Registered partnerships (pareja de hecho) across Spain's regions

Key rules

• No national registry: Each region sets its own rules, so register where you live.
• Cohabitation: Some regions require a period of living together; others accept a simple declaration.
• Without registration: You can still prove your relationship, but it is harder and has fewer automatic rights.

Is there one national registry?

No. Pareja de hecho is regulated region by region, so the requirements, the effects and the procedure all depend on where you register. Most autonomous communities run their own registry, including Andalucía, Aragón, Asturias, Baleares, Canarias, Cantabria, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Cataluña, Extremadura, Galicia, Madrid, Murcia, Navarra, País Vasco, La Rioja and Valencia. Ceuta and Melilla have one too.

The Civil Code does not regulate these partnerships in general. Your rights come from the law of your region plus national laws that recognise registered couples.

What do regions usually ask for?

The common requirements are:

• Both of you are adults (or emancipated minors) with legal capacity.
• Neither of you is married or registered with someone else.
• You are not close relatives.
• At least one of you, or both, lives in the region or is registered at the town hall there.

Beyond that, regions differ. Some require a period of living together, for example one year, or proof of stable cohabitation. Others register you on a simple declaration. Fees and procedures also vary, so ask the registry of the region where you live. The documents list below shows what you will usually need. If you are a foreigner, your documents must be valid, and apostilled and translated where needed.

What does registration give you?

Registration is proof that you are a couple, plus the rights your region attaches to it. Depending on the region, these can include:

• housing rights, such as taking over a tenancy if your partner dies or leaves
• regional civil-law rights
• public employment benefits
• access to adoption or fostering
• use as proof for immigration purposes and Social Security

Not every region gives all of these. The comparison below shows how this differs from marriage.

What if you do not register?

You can still prove a stable relationship by other means, such as living together. But proof is harder, and a court may have to assess it. Unregistered couples have fewer automatic rights, and in most of Spain they have no right to inherit from each other when there is no will.

Town hall registries

Some town halls also keep a couples registry. These mainly have symbolic value and are not the same as a regional registry. Check with the regional registry before relying on a municipal one.

The decision and FAQ below help you choose whether to register.

Choosing between options

Should you register your partnership or rely on proving it another way?

• Register as a pareja de hecho: You want easy proof of the relationship and the rights your region gives registered couples, such as housing and tenancy rights, public employment benefits, and proof for immigration and Social Security.

• Do not register: You accept fewer automatic rights and can prove a stable relationship by living together, with a court deciding your rights if challenged.

If you need clear proof, for example for immigration or Social Security, register in the region where you live. Without registration, rights depend on a court and there is no inheritance without a will in most of Spain.

Marriage or registered partnership: what changes on paper

Marriage gives the same rights across Spain. A registered partnership (pareja de hecho) gives rights that depend on the region where you register. If you want certainty on inheritance, tax and pensions, marriage is the safer choice.

Regional variation

There is no national registry for partnerships. Almost every region, plus Ceuta and Melilla, runs its own, and each sets its own requirements, effects and procedures. Some town halls also keep a registry, but those are mostly symbolic. Check the rules of the region where you will live before you register.

Side by side

Other effects of registering

Registration is your proof of the partnership. Depending on the region, it can help with tenancy rights, public-sector employment benefits, adoption or fostering, and Social Security.

Unmarried couples who do not register can still prove a stable relationship, for example through living together. This is harder, and a court decides how much weight it carries.

Immigration recognition

Immigration rules treat the two unions differently.

• Partner of an EU citizen: a registered partnership is treated like marriage.
• Partner of a Spanish national or a non-EU resident: you can qualify for a family residence permit if the partnership is in a recognised public registry and is stable. This recognition is more limited than for spouses.
• Not registered: you must prove the relationship is stable yourself.

Expect to provide the registration certificate and proof that neither of you is married, or that earlier marriages ended. Some cases also need proof that you live together.

Documents you need

• ID or passport for each partner

• Certificate of civil status for each partner, showing you are not married or registered with someone else

• Empadronamiento certificate (proof of registration at your town hall) showing your address

• Joint application signed by both partners

• Foreign documents, apostilled and translated where needed

• Proof of stable living together, in regions that require a period of cohabitation

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to live in the region to register as a couple?

Yes, usually at least one partner, or both, must live in the region or be registered at the town hall there.

Can unregistered couples still prove they are a couple?

Yes, an unregistered couple can prove a stable relationship by other means, such as living together, but it is harder.

Is a town hall couples registry the same as a regional one?

No, a town hall registry is not the same as a regional one, because some municipalities keep registries that mainly carry symbolic value. For legal effects, register with your region's registry.