Updating your address registration when you move within Spain

Key rules

• Same town: You change the data on your existing padrón record; you do not register again.
• New town: Registering in the new town cancels the old registration, so you do not cancel separately.
• Deadline: No national deadline exists, but your town hall may set a short one, so ask.
• Everyone included: List every adult and child who moves with you on the form.

Which case are you in?

The answer depends on whether your new home is in the same town as your old one.

• Same town: you change the data on your existing padrón record.
• Different town: you register as new in the new town. That registration cancels the old one.

The decision box below helps you pick.

Moving within the same town

This is a change of data (modificación de datos), not a new registration. Submit a change-of-address form with your ID and proof of the new home. Include every adult and child who is moving with you.

You can do it in person at the town hall or a district office, often by appointment. Many towns also offer it online with Cl@ve or a digital certificate. Channels vary by town hall, so check the website of yours.

Once the town hall updates your record, you can ask for a new padrón certificate.

Moving to a different town

Register in the new town hall as an "alta por cambio de residencia" and state your previous town. You do not need to cancel in the old town. The new town hall passes the change on through the national statistics institute (INE), and the old town removes you.

The same applies if your old registration was at a temporary address. If you are arriving from abroad, the wording on the form is different (alta por omisión or alta por cambio de residencia desde el extranjero), so tell the clerk where you are coming from.

Your old registration may still show for a short time until the INE notice is processed. That is normal.

Documents

The documents box below lists what to bring. Towns often ask for more, so check with your town hall before you go. If you live in a home with other registered residents and do not own or rent it, the main householder may need to authorise you, and sometimes must attend.

Timing

There is no single national deadline for reporting a move. You must still keep your padrón address up to date. Some town halls set their own short deadline, such as a month or two, so ask yours.

Penalties are rare. The real risk is practical: an outdated address can cause problems with health care, benefits and residence procedures. The town hall can also correct entries on its own initiative.

Do it soon after you move, since other updates (health card, tax agency, DGT) often rely on a current padrón address. The checklist below covers those.

Choosing between options

Do you change your address data or register in a new town?

• Change your address data: You are moving within the same town. It is a change of data (modificación de datos): you hand in a change-of-address form with ID and proof of the new home, in person or online, and include everyone who moves.

• Register in the new town: You are moving to a different town. It is a new registration (alta por cambio de residencia) naming your previous town, and it cancels the old one, so you do not cancel separately.

If the new home is in the same municipality as the old one, change your data. If it is in another municipality, register again there.

Timeline and deadlines

• Report your move and update your padrón address: As soon as you move; some town halls set a deadline of a month or two

• Keep your padrón address up to date while you live in Spain: Always; there is no single national deadline

Documents you need

• Padrón registration form (hoja padronal or solicitud de alta), from your town hall, signed by all adult residents.

• ID for each person: DNI, NIE or residence card, or passport.

• Proof you can live in the new home: rental contract, deed (escritura), a recent property tax or utility bill, or a nota simple.

• For children, the family book (libro de familia) or birth certificate.

• If you neither own nor rent, written authorisation from the owner or tenant, with a copy of their ID.

What to update when you move within Spain

• Update your padrón registration at your town hall with a change-of-address form, including every adult and child who is moving with you.

• Bring your ID and proof of the new home, and book an appointment (cita previa) or use Cl@ve or a digital certificate online if your town hall offers it.

• Tell the tax agency your new address, using modelo 030 or the online office.

• Update the address on your driving licence and vehicle registration with the DGT, online with Cl@ve.

• Tell your health centre so your health card shows the new address.

• Notify Seguridad Social, and your employer or the SEPE if they pay you.

• Tell your bank, insurers and utility companies, and the town hall about the vehicle tax (IVTM).

• Tell your children's school about the new address.

• If you have a TIE, ask your local Extranjería office or police station whether they want a separate change-of-address notice. If so, book a cita previa and bring your passport, TIE and new padrón certificate. You do not get a new card.

What if you move and your old registration is still active?

If you move to a new town, you don't need to cancel your old padrón registration. Register at your new address and the old one is removed for you.

What to do with the old registration

Register in the new town and say which town you lived in before. The new town hall tells the old one, and the old one takes you off its list. This works even if your old address was only temporary.

The old registration can stay active for a short time while that message is processed. That is normal. Don't register again or go to the old town hall unless the old entry is still there after a few weeks. In that case, ask the new town hall to check.

Which document from your new home you need

You need proof that you have the right to live at the new address. The usual options are:

• your rental contract
• the deed (escritura) if you bought the home
• a recent property tax bill or utility bill in your name
• a nota simple, which is an extract from the property register

Bring ID for every person you register. That means a DNI, a NIE or residence card, or a passport. For children, bring the family book (libro de familia) or a birth certificate.

If you don't own or rent the home, for example when you live with a relative or friend, you need written permission from the owner or tenant, plus a copy of their ID. Some towns also want that person to come in with you.

The procedure is local

Each town hall runs its own padrón, so the details differ. Check these before you go:

• whether you need an appointment (cita previa)
• whether you can register online, and what login it asks for
• which documents count as proof of housing
• whether the owner must be present or sign a permission form
• which office takes the application, the main one or a district office

Look on your town hall's website under "Padrón" or "Empadronamiento". You can also call the 010 information line or visit the citizen service office (Oficina de Atención al Ciudadano). Some towns have no 010 line, so use the town hall's own phone number.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to cancel my old registration if I move to another town?

No. Register in the new town as an "alta por cambio de residencia" and name your previous municipality. The new town hall tells the old one through the national statistics institute, which removes you.

What if I am not the owner or tenant of the new home?

You need written authorisation from the owner or tenant, with a copy of their ID. Some town halls also want them to come in person. If other people are already registered there, the main householder may need to authorise too.

Is there a deadline to report my move?

There is no single national deadline, but you must keep your address up to date. Some town halls set their own short deadline, such as a month or two. Delays can cost you access to services, benefits, residence procedures and health care.

Why does my old town still show me after I registered in a new one?

The old registration can stay for a short time until the statistics institute passes on the change. It should disappear without any action from you.