Can I do the empadronamiento without a rental contract?

Yes. The INE instructions (Resolución de 17/02/2020, section 2.3) list a rental contract with the last recibo as only one of the possible «titles»: the town hall may accept other documents (electricity or water bills) and may verify residence itself — through an informe de Policía Local or an inspection. If an adult with title to the dwelling is already registered there, their written authorisation is enough (section 3.1). In Valencia there is a separate trámite, PA.GP.65 «Casos especiales de empadronamiento», for those who cannot prove a right to the dwelling.

Is the empadronamiento free?

The registration itself (alta, cambio de domicilio) — yes. In Valencia the volante and the certificado are free too: the sede states «todos los trámites de padrón son gratuitos». But some municipalities charge a small tasa por expedición de documentos for the certificado (Guadalajara, for example — 1.60 €), so outside Valencia check your ayuntamiento's ordenanza fiscal.

Can I register without a NIE?

Yes. Ley 7/1985 (art. 16.2.f) asks for the NIE from a document issued by the Spanish authorities «or, failing that», the number of a valid passport. The passport must be in force: an expired one is accepted only together with the application for its renewal (Resolución de 17/02/2020, section 2.1). In fact, the empadronamiento is often done before obtaining the NIE.

How many people can be registered at the same address?

Formally there is no limit, and the town hall may not impose one: the Consejo de Empadronamiento (session of 20/06/2024, consulta 7.2) — neither the number of people registered nor the habitabilidad of the dwelling is, in itself, a ground for refusal. But the ayuntamiento may check who actually lives there (informe de Policía Local, inspection) — section 2.3 of the INE instructions.

What if the landlord refuses to give authorisation?

Without authorisation from a resident title-holder or your own title to the dwelling it is difficult to register. Try to explain that the empadronamiento does not grant any rights over the dwelling; a contract clause «no registration allowed» is irrelevant for the padrón (Consejo de Empadronamiento, 20/06/2024, consulta 5.4); turn to the social services or file PA.GP.65 — the town hall may verify residence itself through an informe de Policía Local.

Does the empadronamiento give the right to reside in Spain?

No. It is the registration of the fact that you live somewhere, not a migration status — RD 1690/1986 (art. 56.2) states outright that a foreigner's entry in the padrón is no proof of legal residence and grants no rights beyond immigration law. But it is important proof of residence for future migration procedures.

What should I do when moving to another city?

Register (empadronarse) in the new municipality — this automatically triggers the baja (removal) in the old one: the hoja padronal says so explicitly (Resolución de 17/02/2020, section 1.6), and the baja date equals the date of the new alta (section 5.2). You do not need to deregister yourself.

Can I be registered in two municipalities at the same time?

No. Each person has only one entry in the padrón — at their place of actual residence (Ley 7/1985, art. 15). When you register in a new municipality, the old entry is removed automatically.

Do I need the previous tenant's signature to register?

No, not if they no longer live there. Written authorisation is only required from an adult who actually lives at the address and holds title to the dwelling. Someone who moved out is not that person — you submit your own rental contract. The ayuntamiento may verify residence by its own means (informe de Policía Local, inspection).

What if the OAC refuses my alta because other people are registered there?

Ask for the refusal in writing and submit the solicitud de alta through a registro — in person, electronically or by post. The resolution deadline is 3 months (Ley 39/2015, art. 21.3). In Valencia the PA.GP.11 trámite page states silencio administrativo estimatorio outright: silence works in your favour.

Who removes the previous tenant from the padrón, and how?

The ayuntamiento itself handles it under art. 72 of RD 1690/1986. The owner or the current tenant can trigger it: in Madrid via the Declaración responsable filed with your alta, or the Comunicación de inscripción indebida; in Valencia via trámite PA.GP.25. The person who left is given a period to raise objections; if they do not consent, a favourable report from the Consejo de Empadronamiento (a joint INE/town-hall body — you do not contact it directly) is required.

How long does the previous tenant's baja de oficio take?

There is no published fixed deadline: Valencia's PA.GP.25 page says «no aplica», and Madrid and Barcelona publish none. If the person objects, a Consejo de Empadronamiento report is needed, which takes months. But your own registration does not depend on it and keeps its own 3-month deadline.

