Empadronamiento in Barcelona (registering at the town hall)

What it is

Empadronamiento means registering your address on the padrón, the list of residents kept by your town hall (Ajuntament de Barcelona). You'll need your padrón certificate for your health card, your TIE, school places and many other procedures. Registering is free.

This guide is for the city of Barcelona. If you live elsewhere in the province (L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Badalona, Sant Cugat, Castelldefels, Sitges…), register at that town's own town hall.

Before you start

You'll need:

• ID for everyone registering: passport, TIE or EU ID card.
• Proof of your address, one of:
  • Renting: your rental contract in your name. Many town halls also ask for a recent utility bill or a copy of the landlord's ID.
  • Owner: your deeds (escritura) or a recent utility bill in your name.
  • Living in someone else's home: their signed authorisation, a copy of their ID, and proof they own or rent it.
• The registration form (hoja de inscripción padronal), available at the office or on the town hall's website.

Steps

1. Choose how to apply: in person at a citizen service office (OAC, Oficina d'Atenció Ciutadana) with originals, where you're registered on the spot, or online through the city's electronic office (tràmits).
2. Book an appointment (cita prèvia) online or by phone on 010 if you're going to an OAC.
3. Go to your appointment with everyone's ID, your proof of address and the form. Bring originals.
4. Get your padrón certificate (volante or certificado de empadronamiento). Ask for one while you're there, because you'll need it straight away for other procedures.

Cost

Free.

Common pitfalls

• Missing landlord documents. If you rent, ask your landlord early for a copy of their ID and a bill.
• No contract, or your landlord won't help? The town hall must still register you where you actually live; it can check in other ways, for example with a visit. Ask at the office.
• Renewing or confirming: the town hall asks non-EU citizens without permanent residence to renew their registration every 2 years, and other foreign residents to confirm it every 2 or 5 years. Reply to the letter, or you can be removed from the padrón.
• Other procedures ask for a recent certificate (often less than three months old), so request a new one when needed.
• Forms may be in Catalan. Spanish versions exist too; ask at the desk or call 010 if anything is unclear.

When to ask a helper

If your landlord won't give you the documents, you live in a shared or unofficial flat, or the town hall asks for something not listed here, ask someone who registered in Barcelona recently.