Which emergency number to call for what

Terms used

• Policía Nacional — The Policía Nacional is Spain's national police force, mainly covering cities and larger towns.
• Guardia Civil — The Guardia Civil is Spain's national gendarmerie, mainly covering rural areas, roads, borders and the coast.
• Policía Local — The Policía Local is your town's own police force, run by the town hall.
• Bomberos — The bomberos are the fire brigade.

Key rules

• Default: When you are unsure which service you need, call 112.
• Ambulance: Use 061 for medical emergencies in most regions, but use 112 in Madrid and the Basque Country.
• Local numbers: Police 092 and fire 080 or 085 depend on your town or province, so 112 is the safe choice.
• Gender violence: 016 leaves no trace on your phone bill, and 112 is the number if you are in immediate danger.
• Children: Children and young people can call 116 111 for free at any hour.

If in doubt, call 112

Call 112 for any emergency, and whenever you are not sure which service you need. It is free and works from any phone, even without credit or a SIM card. The operator sends the right service, and the services pass calls to each other. Operators answer in Spanish and the regional languages, and usually in English, French and German. Interpreters cover other languages.

Specific numbers are useful when you know exactly what you need. They all work 24 hours a day, every day of the year, unless noted below. Some regions fold them into 112, so the answer can differ by region.

Health problems: 061

Call 061 for a medical emergency or for health advice. Doctors and nurses answer, assess the case and send an ambulance or medical team if needed.

Not every region works this way. Catalonia uses 061 CatSalut Respon. The Basque Country and Madrid rely on 112 for ambulances, and Madrid's service is SUMMA 112. If you live in one of these regions, use 112 for an ambulance.

Crime and safety: 091, 062, 092

• 091 reaches the Policía Nacional. It covers cities, provincial capitals and larger towns.
• 062 reaches the Guardia Civil. It covers rural areas, roads, borders and the coast.
• 092 reaches the local police (Policía Local) of your town. The number and hours vary, and not every town has it or answers 24 hours.

Some regions have their own police force. In the Basque Country it is the Ertzaintza (112 or 088). In Catalonia it is the Mossos d'Esquadra (088). In Navarra it is the Policía Foral (112 or its own line). The Canary Islands have the Policía Canaria.

You do not need to work out which force is yours. Call 112 and they will send the right one.

Fire: 112 first

112 sends the fire brigade (bomberos) anywhere in Spain. Some places also have a local number. 080 serves some provinces and cities, and 085 serves several provinces. City councils, provincial councils or regional governments run them, so they are not national. Use 112 unless you already know your local number.

Helplines that are not emergency services

• 016: gender-violence helpline. It is free and confidential, and it leaves no trace on your phone bill. Advice is available in more than 50 languages. You can also use WhatsApp on 600 000 016, an online chat, or a text service for deaf users. If you are in immediate danger, call 112.
• 116 111: free helpline for children and young people, run by the ANAR Foundation. ANAR also runs 900 20 20 10 for minors and 600 50 51 52 for adults and families. They help with abuse, bullying and mental health problems. Service is mainly in Spanish, with some regional languages.
• 024: free suicide-prevention helpline, in Spanish and the regional languages.
• 116 000: free European hotline for missing people. If someone is missing and may be in danger, report it to the police on 091, 062 or 112.

What to do now

Save 112 in your phone and keep the numbers for your region on your household card. The checklist below helps you build one.

Choosing between options

Which number should you call in an emergency?

• 112 for any emergency: Use it whenever you are unsure, or when you need police, fire and ambulance together.

• 061 for health problems: Use it for a medical emergency or health advice, where your region has it. Doctors and nurses advise and send an ambulance.

• Local fire number: Use 080 or 085 only if you know they work in your area. 112 reaches the fire brigade (bomberos) everywhere in Spain.

If you are in doubt, call 112. Use a specific number only when you know which service you need and that the number works where you are.

Your household safety and help card

• Write down who lives in your household, including children, older relatives and anyone who depends on you.

