The town hall and citizen services in Spain

The basic services: registration in the padrón and registration and change certificates, requesting licences (building, business and activities), local taxes (IBI for property, vehicle tax and the waste charge), parking permits, gardens and sports facilities, the local police, social services (aid, family support and facilities for the elderly and children), and youth, women and migrant centres.

• The town hall provides information on local events and libraries.
• To communicate look for the Oficina de Atención al Ciudadano or electronic services via the town hall's own sede electrónica, and the phone number 010 in many cities.
• And many procedures can be done online with the digital certificate or Cl@ve.

Book an appointment (cita previa) via the town hall's website or by phone, since most services are not provided without appointment since the pandemic.

• You may wait days or weeks in big cities, so follow new slots in the morning.
• On the visit arrive on time with ID and the documents required in original and copy, and the fee payment receipt if needed (often paid at the bank or electronically with the suitable form).
• Speak politely and detail your request.
• Staff are usually friendly, but work is sometimes slow, and patience is required.
• If you do not understand ask the clerk to repeat slowly or bring an interpreter or friend.
• Keep a receipt for every transaction and a copy of every registered request.

A birth is registered at the Civil Registry in the place of birth, and usually the hospital sends the notification, and the parents complete registration within a few days to choose the name and present documents (passport and marriage certificate).

• Two surnames can be chosen.
• A request for a birth certificate from the Registro Civil is submitted online or by appointment, and foreign documents depend on the apostille and sworn translation.
• For a civil marriage you submit a request at the Civil Registry, before a notary (notario) or at the town hall, and procedures include a declaration, witnesses and civil status documents.
• A religious marriage may be recognised civilly under conditions.
• Death is registered upon a doctor's declaration and the death certificate is issued.
• And there are appointments and procedures to obtain certificates (certificados) of all kinds from the Ministry of Justice online.

Digital identity eases dealing with administrations without visiting.

• The Cl@ve system lets you access state services such as tax, social security, police and health, and you register in it by appointment or online with video verification or with an ID card (TIE) at an office.
• Cl@ve PIN and permanent Cl@ve are available.
• And the digital certificate (certificado digital) from the FNMT body is issued after personal verification at an office, and lets you sign official transactions electronically.
• You need an NIE or TIE for these operations.
• Do not share your Cl@ve data with anyone, and avoid fake sites that impersonate the government.
• And create your electronic mailbox in the Carpeta Ciudadana to receive official correspondence and notifications.

The town hall's social services (Servicios Sociales) provide support for vulnerable families: emergency aid for housing, food and energy, support in residence and integration procedures, legal guidance and coordination with organisations.

• Specialised offices work for migrants, women and young people.
• Ask for an appointment at the social services centre near your registered address.
• If you are dissatisfied with a decision you can submit an appeal (recurso) within the period stated in the decision, often one month for an administrative appeal, and there is a hoja de reclamaciones, that is a complaint form, in institutions.
• There is an ombudsman (Defensor del Pueblo or the regional one) to receive citizens' complaints against administrations.
• Keep all documents and correspondence.

What is Cl@ve?