Empadronamiento in Spain: how to register

Q: Can I register if the previous tenant is still on the padrón at that address?

Yes. The INE instructions, binding on every ayuntamiento (Resolución de 17/02/2020, section 3.1), state that if the previous residents have left the dwelling, the town hall registers the new ones under the ordinary procedure and simultaneously opens a baja de oficio file on them. You do not have to wait for someone else's deregistration.

Empadronamiento (municipal registration) is one of the first administrative procedures everyone faces when they come to live in Spain. Without this registration it is impossible to access healthcare, education and most public services. In this guide we will explain in detail what empadronamiento is, why you need it, which documents are required (taking into account the specifics for Ukrainians) and how to complete the procedure in Valencia.

What empadronamiento is

Empadronamiento (also known as alta en el padrón municipal) is the registration in the municipal register of residents (padrón municipal de habitantes). In essence, it is the equivalent of registering your residence — the official notification to the town hall (ayuntamiento) that you live at a specific address.

The padrón is a register kept by every municipality (Ayuntamiento) in Spain. It contains the data of all residents: name, surname, date of birth, nationality, address of residence and document number (NIE, DNI or passport).

Legal basis

Under article 15 of Ley 7/1985 de Bases del Régimen Local, every person who resides in Spain is required to register in the padrón of the municipality where they actually live. This applies both to Spanish citizens and to foreigners — regardless of their migration status.

Important: Empadronamiento is an obligation, not a discretionary right. The town hall cannot refuse you registration, even if you do not have a residence permit or your migration status is undefined. The INE instructions (Resolución de 17/02/2020, section 2.1) say it outright: the ayuntamiento is not to check whether its residents' stay is legal or not.

Why you need empadronamiento

Empadronamiento opens access to most state and municipal services in Spain. Without a certificado de empadronamiento (proof of registration) you will not be able to:

Healthcare

Obtain the tarjeta sanitaria (health insurance card) for free care at public health centres (centro de salud).
Register with a family doctor (médico de cabecera).
Access emergency care with the SIP card in Valencia.

Education

Enrol your children in a public school (colegio público). Empadronamiento determines which school you belong to territorially.
Enrol in language courses at the Escuela Oficial de Idiomas.
Obtain discounts and grants tied to your place of residence.

Turn to servicios sociales (social services) for help.
Obtain ayudas municipales (municipal benefits).
Arrange the abono transporte (transport pass) at a reduced price.

Administrative procedures

Empadronamiento is often requested when obtaining the NIE (although formally it is not always mandatory).
It is required to apply for a residence permit (residencia).
It is needed to process arraigo social (legalisation through three years of residence).
It is required to register a marriage in Spain.

For most of these procedures you will need a separate appointment at the extranjería — when slots are released and what to do if there are none, we cover in the guide «Cita previa at extranjería».

Other situations

Opening a bank account (some banks ask for the empadronamiento).
Signing a long-term rental contract.
Obtaining resident discounts at museums, gyms and swimming pools.
Voting in elections (for EU citizens — in municipal elections).
Proving the length of your residence in Spain for various procedures.

Tip: Get your empadronamiento as early as possible after arriving in Spain. The date of registration in the padrón serves as proof of the start of your residence in the country, which is important when applying for residency, citizenship and other statuses.

Required documents

The set of documents depends on your situation. Below are the main options.

Basic set for everyone

Identity document:
- Passport (for foreigners from non-EU countries).
- NIE/TIE, if you already have one.
- For Ukrainians with temporary protection — the temporary protection document (tarjeta de protección temporal).
Application (solicitud de alta en el padrón):
- The form is provided at the Ayuntamiento itself or can be downloaded from its website.
- It is filled in in Spanish.
Document proving your address of residence (one of the options):

If you rent a dwelling

Rental contract (contrato de alquiler) plus the last recibo (payment receipt) — that is how the INE instructions describe the «title» (section 2.3). The original or a copy is accepted. The contract must be in force.
In Valencia (PA.GP.11) the contract — for a flat or a room — must run for more than 6 months, and the recibo (or bank transfer) must have been paid within the last 2 months. In Madrid the minimum contract term is also 6 months, and it must include the referencia catastral.
If the contract is in another person's name (for example, your spouse), their presence or written authorisation will be required.

