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Municipal registration (padrón)

Empadronamiento

Madrid versionOnly applies in Madrid (city)

In other cities: Barcelona · Valencia

What it is

Everyone living in Spain must register on the Padrón of the municipality where they usually live. In Madrid it can be done online (with electronic identification) or in person with a compulsory appointment at the Oficinas de Atención a la Ciudadanía. Documents: registration form (hoja padronal), responsible declaration, identity document (for non-EU nationals: residence permit or, if they do not have one, passport) and a document proving use of the home (for example, a rental contract in force for at least six months, or title deeds). Non-EU nationals without permanent residence must renew their registration every two years.

Official wording
Las personas extranjeras no comunitarias sin autorización de residencia permanente deberán renovar cada dos años la inscripción. En caso contrario se declarará la caducidad de la inscripción y la baja en padrón.

Official sources

Where it applies
Madrid (city)

Official information

Official sources

Go to the official website: Padrón registration procedure (Madrid), with links to appointments and online filingGo to the official website: Madrid City Council appointments

When

When you come to live in Madrid (from another municipality or from abroad), when you move house within the city of Madrid, or if you live in Madrid and are not registered on any padrón. Anyone who lives in more than one municipality registers in the one where they live longest during the year. Non-EU nationals without a permanent residence permit must renew their registration every two years.

Official wording
Toda persona que viva en España está obligada a inscribirse en el Padrón del municipio donde reside habitualmente.

Official sources

Steps

  1. Step 1: Choose online or in person and prepare the documents

    It can be done online (electronic identification required) or in person with a compulsory appointment at the Oficinas de Atención a la Ciudadanía. Both routes cannot be used at the same time. The padrón documentation assistant (Asistente de Documentación para el Padrón) shows which documents you must provide (for registrations of up to two adults).

    Official wording
    En ningún caso podrá utilizarse la tramitación en línea y la tramitación de forma presencial en una oficina de atención a la ciudadanía de manera simultánea.

    Official sources

    Go to the official website: Procedure page (documentation assistant and form templates)

  2. Step 2: Option A: apply online

    Applying online requires electronic identification. If the process needs other people’s consent (for example, the property holder), they have 5 calendar days from submission to give it; otherwise the application is cancelled as incomplete.

    Official wording
    En el supuesto de que el trámite requiera consentimientos, las personas que deban aportarlos dispondrán de 5 días naturales desde la presentación de la solicitud.

    Official sources

    Go to the official website: Apply online (from the procedure page)

  3. Step 3: Option B: book an appointment and go to a Citizen Service Office

    Appointment online (category Padrón, procedure Altas, Bajas y Cambio de domicilio en Padrón), by phone (010 from the city of Madrid, or 914 800 010) or through the Línea Madrid chat. The appointment must be in the name of the adult who will take part in the procedure. The person concerned or a representative may attend. The registration form is filled in in capital letters and signed by hand by all adults.

    Official wording
    La cita debe estar a nombre de la persona mayor de edad que vaya a intervenir en el trámite.

    Official sources

    Go to the official website: Appointment (category Padrón)

  4. Step 4: Wait for the decision

    The council has up to three months from the application to decide.

    Official wording
    El plazo máximo para resolver el empadronamiento es de tres meses a partir de la solicitud, según lo establecido en el artículo 21.3 de la Ley 39/2015, de 1 de octubre, del Procedimiento Administrativo Común de las Administraciones Públicas.

    Official sources

  5. Step 5: Renew every two years (non-EU nationals without permanent residence)

    The registration of non-EU nationals without a permanent residence permit is renewed every two years; if it is not renewed, it may be cancelled as expired. The City Council sends an advance notice letter. Online renewal is only possible if you have received the notice and within the period it states; after that, it must be done in person with an appointment.

    Official wording
    Sólo podrá realizar el trámite en línea si ha recibido el escrito de preaviso de renovación. Transcurrido el plazo indicado en el preaviso deberá realizar el trámite presencialmente.

    Official sources

    Go to the official website: Renewal of registration for non-EU nationals

Documents

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🖨 Printable bilingual document card (you can show it at the counter)

  • For in-person filing it is downloaded from Modelos de formularios. It is filled in in capital letters with the details of each person registering; all adults sign it by hand.

    Official wording
    Todas las personas mayores de edad deben firmar, y la firma debe ser manuscrita.

    Official sources

    Official sources

  • It is submitted when people who no longer live at the address are still registered there; a deregistration procedure for incorrect registration is opened for them.

