Transparency is a necessary condition in order to financial market could exert an adequate discipline over public agents’ borrowing policy. In federal and decentralized countries, the risk of insolvency is bigger, given that expenditure and revenue policies are shared among several tiers of government. In this article we analyze the determinants of ratings as an instrument that can contribute to improve transparency in borrowing operations. Discriminant analysis is used and the Autonomous Communities in Spain are the core of the investigation.