If you live with acquaintances or relatives

Autorización del titular — written authorisation from the owner of the dwelling or the main tenant. Usually it is a simple free-form statement: "I, [full name], residing at [address], authorise [full name] to register at my address."
A copy of the identity document of the person giving the authorisation.
A copy of the rental contract or escritura (title deed) for that dwelling.
In some cases the owner of the dwelling must be present in person.

If you own the dwelling

Escritura (notarial title deed) or nota simple from the Registro de la Propiedad — in Valencia the nota simple must be no older than 3 months.
In Valencia, if you appear as the owner on the recibo del IBI (property tax receipt), no proof of ownership is needed — the town hall checks it itself.

For families with children

Libro de familia or the children's birth certificates (for minors).
If the children are entered in the parents' passport, this may be sufficient.
For Ukrainian documents, a sworn translation (traductor jurado) may be required.

Specifics for Ukrainians

For Ukrainians with temporary protection, registration is usually simpler:

The temporary protection document is accepted as the main identity document: the Consejo de Empadronamiento (note of 17/03/2022) allowed town halls to accept any document issued by the police under Orden PCM/169/2022, including the resguardo confirming that the application was filed — even before the TIE is issued.
An expired Ukrainian passport is not valid for the padrón on its own (Resolución de 17/02/2020, section 2.1) — but you do not need it: the temporary protection document serves as your ID. The validity of temporary-protection TIEs has been extended until 04/03/2027 (Orden INT/96/2026), even if the card shows an earlier date.
If you do not have a rental contract (for example, you live in a hostel or with volunteers), the town hall may verify your actual residence itself — through an informe de Policía Local or an inspection (section 2.3) — and register you on that basis; in Valencia the trámite for this is PA.GP.65.

Important: Documents not in Spanish require translation in some cases. However, for the empadronamiento the temporary protection document is usually enough — it is issued by the Spanish authorities and contains the NIE.

If the previous tenant is still registered at your address

This is the single most common reason people put off their empadronamiento for months: the landlord, a gestor or a neighbour says "the previous ones have to deregister first". That is not a condition for your registration.

In short

You do not have to wait for anyone else's deregistration. The INE instructions, binding on every ayuntamiento (Resolución de 17/02/2020, section 3.1), state that if the previous residents have left the dwelling, the town hall registers the new ones under the ordinary procedure and simultaneously opens a baja de oficio file (automatically, on the town hall's own initiative, without your involvement) on those who left.

Two different situations must not be confused — the rule differs for each:

The previous residents have moved out. You submit your own proof of the dwelling (rental contract, escritura), exactly as in a normal alta. Their signature is not needed. The ayuntamiento starts their removal in parallel.
Other people genuinely live at the address (you are moving into a room). Then, instead of proof of the dwelling, you need written authorisation from an adult registered there who holds title to it.

The word "duplicado" is not used here: officially this is an alta en un domicilio en el que ya constan empadronadas otras personas. In INE terminology, duplicidad means something else entirely — being registered in two municipalities at once.

How this works in each city

Madrid is the only major city that spells the scenario out. Its "Padrón Municipal. Empadronamiento (altas y cambios de domicilio)" trámite page states that if, at the moment of registration, people are listed at the dwelling who no longer live there, a baja por inscripción indebida file is opened against them. The instrument is the Declaración responsable para el empadronamiento form on sede.madrid.es. There is also a separate "Baja por inscripción indebida — Comunicación de inscripción indebida" trámite.

Valencia does not describe the scenario on its municipal pages, but the national instruction is binding there too. In practice: you file the alta (trámite PA.GP.11) with your own rental contract and a receipt from the last two months; the owner or contract holder separately files PA.GP.25 "Bajas de oficio en el Padrón Municipal". Only the owner or tenant can file PA.GP.25 — you cannot.

