the website of the Pilgrims’ Office while preparing for your journey.

You can complete the Camino in stages, as long as they follow chronological and geographical order. However, if you only walk the minimum required distance (the last 100 km on foot or 200 km by bike), you must always get your Credencial stamped at the start and end of each stage, including the corresponding date. This ensures that you have resumed the Camino from the exact place where you last stopped.

What is even the Compostela?

Over time, as the Camino de Santiago gained religious and social recognition, it became necessary to establish a way to verify that pilgrims had completed the journey. This led to the creation of the Compostela, the official certificate of pilgrimage.

Initially, pilgrims used scallop shells, known as the venera, as a symbol of their completed pilgrimage. These were available only in Santiago. However, the ease of counterfeiting these shells led to fraudulent sales near the city. To combat this, church authorities, including the Pope, issued strict penalties for counterfeiters. By the 13th century, the introduction of probatory letters provided a more secure form of certification. These documents are considered the direct precursors to the modern Compostela.

The Compostela in 2026

To obtain the Compostela, pilgrims must meet specific criteria:

• Walking pilgrimage: Walk at least 100 kilometers on any officially recognized Camino route. If a pilgrim has already started a route on foot outside Spain along one of the routes recognized by the International Pilgrim’s Reception Office system, the required distance in Spain shall be no less than 70 kilometers. 
• Horseback pilgrimage: Ride at least 100 kilometers on any officially recognized Camino route. The final stage must include at least the last one leading into Santiago’s Cathedral.
• Cycling pilgrimage: Cycle at least 200 kilometers on an official route, following the same conditions as the pilgrimage on foot. Important! Cycling with e-bikes do not qualify you for the Compostela. 

Once again: remember! Pilgrims must now collect at least two stamps per day throughout the entire Camino and not only the last 100 kilometers on their credential from official establishments to verify their journey.

The pilgrim registration process

Upon arriving at the Oficina del Peregrino, pilgrims must register by scanning a QR code and filling out the required information. They will receive an alphanumeric code, which must be noted on their credential. This code is required to obtain a ticket for Compostela collection, which includes a QR code to monitor the waiting time in real-time.Some more things to keep in mind:

• The Compostela is issued only in person and cannot be requested on behalf of others.
• Pilgrims may complete the Camino in stages, provided the stages are consecutive and chronologically ordered.
• The journey must lead to the Tomb of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela, following the chosen route without mixing different pilgrimage paths.
• The Compostela is issued free of charge.

Should you have any more questions, feel free to write to [email protected]!