Empadronamiento in Spain (registering at your town hall)

What it is

Empadronamiento means registering your address on the padrón municipal, the list of residents kept by your town hall (ayuntamiento). Everyone living in Spain should be registered in the town where they live, whatever their nationality.

You'll need your padrón certificate for your health card, your TIE, school places, and many other procedures. Registering is free.

This is the general guide. The steps are the same everywhere, but each town hall has its own website, appointment system and small differences. Check your town hall's website (search for "padrón" plus the name of your town).

Before you start

You'll need:

• ID for everyone registering: passport, TIE or EU identity card.
• Proof of your address, one of:
  • Renting: your rental contract in your name. Many town halls also ask for a recent utility bill for the property 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 the property.
• The registration form (hoja de inscripción padronal), available at the town hall or on its website.
• For children: their passport and birth certificate (or family book), and both parents' ID or the other parent's authorisation.

Steps

1. Find your town hall's padrón page. Look for empadronamiento, alta en el padrón or inscripción padronal.
2. Book an appointment (cita previa) online or by phone. Some town halls also accept applications through their electronic office (sede electrónica) if you have a digital certificate or Cl@ve.
3. Go to the appointment with everyone's ID, your proof of address and the form.
4. Ask for your certificate (volante or certificado de empadronamiento) 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 utility bill.
• Old certificates. Other procedures usually want a certificate issued in the last three months. Ask for a new one when needed.
• Moving within Spain. Register at your new town hall; your registration at the old one is cancelled automatically.
• 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.

When to ask a helper

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