Barcelona likewise does not document the scenario and publishes no dedicated baixa d'ofici trámite. The same national rule applies; if refused, use the instància genèrica.

A verbal refusal is not a refusal

If the office tells you "they have to deregister first", ask for the refusal in writing and submit your solicitud de alta through a registro — in person, electronically or by post. The resolution deadline is 3 months; in Valencia the PA.GP.11 trámite page explicitly states silencio administrativo estimatorio, meaning the town hall's silence works in your favour.

The INE instruction also limits what an official may demand: once the municipal officer is satisfied that the data match reality, they are no longer entitled to request further supporting documents (section 2.3). If the ayuntamiento still blocks your registration, you can file a free complaint with the Defensor del Pueblo (defensordelpueblo.es) or with the regional ombudsman — the Síndic de Greuges in the Valencian Community, the Síndic de Greuges de Catalunya in Catalonia.

Step-by-step procedure in Valencia

Appointment (cita previa)
On sede.valencia.es choose 'Alta en el padrón municipal', the OAC and a date; save the PDF.
Prepare the documents
Passport, TIE/status document, proof of address (rental contract/deed) and copies.
Visit the OAC
Arrive 10 minutes before your appointment and submit the documents.
Get the certificate
Receive the certificado/volante de empadronamiento — often on the spot.

Step 1: Appointment (cita previa)

In Valencia the empadronamiento is processed through the Oficinas de Atención al Ciudadano (OAC) of the Ayuntamiento de Valencia.

Online appointment:

Go to the Ayuntamiento de Valencia website: sede.valencia.es
Find the "Cita previa" or "Padrón municipal" section
Select the procedure: Alta en el padrón municipal de habitantes
Choose a convenient OAC and date
Enter your details and confirm the appointment
Save the PDF confirmation

By phone:

Call the Ayuntamiento de Valencia information service: 010 (from outside the city of Valencia — 963 100 010)
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 — 18:30; Saturday, 9:00 — 14:00

Tip: Free slots at the central offices get booked up fast. Check the Juntas Municipales in other districts: Trànsits, Exposició, Russafa, Patraix, Marítim, Abastos. New slots also usually appear early in the morning.

Step 2: Preparing the documents

Gather all the necessary documents (see the section above). We recommend:

Making copies of all documents (although the OAC can usually make copies on the spot).
Filling in the application in advance, if you downloaded the form from the website.
If you are registering the whole family — preparing the documents for each family member.

Step 3: Visit to the OAC

On the appointed day, go to the Oficina de Atención al Ciudadano you selected:

Arrive 10 minutes before the assigned time.
Take a ticket (if there is an electronic queue).
Present the cita previa confirmation and your documents.

The officer will check the documents, enter your details into the system and issue you a volante de empadronamiento (a provisional proof of registration). In some cases a full certificado de empadronamiento is issued straight away.

Step 4: Obtaining the certificado de empadronamiento

The volante de empadronamiento is the basic proof, sufficient for most procedures. It is issued free of charge and on the spot.

The certificado de empadronamiento is a more official document, with a stamp and signature. It can be requested:

At the same OAC (sometimes issued on the spot, sometimes after a few days).
Online through sede.valencia.es, trámite PA.CE.10 (if you have a digital certificate or DNIe) — downloaded immediately.
Without a certificate — by phone on 010 or through the web form on valencia.es: the certificado is sent by post or email, not immediately.
Cost: free in Valencia («todos los trámites de padrón son gratuitos»). Other municipalities may charge a small tasa for the certificado — in Guadalajara, for example, 1.60 €.

Tip: The volante de empadronamiento is usually enough for the health card, enrolling children in school and most administrative procedures. The certificado may be required for more serious matters — a residence permit, court, notarial procedures.

Online registration

In Valencia, part of the empadronamiento procedures can be done online, but there are nuances.

What can be done online

Download the application form from the sede.valencia.es website.
Book a cita previa (the main method).
Obtain a volante or certificado de empadronamiento (if you are already registered and have a digital certificate or DNIe).
Report a change of address (cambio de domicilio) when moving within Valencia.

