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What is the meaning of Padrón?
We have many clients asking, What is a Padron? They get afraid when they realize that this is a document required in many publics procedures. But the truth is that it is so easy to get a Padron. We will explain to you how to get a Padron in the Alicante province.
A Padron is a short way to say the Spanish word Empadronamiento. And all Spanish residents are required by law to register on the padrón. ONLY RESIDENTS.
What is a Certificado de Empadronamiento and what are the benefits?
This is a certificate that justifies you are living in this city or this town. The Padron office is so important in Spain because this is the way that the town halls have to know how many people are living in this city, and how much money will receive from the government. They don’t use your information for any other reason and the information provided at registration is confidential and protected by data-protection law.
Once they have this information, they can see how many children, adults and person older 60. With this information, they can use state money to build what the population needs, for example, Schools, Parks, health centres, police officers, etc…
If you want to vote in local or European elections, you must be registered in your Padron office. You can’t Vote in the Spanish nationals elections if you don’t have a Spanish passport. But you can vote to the local government.
Why do I need to be registered?
It is essential and required for many daily aspects of life in Spain and can be obtained easily from your local Town Hall. The Padron is needed for:
- Register at the health centre to get the SIP card
- Children School and grants
- University
- Apply for NIE (in some areas)
- Residency Card
- Spanish Driving licence
- Pensioner’s card
- Buy or sell a car (Not in all the cases, you can use other documents)
- Vote
- Another Grants and access to benefits and social care
How do I register?
It is so simple and you can have it ready in some minutes. You just need to go to your town hall, where you normally live with the paperwork, it doesn’t matter if you are the property owner, if you are renting out or if you live with family or friends, you must register in the hose that you are living.
Please, doublecheck if you need the previous appointment before going to the office. They will register at the same moment. They will give you the Padron certificate and this document will be valid for 3 months.
Orihuela Costa
If your property is in La zenia or playa flamenca you need to go to the Orihuela Costa Town Hall.
- Location Orihuela Costa Town Hall.
- You will need to book a Padron appointment online.
- Requirements (English version)
- It is free, they don’t charge
- You can’t renew it online
Torrevieja
- Torrevieja Town Hall location
- There is no online appointment at the moment, you must go in person before 9 am and take a ticket. (The last time we went, we spend more than hours in the queue)
- Requirements, only in Spanish
- It is Free
- From the 1st of July, You can renew it online (with electronic access).
What documents do I need to get a Padron in Spain?
Each town hall asks for different documents and you should verify it prior to standing in the queues to apply.
It is very frustrating to finally arrive at the head of the queue and be turned away due to not having all the paperwork required or enough copies. Please, if you don’t find your local town hall in this blog, contact us for any assistance.
As we said before, the Padron is the register for residents. So if you need it to apply for residencia you have 3 months to go back to the office and register your Residency card.
Apply as property owner
- Passport: original + copy
- NIE number: copy (if you have it)
- Residency card: original + copy (if you have it)
- Electricity or water bill: copy
- Title deeds “Escritura” or “Nota simple”: Copy
Renting a property
- Passport: original + copy
- NIE number: copy (if you have it)
- Residency card: original + copy (if you have it)
- Rental contract (in Spanish): original + copy
Living with family
- Passport: original + copy
- NIE number: copy (if you have it)
- Residency card: original + copy (if you have it)
- Title deeds “Escritura” or “Nota simple”: copy
- Owner Authorization: original
- Passport or DNI of the owner: copy
How long does Padron last?
The Spanish citizens don’t need to renew it. But, if you are British, Irish, or any other country in the Europe Union you need to renew it every 5 years.
But there a difference between the Padron registration and the certificate. The document “el Certificado de Empadronamiento” this paper is valid only for 3 months as all the public documents in Spain. To update the certificate you just need to go to the office with a copy of your passport.
You only can be registered in the Padron as a resident, so if you apply without your residency card, you have 3 months togo back to the town hall office and show your Residency. If you don’t do it, they will deregister.
It is so important to update your Padron information because if you get deregistered you can lose your public medical card. You can be also deregistered from your medial centre, and will not have free medial access.
Before deregistering, they will send you a notification to your home address (the one in the Padron), and you have one month since you receive the letter to go and renew it.
We have prepare some commun questions that our clients always ask.
Do I have to pay to enroll in Spain’s population register?
The answer can be yes and no, every town hall required different paperwork. Some of them required 1, 2, or 3€ to be registered. We haven’t found any thow hall that charges more than 3€.
As in Alicante province there are many local offices, I will recomend to call before go and ask the requirements.
Can I register in the Padron ONLINE?
There is a difference between registering and renewing it. In many town halls, you can renew your Padron online or get your certificate, but if you want to register the first time, you always have to go there in person. It is the only way that they have to proff that you are a real person.
Do I need to go with the Childres to Register?
Yes, to register your children on the Padron you need to go there in person. And probably you have to book an appointment for you and another to your children.
Do I need an appointment?
There are many town halls that you need the previous appointment, and you can book it online. If your city is no on the list, please contact us and we can help you.
Can I register without the residency card?
The Padron is the register for residents. So if you need it to be registered for any procedure, you have 3 months to go back to the office and register your Residency card. If you don’t do it, they will unregister.
How often do you have to renew your Padron in Spain?
You have to renew it every 5 years. But do not worry, you don’t need to remember it. They will send you a letter and you have one-month since you receive it to renew and update your details.
But, if you need to do any public prodesure, you will need an update certificate. This document is only valid for 3 months.
Do I need a Padron to buy a car in Spain?
No, legally you don’t need it, what you need is a proof of address. For that, you can use a Padron, or an Electricity or Water bill into your name.
Non residents and the padron in spain. Are there tax implications?
If you don’t want to stay in Spain for more than 3 months, we don’t recommend you to register in the padron. But, there are no direct tax implications of being registered on the ‘Empadronamiento‘,
However, the tax authority in Spain can use the Padron as evidence for a fiscal resident to avoid cases of tax evasion.
If You Move Home Or Leave Spain
If you change your home address or change your city, you must go to your new Padron office in the town hall “ayuntamiento” and change your address. Also if someone used to live in your home, you must inform the town hall about it, to deregister this person.
