Who is who among Spain's police forces

Terms used

• DNI — The DNI is the national identity card issued to Spanish citizens by the Policía Nacional.
• Policía Nacional — The Policía Nacional is Spain's national civilian police, working mainly in provincial capitals and large towns.
• Guardia Civil — The Guardia Civil is Spain's national police force with military status, covering rural areas, roads, borders and coasts.
• Policía Local — The Policía Local is the town police, run by the mayor, handling local traffic, ordinances and public order.
• SEPRONA — SEPRONA is the Guardia Civil's service for protecting nature and the environment.

Key rules

• Foreigner paperwork: Policía Nacional has exclusive competence over DNI, passports and foreigner and immigration documents.
• Roads and countryside: Guardia Civil covers highways, rural areas, borders and weapons control.
• Town police: Policía Local handles local rules and first response but not national documents.
• Regional forces: In the Basque Country and Catalonia, regional police do most everyday policing.
• Emergencies: Both national forces can act anywhere in an emergency.

The short version

Spain has three layers of police: national forces, regional forces and town forces. Their roles overlap, but each has its own territory and tasks. Which one you meet depends mostly on where you are and what you need.

The two national forces

Both national forces belong to the Interior Ministry. The split is by territory and by function.

Policía Nacional is a civilian force. It works in provincial capitals and in towns the Government designates as urban. It handles:

• ID cards (DNI) and passports
• foreigner and immigration paperwork
• judicial and organised-crime investigation

If you need anything to do with your foreigner documents, this is the force you deal with.

Guardia Civil is a force with military status. It covers rural areas and small towns, plus the territorial sea. It handles:

• roads and traffic between towns (Tráfico)
• borders, coasts, ports and airport control posts
• weapons and explosives control
• customs and anti-smuggling work
• environmental protection (SEPRONA)
• mountain rescue

If you are stopped on a highway, it will usually be the Guardia Civil.

In an emergency, both forces can act anywhere. You do not need to work out whose area you are in before calling for help.

The Policía Local

Policía Local is your town's police, under the mayor. It handles local traffic, local rules (ordinances), noise, order in public spaces and first response to incidents. It also assists the national forces. It does not issue DNI, passports or foreigner documents. Go to Policía Nacional for those.

Where regional forces replace the national ones

Four regions have their own police. In these places the picture changes.

• Basque Country: the Ertzaintza has full ordinary public-security powers. It has largely replaced the national forces in daily policing.
• Catalonia: the Mossos d'Esquadra took over ordinary policing. The national forces keep borders, ports and airports, immigration, passports and ID, and weapons.
• Navarre: the Policía Foral has broad powers and works alongside the national forces. The national forces keep the exclusive state functions.
• Canary Islands: the Policía Canaria has limited powers, mainly guarding regional institutions and some administrative policing. It complements the national forces, which still do most of the work.

Other regions have smaller units attached to their regional governments. They mainly guard their own buildings and support the state forces.

So for a theft report or a traffic accident in the Basque Country or Catalonia, expect the regional force. For your DNI, passport or foreigner paperwork in Catalonia, you still go to the national police. The questions below cover more of these cases.

Frequently asked questions

Which police force handles my DNI, passport or foreigner paperwork?

The Policía Nacional handles ID cards (DNI), passports and foreigner and immigration documents, and no other national force does. This stays true in most regions, including Catalonia, where the national police keep these tasks. Go to a Policía Nacional office for them, not to the Guardia Civil or Policía Local.

Can the Guardia Civil or Policía Nacional act outside their own area?

Yes, both forces can act anywhere in Spain in an emergency, even outside their usual territory. Normally the Policía Nacional covers provincial capitals and designated urban towns, and the Guardia Civil covers the rest.

Which police will I deal with in the Basque Country or Catalonia?

In the Basque Country you will mostly deal with the Ertzaintza, and in Catalonia with the Mossos d'Esquadra, because these regional forces took over most ordinary policing. In Catalonia the national forces keep borders, ports, airports, immigration, passports and weapons.

Does the Policía Local have the same powers as the national forces?

No, the Policía Local is a municipal force under the mayor, with narrower duties. It handles local traffic, noise, local ordinances and public-space order, and it is often the first to arrive. It assists the state forces rather than replacing them.