What cannot be done fully online

The initial registration (alta) for foreigners without an electronic signature — as a rule, an in-person visit is required. Trámite PA.GP.11 can be started online, but the application has to be signed electronically.
Registration with authorisation from the property owner — presence is usually required.

Digital certificate and Cl@ve

The following are used for online procedures in Spain:

Certificado digital — an electronic signature that can be obtained from the FNMT (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre). You need to verify your identity in person at an Agencia Tributaria or Seguridad Social office.
Cl@ve PIN / Cl@ve Permanente — an identification system for public services. Registration is possible online (with a NIE/DNI) or at an office. Valencia's sede accepts Cl@ve PIN and Cl@ve Permanente for logging in, and for signing — the DNIe, ACCV/FNMT certificates or Cl@ve Firma (available only with Cl@ve Permanente).

Tip: If you plan to live in Spain for a long time, be sure to obtain a digital certificate. It will be useful for dozens of procedures: taxes, Seguridad Social, booking a doctor's appointment, obtaining certificates.

Timelines and validity

Processing times

Cita previa: from a few days to 2–3 weeks depending on demand.
The procedure itself: 15–30 minutes for an in-person visit.
Issuance of the volante: immediately, the same day.
Issuance of the certificado: usually the same day or within 1–3 business days.

Validity of the certificado

Volante de empadronamiento: the validity is not formally limited, but many institutions require it to have been issued no more than 3 months ago.
Certificado de empadronamiento: likewise — the law sets no validity period, but institutions usually ask for one issued no more than 3 months ago.

If you need a recent proof, simply request a new one — in Valencia it is free. The INE instructions (section 8.1) expressly forbid putting an «expiry» on a certificado or volante: the «no older than 3 months» requirement is institutional practice, not a rule.

Updating and deregistration

Cambio de domicilio: when moving to a new address you need to update the registration. This is done similarly to the initial registration, but marked "cambio".
Baja: if you leave Spain, you can file the baja en el padrón yourself — for foreigners leaving the country this is the one case where a baja is processed on request (Resolución de 17/02/2020, section 5.2). In practice, foreigners often do not do this, and after two years without a renewal the town hall declares the entry lapsed (caducidad).
Renovación: foreigners from non-EU countries without a long-term residence permit (larga duración), including Ukrainians, must renew the empadronamiento every 2 years. The Ayuntamiento may send a reminder in advance, but it is not obliged to. If you do not renew it, you will be removed from the padrón without a prior hearing (audiencia).

Important: Losing your empadronamiento can negatively affect the count of your residence time in Spain (important for arraigo, residency and citizenship). Renew your registration on time!

Specifics for Ukrainians with temporary protection

Citizens of Ukraine who have obtained temporary protection status (protección temporal) have some particularities with the empadronamiento:

Simplified procedure

The temporary protection document is accepted as proof of identity — including the resguardo confirming that the application was filed, before the TIE is issued (Consejo de Empadronamiento note of 17/03/2022).
Additional documents (NIE, visa) are usually not required — the NIE is already contained in the temporary protection document.
There is no separate «simplified» trámite for Ukrainians in Valencia: you apply through the general PA.GP.11, and the INE note only fixes which documents are accepted.

Living without a rental contract

If you live in temporary accommodation (hotel, hostel, with volunteers), registration is still possible:

Informe de Policía Local: the town hall may verify your actual residence at the address itself — through a local police report or an inspection (Resolución de 17/02/2020, section 2.3) — and register you on that basis. In Valencia — trámite PA.GP.65.
Statement from the host: if a Spanish family has taken you in, they can write an authorisation.
Collective accommodation (reception centre, residencia): the authorisation is signed by the management of the institution (section 3.2).
Some refugee aid organisations (Cruz Roja, CEAR, ACNUR) help with arranging the empadronamiento.

Children

Minor children are registered together with their parents.
If one parent registers a child without the other's consent, a declaración responsable is enough — filed by the same adult who applied for the child's temporary protection (INE note of 17/03/2022). A separate translation of the Ukrainian birth certificate is usually not needed in that case.
If a child's birth certificate has been lost, contact the consulate of Ukraine for a certificate.
Empadronamiento is mandatory in order to enrol children in school.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

1. Putting off the registration

Many expats are in no hurry with the empadronamiento, considering it optional. As a result they lose months of residence time and cannot obtain a health card.

