To register on the padrón in Madrid city, you apply to the Ayuntamiento de Madrid, either online (with an electronic ID) or in person at an Oficina de Atención a la Ciudadanía (Línea Madrid), where an appointment is compulsory. You need your identity document, proof that you live at the address and, if you are not on the contract or deeds, a signed authorisation from the person who is.
Key points
- Anyone living in Spain must register on the padrón of the municipality where they usually live.
- In Madrid city you can apply online (electronic ID required) or in person with a compulsory appointment, but not both at once.
- You normally need ID, proof of housing use and, if relevant, authorisation from the owner or tenant.
- Non-EU foreigners without permanent residence must renew the registration every two years.
- Other towns in the Community of Madrid run their own padrón procedures.
What the padrón is and why expats need it
The Padrón Municipal de Habitantes is the administrative register of the people who live in each municipality. Under Spanish local government law, every person living in Spain must register where they usually reside, and the register serves as proof of residence and of your usual address. If you live in several municipalities, you register in the one where you spend most of the year.
In practice, many other procedures rely on it:
- Healthcare. When you apply for a health card (tarjeta sanitaria), the Community of Madrid asks for a padrón volante issued by your town hall within the 90 days before you apply. If you live in Madrid city, you can instead authorise the health centre to check the register for you.
- Schools. School admission in the Community of Madrid is based partly on the family address, so a current registration for the family home is normally part of the application.
- Immigration and other paperwork. Proof of address is commonly requested in residence-related and administrative procedures, but what exactly is asked depends on the procedure. See our guides to the TIE card in Madrid and the NIE number in Madrid.
Madrid city or another town?
Each town hall manages its own padrón. This guide covers Madrid city. If your home is in another municipality of the Community of Madrid, you register with that town hall, which has its own forms, appointment system and document list. Check its website or phone it before you go, and do not assume the Madrid city rules apply.
How to register in Madrid city
The city council offers two routes. It is explicit that you cannot use both at the same time: if you apply online and do not cancel, you must wait for that procedure to be resolved.
Route 1: online
The procedure is called “Padrón Municipal. Empadronamiento (altas y cambios de domicilio)” on sede.madrid.es. It requires electronic identification, which many new arrivals do not yet have. If another person must give consent, they have five calendar days from submission to do so, otherwise the application is cancelled as incomplete.
Route 2: in person with an appointment
You attend an Oficina de Atención a la Ciudadanía (Línea Madrid) with a compulsory appointment, which you can book through:
- the online appointment link on the council’s procedure page (category “Padrón”, service “Altas, Bajas y Cambio de domicilio en Padrón”);
- the free number 010 from within Madrid city, or 914 800 010 from outside the city;
- the Línea Madrid online chat.
The appointment must be in the name of the adult who will carry out the procedure, who can be you or a representative.
Registration is not instant. The council reviews your documents and issues a resolution, with a maximum of three months to resolve the request. If you apply in person, a certificate of registration can be provided at the end, during the same appointment.
Documents you need
The council lists the following groups of documents. Check the current list on the official page before your appointment.
- Registration form (hoja padronal). For in-person applications, download it, fill it in capital letters for each person being registered, and have every adult sign by hand.
- Declaración responsable. Required when people are still registered at the address but no longer live there; the council opens a procedure to remove them for improper registration.
- Identity documents. Foreign nationals provide originals in force. Citizens of EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland provide a passport or national ID, plus their NIE if they have one. Other nationalities provide their residence permit, or the passport if they do not have one yet. The council may require a sworn translation of documents issued abroad.
- Proof that you use the home. This must show the address and the name of at least one person being registered. Accepted documents include a valid rental contract for a home or room (signed by everyone named, lasting at least six months, with the cadastral reference), the receipt of the last rent payment for extended or electronically signed contracts, or the deeds, purchase contract or a nota simple from the Property Registry. The council may ask for more in some cases, such as tourist contracts or leases that restrict who may live there.
- Authorisation or representation, if the person submitting the application is not among those being registered.
If you are not on the contract or the deeds
This is common for people renting a room or moving in with a partner. According to the council:
- If you have no housing document, the person who holds the right to use the home authorises your registration by completing and signing the “authorisation” section of the form, attaching proof of their right to use the home and their ID.
