Becoming an Expat in Spain: Volume 17

Registering at your local Town hall for a Padron

When you live for more than 180 days in any year in Spain you must register this fact with the local Town hall – a little bit like the electoral roll in the UK, however, a lot of local government funding is based upon the amount of residents registered so this is important for your local community as well as yourself and you will often need to prove your Padron registration on the Padron Municipal De Habitanteswhen dealing with certain legal matters in Spain such as:

Applying for an NIE;

Spanish Driving licence;

Health (SIPP) card;

TIE card.

The official title of this document (that you receive a copy of) is certificado de empadroniemento.

You can either attend the local Town Hall personal or take a representative with you to help and translate such as a Gestor.

You will usually need to provide:

Your original passport and a copy of the same;

Proof of property ownership or a rental contract;

A utility bill.

A point to remember is that your certificate only lasts for 3 months and you must update the Padron at least every 5 years, however if you need a copy for any legal purpose, you will have to renew your certificate if it has expired.