Solution: Arrange it in the first days after arrival.

2. Wrong address

If you have given an address where you do not actually live, this can lead to problems — for example, during a police check or when applying for residency.

Solution: Give your real address of residence.

3. Lack of authorisation from the owner

If you live at someone's place but come without the owner's authorisation, you may be refused.

Solution: Prepare the written authorisation and a copy of the owner's document in advance.

4. Expired certificado

You obtained a certificado de empadronamiento but use it six months later. Many institutions will not accept a proof older than 3 months.

Solution: Request a new certificado right before the procedure for which you need it.

5. Forgetting to update it when moving

When changing address within Spain you need to update the empadronamiento. If you do not, the old registration remains and the new address is recorded nowhere.

Solution: Each time you move, arrange a cambio de domicilio.

6. Not renewing the empadronamiento after 2 years

For non-EU foreigners without larga duración, the padrón is automatically cancelled after 2 years without renewal.

Solution: Keep track of the deadlines and renew the registration in good time.

7. Coming without a cita previa

In Valencia the padrón offices also serve people without an appointment, from 8:30 to 14:00, but the town hall recommends a cita previa to save time and avoid queues. Without a cita you may wait a long time.

Solution: Always book in advance through the website or by phone.

Oficinas de Atención al Ciudadano (OAC) in Valencia

In Valencia there are several offices where you can arrange the empadronamiento:

| Office | Address | Note | | ---------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | | Centro | Plaza del Ayuntamiento, 1 (entrance from C/ Periodista Azzati, 2) | Oficina del Padrón Municipal in the town hall | | Tabacalera | Calle Amadeo de Saboya, 11 (west wing) | Oficina de Atención Ciudadana | | Trànsits | Calle Conde de Lumiares, 5 | Junta Municipal; covers the Campanar neighbourhood | | Exposició | Calle Guardia Civil, 19 | Junta Municipal; covers the Benimaclet neighbourhood | | Russafa | Calle Matías Perelló, 5 | Junta Municipal |

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 — 14:00. The Juntas Municipales of Marítim, Abastos, Patraix, Pobles del Nord, Pobles del Sud and Benimamet-Beniferri also handle the padrón.

Tip: If there are no free slots in your district, check the offices in other districts. You can register at any OAC, regardless of where your address of residence is located.

Useful links

Ayuntamiento de Valencia — Padrón municipal: sede.valencia.es ("Estadística — Padrón municipal" section)
Cita previa OAC Valencia: sede.valencia.es → "Cita previa"
Information service phone: 010 / 963 100 010 (from outside the city of Valencia)
Portal de Inmigración (information about procedures for foreigners): inclusion.gob.es/web/migraciones
Cruz Roja España (help for Ukrainian refugees): cruzroja.es
CEAR (Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado): cear.es

Conclusion

Empadronamiento is a simple, free and mandatory procedure that opens access to key services in Spain. For Ukrainians with temporary protection the process is as simplified as possible: the temporary protection document and proof of address are enough.

Main recommendations:

Get your empadronamiento right away after arrival — do not put it off
Book a cita previa in advance through the Ayuntamiento website
Prepare all the documents — passport, protection document, proof of address
Renew every 2 years if you do not have long-term residence (larga duración)
Keep the certificado and request a fresh one before important procedures

Empadronamiento is your first step towards a full life in Spain. Once it is done, you will gain access to free healthcare, education and social services. If you still have questions — join our community, we are always glad to help.

Disclaimer: The information is current as of September 2026. Administrative procedures may change. For the most up-to-date information, contact the Ayuntamiento de Valencia or a qualified lawyer.

The legal facts in this guide were checked against the BOE (Ley 7/1985, RD 1690/1986, Resolución de 17/02/2020, Ley 39/2015, Orden INT/96/2026), the Consejo de Empadronamiento (INE) notes and the trámite pages of sede.valencia.es and sede.madrid.es on 28 September 2026.

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