- If you have a housing document but will live with someone already registered there, that person completes the “declaración de residencia” section and attaches their ID.
- In hotels, residences and similar establishments, the person in charge completes the authorisation with their signature and stamp.
- If you genuinely live in Madrid but cannot prove it, the council says it can advise you and, where appropriate, issue reports to facilitate your registration.
If you are unsure which combination applies to you, our empadronamiento service in Madrid can help you check your documents before you submit them.
Registering children and family members
Adults at the same address are normally registered together on one form. For minors, the council stresses that any padrón procedure must be authorised by both parents, who hold parental authority.
- With both parents: birth certificate or family book, and a form signed by both.
- With one parent: the same documents plus the other parent’s authorisation, or a court ruling on custody that sets the child’s home. If obtaining consent is truly impossible and you have sole custody, the council describes a specific declaration plus the court resolution.
- With someone other than a parent: authorisation from both parents or, for guardianship or foster care, the relevant court or administrative decision.
Children under 14 may use a birth certificate, family book, residence permit or passport as identity. Minors registering where their parents are already registered do not need to show proof of housing use. A baby born in Madrid is generally registered automatically once the council receives the data from the INE.
The certificate: certificado or volante?
The city council issues the certificado de empadronamiento free of charge. Your options are:
- Online with electronic ID: individual certificates are issued immediately.
- Online without electronic ID, or by phone (010): sent by post to your registered address, with an estimated 15 working days.
- In person without an appointment: at the Oficinas de Atención a la Ciudadanía, except the auxiliary offices of Aravaca, El Pardo and Las Tablas. In-person requests are generally resolved on the spot.
You will also see the word volante, for example in the health card requirements. The council’s page does not define it as a separate document, so the terminology can vary between bodies. Ask the organisation what exactly it requires and how recent it must be, because that is set by the body asking, not by the padrón.
Renewing every two years
Spanish local government law requires registrations of non-EU foreigners without a long-term residence authorisation to be renewed every two years. The Ayuntamiento de Madrid says the same: non-EU nationals without permanent residence must renew every two years, otherwise the registration lapses (caducidad) and you are removed from the register. The law adds that this can be declared without a prior hearing, so do not wait for a reminder. Note the date when you register.
Common problems
- Contract problems. A lease with no cadastral reference, a term under six months, or a clause preventing extra occupants can lead to requests for further proof.
- Expired or non-original documents. Foreign nationals must present originals in force.
- Former occupants still registered. This triggers removal proceedings against them, so tell the other residents.
- Missing consent. Online, others have five calendar days to give it; for children, both parents must authorise.
If you would like a second pair of eyes on your file, see our empadronamiento service in Madrid or contact us. We are an online service run by Gestoría Beltrán Cifre SL, with no office in Madrid, and the town hall takes the final decision on every registration.
Frequently asked questions
Can I register on the padrón online in Madrid?
Yes, the Ayuntamiento de Madrid offers an online procedure, but it requires electronic identification. If you do not have it, the in-person route with a compulsory appointment at a Línea Madrid office is the alternative. You cannot use both at once.
Do I need a rental contract to register?
You need a document showing you use the home, such as a rental contract or deeds. If you have none, the person who holds the right to use the home can authorise your registration by completing the relevant section of the registration form and attaching their documents.
How long does a padrón certificate stay valid?
The city council does not set a general validity period on its certificate page. The organisation that asks for it decides how recent it must be. For example, the Community of Madrid asks for a volante issued in the previous 90 days for a health card. Always ask the requesting body.
Do I have to renew my registration?
If you are a non-EU foreign national without a permanent residence authorisation, yes, every two years according to both national law and the Ayuntamiento de Madrid.
Sources
- Padrón Municipal. Empadronamiento (altas y cambios de domicilio) (Ayuntamiento de Madrid, sede electrónica), checked 21 October 2026
- Padrón Municipal. Solicitud de certificado de empadronamiento (Ayuntamiento de Madrid, sede electrónica), checked 21 October 2026
- Ley 7/1985, de 2 de abril, Reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local (arts. 15 to 17) (Boletín Oficial del Estado), checked 21 October 2026
- Tarjeta Sanitaria (Comunidad de Madrid), checked 21 October 2026
Want us to handle it for you?
Tell us your situation and get a fixed quote in writing before you pay anything.
