Padrón & Empadronarse Explained

If you live in Spain there are any reasons why you should register on the Padrón, not least because it is compulsory to do so!

It is compulsory for all residents in Spain, including Spanish nationals, to register on the Padrón

But what is the Padrón?

Basically the Padrón is a list of everybody that lives in a particular town, and is effectively a municipal register, while to Empadronarse is the act of regsitering on the Padrón at the Town Hall.

Many expats living in Spain it appears haven’t regsitered on the Padrón, either through ignorance or fear that it is some sort of central big brother system. Put simply it isn’t! The information that you provide at the Town Hall when you Empadronarse is confidental and protected by a number of data protection laws. All it really provides is a means of the Town Hall knowing how many people it has to serve in the community, without looking into the official residential status of an individual. You don’t even have to own a property to Empadronarse on the Padrón, so if you have an address where you usually live in Spain i.e. rent, live with a family, or stay with friends, you can register.

Empadronarse is easy and quick. All you need do is fill in the relevant form at the Padrón section of your Town Hall, and provide some official identification (passport, NIE, certificate of residence, utility bill in your name, deeds to the house if you own it, or rental agreement if you renting). You are registerted immediately, but will need to pick up the official certificate at a later stage.

So why should you Empadronarse on the Padrón:

1. If you want to vote in local or European elections
2. If you want to register for healthcare, register your car with Spanish plates, or enrol your children in School
3. Some income-related benefits and social care require you to have been registered for a certain period of time
4. Central Government allocates funds based on the number of people registered on the Padrón so by registering you are helping your Town Hall get all the funds it is entitled to in order that you can bebefit from the services it provides e.g. Police, Fire, Schools, Health Centres
5. Depending on circumstances registration could mean a 50% discount on your Property Tax, as well as reductions on inheritance and community charges.

As ever, for specific information and details please contact a professional!

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