Complaining about an inaccessible place, transport or service

Terms used

• OMIC — The OMIC is a municipal consumer information office that takes complaints about shops and services.
• OADIS — OADIS is the state disability office that takes queries and complaints about discrimination and can refer them.
• Defensor del Pueblo — The Defensor del Pueblo is Spain's national ombudsman, who investigates complaints against public administrations.
• Recurso de alzada — A recurso de alzada is an appeal to a higher administrative body against a decision.
• Reposición — Reposición is a request to the same body to reconsider its own administrative decision.
• Contencioso-administrativo — The contencioso-administrativo is the court route for challenging decisions of public administrations.

Key rules

• Right body: Match the complaint to the barrier type: consumer office for shops, town hall for local works, transport operator then authority, provider then consumer authorities for digital.
• Complain first to the responsible party: For most routes, write to the business, operator or administration first, then go to an ombudsman or authority.
• Time limits: There is no single deadline, but decisions you challenge have short deadlines counted from the day you are notified.
• Proof: Keep a copy of your complaint and proof you filed it.

Start with the type of barrier

Send your complaint to the body that handles that type of barrier. Complaining to the wrong one wastes time. Each route below starts with the party responsible, then moves up to a higher body.

Shops, businesses and services

Complain to the regional or municipal consumer office (OMIC) and to your region's disability or social services department. These are the bodies that handle sanctions. OADIS, the state disability office, takes queries and complaints about discrimination and can pass them on. Civil courts remain available if you want to go further.

Public buildings

Complain to the administration responsible. For local works and licences, that is your town hall. You can also go to the Defensor del Pueblo (the national ombudsman) or your regional ombudsman.

Transport

• Train: the operator first, then the rail safety agency (AESF) or the Ministry of Transport.
• Plane: the airline or the airport operator (AENA), then the aviation safety agency (AESA).
• Long-distance bus: the operator, then the Ministry of Transport's road transport directorate or your regional authority. For intercity lines inside a region, use the regional transport authority.
• Metro, city bus and taxi: the municipal or regional transport authority, or the operator's complaints service. You can add a consumer office.

OADIS and the Defensor del Pueblo also take transport complaints.

Websites and apps

• Public websites and apps: each one must publish an accessibility statement with a feedback and complaint mechanism. Use it first. If the reply is missing or unsatisfactory, go to the Defensor del Pueblo or your regional ombudsman.
• Private businesses: since 28 June 2025, many private services must be accessible. These include online shopping, banking, e-books, transport and telecoms. Very small businesses are largely exempt. Complain to the provider first, then to the consumer authorities, which can open sanction procedures. Discrimination claims can also go to the courts.

Your apartment block

If you or a resident has a disability, or is 70 or over, you can require the owners' community to carry out the accessibility works you need. The community must pay if the cost does not exceed 12 monthly ordinary charges. The steps are in the checklist below. Regional housing or disability offices and OADIS can advise.

Find your region's office and law

Each region has its own accessibility law and a social services or disability department. Start on your regional government's website and search for "accesibilidad" and "discapacidad". The national social rights ministry and the state disability bodies list the regional offices. Disability federations in your region also keep directories. Your regional ombudsman, such as the Síndic de Greuges in Catalonia, is another route.

What to put in the complaint

1. Your identity and contact details, or those of the association representing you.
2. Who is responsible: the business, administration or owner.
3. A clear description of the barrier and how it affects you.
4. The exact address or web address, and the date and time of each incident.
5. Evidence: photos, video, screenshots, receipts, tickets, witness details and earlier correspondence.
6. The legal basis, such as the general disability rights law, the building code's accessibility rules or your regional accessibility law. For digital services, cite the public-sector web accessibility rules.
7. What you want: removing the barrier, an adjustment, a deadline or a sanction.
8. Your signature and the date.

Keep a copy and proof that you filed. If the receiving body has its own form, use it. The documents list below covers what to gather.

Time limits

There is no single time limit. Complaints to an ombudsman or an accessibility office generally have no hard deadline. The Defensor del Pueblo normally accepts complaints within about a year of the facts, so file early.

If you challenge an administrative decision, the deadlines are short and run from the day you are notified. A recurso de alzada or reposición is typically due within one month. A court appeal (contencioso-administrativo) is due within two months. Civil discrimination claims have their own limits, so ask a lawyer or a disability association early.

Timeline and deadlines

• Gather photos, tickets and the date and place of each incident: as soon as the barrier happens

• Send your complaint to the business, operator or administration responsible: first step, before going to an outside body

• Challenge an administrative decision with a recurso de alzada or reposición: typically within 1 month of being notified

• Appeal to the court (contencioso-administrativo) against an administrative decision: within 2 months of being notified

Confirm the deadline that applies to your case with the receiving body before acting.

Documents you need

• Proof of your identity and contact details, or those of the association representing you

• Photos, video or screenshots of the barrier, showing the exact address or web address, with the date and time of each incident

• Receipts, tickets, witness details and earlier correspondence about the problem

• Your signed and dated complaint, with a copy kept and proof that you filed it

Checklist

• Ask the owners' community in writing to carry out the accessibility works you need

• Ask for the request to be put on the agenda of the next community meeting

• Try mediation if the community refuses, then consider a court action in the first-instance court

• Find the accessibility statement of the public website or app and send your complaint through its feedback mechanism

• Send a complaint about a private website or app to the provider first, then to the consumer authorities if the reply is poor

• Note the date you are notified of any decision and count your deadline from that day

• File early, because there is no single time limit and deadlines differ by route

Frequently asked questions

Is there a deadline for complaining to the Defensor del Pueblo about a barrier?

There is no hard deadline for a complaint to an ombudsman, but the Defensor del Pueblo normally accepts complaints within about a year of the facts. File as soon as you can, because evidence is easier to gather while the barrier is fresh.

Where do I complain about an inaccessible website or app of a private company?

Complain first to the company itself, because private services covered by the European accessibility rules must answer you. If the reply is poor or missing, go to the consumer authorities, which can open sanction procedures.

How do I find my region's disability office and accessibility law?

Start on your regional government's website and search for "accesibilidad" and "discapacidad". The social services department handles it, and your regional ombudsman is another route. National directories, such as the one kept by CERMI's regional federations, also list the regional bodies.

Which body takes a complaint about an inaccessible taxi, metro or city bus?

Complain to the operator's complaints service and to the municipal or regional transport authority, and also to a consumer office. OADIS, the state disability office that takes discrimination complaints, can receive it too and refer it on.