Your guide to getting empadronamiento in Madrid

Answering your questions on getting a certificado de empadronamiento in Madrid, how to get an appointment online and what documents you need.

Ivandzhelin

3 minute read

·

13 Feb 2024

·

Living

Did you successfully find your rental home in Madrid? Congratulations! Now it’s time to register at the municipality and get your certificado de empadronamiento. As the process can get confusing at times, we’ve outlined all of the steps for you, including

• Why you need an empadronamiento in Madrid
• How to set up an appointment online (cita previa)
• What documents do you need to register at the Padrón

So, let’s dive into it and get your empadronamiento in Madrid.

Empadronamiento is the process of registering in the general record of the residents in a Spanish city. The general record is known as the Padrón (officially the “Padrón Municipal de Habitantes”). Once you’ve registered in the Padrón, you get your certificado de empadronamiento, which proves that you’re registered in Madrid.

Every resident of Madrid who plans on residing in the city for longer than 6 months has to register in the Padrón. The certificado de empadronamiento is required to conduct administrative things like

• Applying for Spanish NIE number
• Applying for a TIE card
• Getting Spanish health insurance

The certificado de empadronamiento is also needed for tasks like setting up utilities, getting married, or becoming a driver. Getting your certificado de empadronamiento also helps the Spanish government assign the correct number of representatives in Congress and allocate funds for the city, as the amount is determined by the number of residents living in Madrid.

To get your certificado de empadronamiento, you need to register in person at one of the 23 Oficinas de Línea Madrid (Madrid Line Offices). Some offices are currently under construction, so the system for setting up an appointment will show only the ones currently open.

You can set up a Padrón appointment (cita previa) online via the municipality of Madrid’s website, via telephone (by calling 914 800 010, only in Spanish), or through their social media.

How to set up a Padrón appointment online (cita previa) in Madrid

1. Visit Cita previa page on the municipality of Madrid’s website
2. You’ll see 3 drop-down menus. On the first one (Categoria), choose Padron y censo.
3. Choose Atlas, bajas, y cambio de domicilio en Padrón from the second drop-down menu (Trámite o servicio).
4. Choose the nearest office to you (Seleccione la oficina) or choose the office with the soonest date available (o puede consultar la oficina con cita más temprana)
5. Choose the date when you can go to get your empadronamiento.
6. Select the time slot which works best for you
7. Fill in your details (datos personales): Name, number of your ID/passport, Spanish phone number, and email
8. Confirm
9. Wait for your confirmation email containing your cita previa code, date and time of appointment

But if you’re going to the offices in Aravaca, Valverde, and El Pardo, you need to make an appointment online following the same steps as for registering, but at step 3, opting for Certificado de empadronamiento and booking an appointment at the office.

Tip: The website is fully in Spanish, so if you don’t speak the language, it’s best to open it through Google Chrome so you can easily translate it. It can sometimes glitch when you switch between offices to look for available time slots. We recommend opting for the “soonest date available” option if you don’t have a specific location in mind.

All you need to get a certificado de empadronamiento is the confirmation of your online appointment and these documents:

• Valid ID/passport
  • If applicable: Spanish NIE number or TIE card
• Proof of address
  • Owners: Original and copy of the property deed
  • Tenants (one of the following):
    • Rental contract in Spanish (longer than 6 months, signed in the last 5 years)
    • Registration authorisation (autorización de empadronamiento) signed by the landlord allowing you to register at this address and a signed copy of their ID
    • In case you’re renting only a room: a signed letter (authorización expresa) by your roommate who is registered at this address and a copy of their ID
  • Both: last utility bill invoice or contract with a provider in your name
• Filled in Hoja Padronal (application form)

Getting empadronamiento in Madrid is pretty swift. All you need to do is attend your appointment and get your certificado de empadronamiento free of charge before you leave. A good thing to know is that the appointment will probably be in Spanish, so it’s best to have all the documents ready.

Your certificado de empadronamiento is valid for 3 months. Afterwards, you can request a copy of your empadronamineto online, over the phone, or at the nearest office to you (without a prior appointment).

For EU citizens, the registration in padrón doesn’t expire but has to be confirmed every 2-5 years if there haven’t been any changes to your personal information. Whereas non-EU citizens have to renew their padrón every 2 years.

Now you know everything about registering at the padrón in Madrid and getting your certificado de empadronamiento.

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