• Note any accessibility or dependency needs, such as reduced mobility, hearing loss or someone who cannot be left alone.

• List any chronic care needs, such as regular medication, allergies or equipment that must keep running.

• Write your home address the way you would say it in Spanish: street name, number, floor and door, postcode and town.

• Add two or three key contacts with their phone numbers, such as a relative, a neighbour or your landlord.

• Add the emergency numbers: 112 for any emergency, 061 for medical help, 091 for the Policía Nacional and 062 for the Guardia Civil.

• Add the helplines you may need: 016 for gender violence, 116 111 for children and young people, 024 for suicide prevention and 017 for online fraud.

• Copy these Spanish phrases onto the card: «Necesito ayuda», «Hay un accidente», «Hay un incendio», «Necesito una ambulancia», «No respira», «No hablo español» and «¿Habla inglés?».

• Add a line to fill in before calling: «Estoy en la calle…, número…, en…», followed by your name and phone number.

• Write a scam list on the back: report fraud to the Policía Nacional on 091 or the Guardia Civil on 062, online fraud to 017, and consumer complaints to your town hall's consumer office (OMIC).

• Add the scam checks: never pay a deposit before seeing the property and signing a contract, never click links in texts, and hang up and call your bank on its official number.

• Print the card and keep a copy by the door, in your wallet and on your phone.

Phone numbers and online reporting routes can change, so confirm them before you print the card.

Spain emergency numbers quick reference

Spain emergency and helpline numbers

• 112 emergency number: Call 112 for any emergency (police, fire, ambulance) or when you are unsure which number to use. It works 24 hours a day and is answered in Spanish, regional languages and usually English, French and German.

• 061 health emergency line: Call 061 for a medical emergency or health advice, 24 hours a day.

• Policía Nacional (091): Call 091 to reach the national police, who cover towns and provincial capitals. Calls are free and mainly in Spanish, with English often available.

• Guardia Civil (062): Call 062 for the Guardia Civil, who cover rural areas, roads, borders and the coast.

• Local police (092): Call 092 to reach your town's policía local. Not every town has this number and not all answer 24 hours, so check yours with your town hall.

• Fire brigade (bomberos): Call 112 for the fire brigade anywhere in Spain.

• 016 gender-violence helpline: Call 016 for free, confidential help with gender violence, 24 hours. The call leaves no trace on the phone bill.

• Children and young people helplines: Call 116 111 (free, 24 hours, run by the ANAR Foundation) or 900 20 20 10 for children and teenagers facing abuse, bullying or mental health problems.

• 024 suicide-prevention helpline: Call 024 for free suicide-prevention support, 24 hours, in Spanish and the co-official languages.

• Missing people: Report a missing person to the police on 091 or 062 to open a case. For support for families, call 116000, the free 24-hour European hotline run by the SOS Desaparecidos association.

• INCIBE cyber-fraud helpline (017): Call 017 for help with online fraud and cyber-security problems.

Frequently asked questions

Can I call 091 or 062 instead of 112 for a crime?

Yes, 091 reaches the Policía Nacional and 062 the Guardia Civil, but 112 reaches both and is safer if you are unsure. 091 covers cities and larger towns, while 062 covers rural areas, roads and the coast.

Does every town have a local police number like 092?

No, 092 reaches the local police (policía local) only in some towns, and hours vary, so not every town answers it 24 hours. If 092 does not work, call 112.

Is 061 available everywhere in Spain for an ambulance?

No, 061 works in most regions but not all: Madrid and the Basque Country rely on 112 for ambulance dispatch. Use 061 for medical advice or emergencies where it exists, and 112 anywhere else.

What number can a child or teenager call for help?

A child or teenager can call 116 111, a free and confidential line open 24 hours.

Which number do I call to report a missing person or to reach a suicide helpline?

For a suicide-prevention helpline, call 024, free and open 24 hours. For a missing person, 116000 is a free European hotline open 24 hours, and 112 also works.