    Official wording
    Esta declaración se tiene que presentar cuando en el domicilio hay personas empadronadas que ya no residen en el mismo.

    Official sources

    Official sources

  • Originals, in force. Non-EU nationals over 14: residence permit (if they do not have one, passport). Under-14s: family book (libro de familia), birth certificate, residence permit or passport. The City Council may require a sworn translation of foreign documents.

    Official wording
    De otras nacionalidades: permiso de residencia (si no se dispone de él, se aportará el pasaporte).

    Official sources

    Official sources

  • It must show the address and the name of at least one of the people registering. Rental contract in force for a home or room: with the owner's details (or their authorisation if the landlord is not the owner), signed by everyone in the contract, with a minimum term of six months and the cadastral reference. Or title deeds or a simple copy, a purchase contract or a nota simple from the Land Registry (if after that date someone else registered who no longer lives there, also a utility bill no more than three months old).

    Official wording
    Su duración mínima será de seis meses.

    Official sources

    Official sources

  • It is provided for extended rental contracts and for contracts signed electronically; it must state the landlord, tenant, payment period and address.

    Official wording
    El justificante de pago del último recibo del alquiler, en que debe detallarse: nombre del arrendador, arrendatario, periodo de pago y domicilio del arrendamiento

    Official sources

    Official sources

  • If the person registering has no document of use of the home, the person who holds the right of use authorises the registration by filling in and signing the relevant section of the registration form, and attaches their title document and identity document (original or copy). If you are going to live with someone already registered, they sign the declaration of residence section.

    Official wording
    debe aportar la declaración de residencia de la persona ya empadronada, que firmará y rellenará con sus datos el apartado declaración de residencia de la hoja padronal

    Official sources

    Official sources

  • When the procedure is carried out by someone who is not on the registration form: authorisation from at least one of the people registering, the original identity document of the person carrying out the procedure and the original identity document of the person represented if they are a foreign national.

    Official wording
    Cuando el empadronamiento lo realiza una persona que no está incluida en la hoja padronal, debe aportar una autorización para el empadronamiento de, al menos, una de las personas que van a ser empadronadas

    Official sources

    Official sources

  • Any padrón procedure for a minor must be authorised by both parents. With both parents: birth certificate or family book and the registration form signed by both. With only one: in addition, the other parent's authorisation or the relevant court decision.

    Official wording
    Es importante saber que cualquier gestión padronal referida a un menor debe ser autorizada por ambos progenitores, que son los que tienen la patria potestad.

    Official sources

    Official sources

Fees

The registration certificate issued by Madrid City Council is free.

Official wording
Los certificados de empadronamiento de los habitantes del municipio de Madrid sólo pueden ser expedidos por el Ayuntamiento de Madrid, y dicha expedición es gratuita.

Official sources

FAQ

Can I apply online and also book an in-person appointment?

No. If you chose the online route and did not ask to cancel it, you must wait for it to be decided. The online and in-person routes can never be used at the same time.

Official wording
Si se ha optado por la tramitación en línea y no se ha solicitado cancelar el proceso, deberá esperar a que el procedimiento se resuelva por esta vía.

Official sources

People who no longer live in my flat are still registered there. What happens?

When registering, you submit the responsible declaration and the City Council opens a deregistration procedure for incorrect registration for those people.

Official wording
Si en el momento de empadronarse hay personas que figuran en la vivienda, pero que ya no residen en la misma, se iniciará a dichas personas un expediente de baja por inscripción indebida.

Official sources

I live in Madrid but have no contract and nobody to authorise me. Can I register?

The City Council can advise you, assess your situation and, where appropriate, issue the reports needed to make registration possible.

Official wording
Si vive en el municipio de Madrid, pero no puede demostrar con documentos donde vive, o no tiene persona que le autorice el empadronamiento, el ayuntamiento le puede asesorar y podrá valorar su situación, pudiendo emitir, si procede, los informes necesarios para facilitar su empadronamiento.

Official sources

I'm a non-EU national. Do I have to renew my registration?

Yes, every two years if you do not have a permanent residence permit. If it is not renewed, the registration may be cancelled as expired without hearing the person concerned.

Official wording
La inscripción en el Padrón Municipal de los extranjeros no comunitarios sin autorización de residencia permanente, está sujeta a renovación periódica cada dos años, pudiendo ser acordada la caducidad de la inscripción, sin necesidad de audiencia al interesado, siempre que éste no proceda a tal renovación.

Official sources

⏰ Expiry reminder

Enter the expiry date on your card to download calendar reminders 90, 60 and 30 days before. Generated on your device; nothing is uploaded.

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