How the Spanish civil registry (Registro Civil) works

Terms used

• Registro Civil — The Registro Civil is Spain's national register of births, marriages, deaths and other civil status events.
• Extracto — The extracto is a certificate summarising the main data in a registry entry, used for ordinary procedures.
• Literal — The literal certificate is a full copy of the registry entry, including all marginal notes.
• Plurilingüe — The plurilingüe certificate is a standard multilingual form for births, marriages and deaths, accepted without translation in states party to the convention.
• Cl@ve — Cl@ve is Spain's online identification system for dealing with public bodies.

Key rules

• One register: Spain has a single national digital Registro Civil, with one personal record per person.
• Fees: Civil registry certificates are free of charge.
• Usual certificate: The extracto is the usual certificate for ordinary procedures.
• Proof of no entry: Use a negative certificate to show that a birth or marriage is not registered.

The registry is now one digital register for all of Spain

The old local registries no longer exist. Spain now has a single Registro Civil, run as one national electronic database. The full switch to this system took effect on 30 April 2021.

Each person has one personal record with a personal code. Births, marriages, deaths and other changes to your civil status are added to that same record. Because the database is national, it does not matter in which town the event was first registered.

The Ministry of Justice is responsible for the registry. Registrars from the justice administration's senior civil-service body now manage it.

Where you deal with it

You can use any of these:

• A general registry office (Oficina General del Registro Civil). There is at least one per municipality or district.
• The central registry in Madrid (Registro Civil Central).
• A Spanish consulate abroad. Consulates act as registry offices for Spaniards and for events abroad that must be recorded in Spain.
• The Ministry of Justice, online, in person or by post. Online you need a digital certificate or Cl@ve.

The registry's organisation is changing again, and local justice offices are taking over some tasks. Office names and responsibilities can differ by town, so check with your town hall or local court which office handles your case.

Which certificates it gives you

The registry issues four kinds of certificate. The documents box below sets out what each one is. In short:

• Ask for the extracto certificate in an ordinary procedure.
• Ask for the literal certificate when the authority wants the full entry, for example for nationality or inheritance.
• Use the plurilingüe certificate for births, marriages and deaths when you need to use it abroad without translation.
• Ask for a negative certificate when you must prove that no entry exists.

Civil registry certificates are free of charge. Only extras such as sworn translations are paid separately.

Before you ask

Check which certificate the office asking for it wants. Asking for the wrong type is the most common reason to have to start again. The questions below cover the usual cases, including how to get a certificate from abroad.

Documents you need

• Extracto certificate: a summary of the main data in the entry, issued by the Registro Civil. It is the usual choice for ordinary procedures.

• Literal certificate: a full copy of the entry with all marginal notes, issued by the Registro Civil. You need it for nationality, inheritance and some legal procedures.

• Plurilingüe (multilingual) certificate: a standard form for births, marriages and deaths, issued by the Registro Civil. It is accepted without translation or legalisation in states party to the 1976 Vienna Convention.

• Negative certificate (certificación negativa): issued by the Registro Civil to show that no entry is found, for example that a birth or marriage is not registered.

Frequently asked questions

Which certificate should I ask for in an ordinary procedure?

For most ordinary procedures, ask for the extracto certificate, which is a summary of the main data in the entry. Ask for the literal certificate only when the procedure needs the full entry with all marginal notes, such as nationality or inheritance.

Can I use a Spanish multilingual certificate abroad without translation?

Yes, the plurilingüe certificate is accepted without translation or legalisation in states that are party to the 1976 Vienna Convention. It is used for births, marriages and deaths.

How do I prove that a birth or marriage is not registered in Spain?

Request a negative certificate (certificación negativa), which confirms that no entry is found for that person. You can ask for it online with a digital certificate or Cl@ve, in person or by post.

Where can I get a civil registry certificate if I live abroad?

You can use the Spanish consulate in your country, which acts as a consular civil registry office. You can also request the certificate online from the Ministry of Justice with a digital certificate or Cl@ve.