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The Compostela is the certificate the Catholic Church issues to pilgrims who complete the Camino de Santiago. It is written in Latin, printed in colour, and it records that you reached the tomb of Saint James in Santiago de Compostela. This article covers who qualifies for it, what the alternatives are if you do not, and how you actually claim your certificate once you arrive.
Why pilgrims walk
People walk the Camino for religious reasons, for spiritual ones, or for reasons they would file under neither. Some walk on behalf of someone else and dedicate the journey to them. The route has carried all of these for more than a thousand years, and the Pilgrim’s Reception Office in Santiago sees the full range every day. Your motivation matters for one practical reason only: it decides which certificate you can receive at the end.
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The requirements for the Compostela
The Pilgrim’s Reception Office sets the rules, and they can change from year to year, so check that page before you set out. As of the last review of this article, they are:
- On foot or on horseback: complete at least the final 100 continuous kilometres into Santiago on one recognised route. The last stretch leading to the Cathedral must be walked or ridden, not covered by taxi, bus or other transport.
- By bicycle: at least the final 200 kilometres, under the same conditions.
- Starting outside Spain: a pilgrim who begins a recognised route on foot outside Spain must cover at least the last 70 kilometres inside Spain.
- Motivation: the Compostela is issued only to pilgrims making the journey for religious or spiritual reasons. Walking mainly for tourism or exercise does not meet that requirement, though it does not disqualify you from the alternative certificates below.
- Credential and stamps: carry a pilgrim Credential (credencial del peregrino) and have it stamped along the way. Over the final 100 kilometres you need two stamps per day, one at the start and one at the end of each stage, each dated, so the office can see the walk was continuous.
Information last verified 29 August 2026, source: Pilgrim’s Reception Office (oficinadelperegrino.com).
If you did not walk for religious reasons
Pilgrims who declare a cultural or sporting motivation, rather than a religious or spiritual one, receive the Certificado, also called the Certificate of Welcome. It acknowledges that you completed the Camino and carries the same minimum distance requirements as the Compostela. It is free. The only real difference is that it is not the Latin Compostela and does not reference a religious purpose.
The Certificate of Distance
Separately, any pilgrim can request a Certificate of Distance, regardless of motivation. It is a parchment that states your starting point, your route, your arrival date, and the total kilometres you covered according to the official route distances. Extra walking to reach lodging or restaurants is not counted. It costs 3 euros at the counter, and the office sells a cardboard tube for a couple of euros so you can carry either certificate home without creasing it.
Claiming your certificate in Santiago
Before you arrive, register on the Pilgrim’s Office website and enter your details. The form generates a QR code. In Santiago, go to the Pilgrim’s Reception Office near the Cathedral, take a queue number, and wait to be called to a desk.
I have done this twice, and both times it was quick and friendly. A staff member scans your QR code, which fills in most of the record, then looks through your Credential and its daily stamps for the final stretch. Once that checks out, they print and hand you the Compostela. It is free. If you want the Certificate of Distance as well, you ask for it at the same desk and pay there. On my visits the distance certificate and the protective tube were about a euro each; the price has since risen, so budget a few euros in cash.
Other ways to complete the Camino
The Camino is also completed by bicycle, on horseback, in a wheelchair, and by the maritime route that follows the sea approach into Galicia. Each has its own distance rules and conditions for earning a Compostela. The official website lists them in detail; check it if you plan to travel any way other than on foot.
Frequently asked questions
How many stamps a day do I need over the last 100 kilometres?
Two, one at the start of each day’s walk and one at the end, both dated. You can collect them at churches, hostels, hotels, town halls, cafes and many shops. Below the final 100 kilometres one stamp a day is enough.
Where does the 100 kilometres start?
It is simply the last 100 kilometres of a recognised route, walked continuously on that route. On the Camino Frances that puts the usual starting point at Sarria; on the Portuguese route it is Tui. Both towns exist as pilgrimage start points largely because of this rule.
Can I get a certificate if I walked for non-religious reasons?
Yes. You receive the Certificado, or Certificate of Welcome, which has the same distance requirements and is also free. The Latin Compostela is the one reserved for religious or spiritual motivation.
Does the Compostela cost anything?
No, the Compostela itself is free. The Certificate of Distance is 3 euros, and a cardboard carrying tube is around 2 euros. Bring cash for those.
Do I really have to walk the final stretch into the city?
Yes. The last approach to the Cathedral has to be done under your own power, on foot for the walking Compostela, and not skipped by bus or taxi. The rest of the qualifying distance also has to be continuous on a single route.
Where to go next
For the stamp-collecting side of the walk, see Camino de Santiago Stamp Culture. To plan the final stages, Best Places to Stay on the Camino de Santiago and the Camino de Santiago Packing List cover lodging and kit. Everything we have written on the country sits on the Spain hub.
This article is for informational and educational purposes only. Always verify current travel requirements with official government sources before making travel decisions.
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