Once you have your NIE and somewhere to live, the next piece of Spanish paperwork is almost always the padrón. It’s the town hall’s register of who lives where, and the certificate it produces is one of the documents newcomers get asked for most often.
In Alicante it’s free, the document list is short, and with a digital certificate you can even do it online. Here’s how it works in 2026, based on the Ayuntamiento de Alicante’s own pages and Spanish law.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Requirements can change, so always check the official pages linked below before you go.
What is the padrón?
The Padrón Municipal de Habitantes is the register of residents that every Spanish municipality keeps. Registering on it is called empadronamiento, and once you’re on it you can ask for a volante (informe) or a certificado de empadronamiento that shows your address.
Do I have to register?
Yes, if you live in Spain. Spain’s local government law says that everyone who lives in Spain must register on the padrón of the municipality where they usually live, and that someone who lives in more than one municipality registers only in the one where they spend most of the year (Ley 7/1985 Reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local, art. 15, BOE).
It’s a register of where you live, not a residence permit. Being on the padrón doesn’t give you the right to live or work in Spain. That still depends on your visa, permit or EU registration.
Why you’ll need it
In practice, the padrón certificate is the standard proof that you live at a particular address in Alicante, and newcomers are commonly asked for it when dealing with local and regional services.
One useful detail: a Spanish State body shouldn’t make you hand over a padrón certificate as proof of address in its own procedures, because Real Decreto 523/2006 removed that requirement and lets the administration check your data electronically instead. The Ayuntamiento de Alicante points this out on its certificate page (Ayuntamiento de Alicante). Other bodies and private companies may still ask for it, so it’s worth having a recent copy.
How to register in Alicante: step by step
Step 1: Choose online or in person
The Ayuntamiento de Alicante offers two routes for new registrations and changes of address (Ayuntamiento de Alicante: Altas y cambios de domicilio):
- Online, through the Sede Electrónica. You need a digital certificate or an electronic DNI. You fill in the hoja de inscripción (registration form, downloadable from the same page) and upload your documents.
- In person, with an appointment (cita previa) at an Oficina de Atención Ciudadana (OAC). You can book OAC Séneca (C/ Portugal, 17) online at citaprevia.alicante.es or by phone on 010 / 900 153 862. OAC Labradores (C/ Labradores, 14) is booked by phone on the same numbers.
If several people are registering at the same address, whether they’re a family or not, one appointment covers everyone.
Step 2: Gather your documents
All documents must be valid and original unless stated otherwise, and official foreign documents need a sworn translation into Spanish (Ayuntamiento de Alicante).
Proof of identity (adults):
- EU citizens: your passport or national ID card, plus the NIE shown on your EU registration certificate (Certificado de Registro de Ciudadano de la Unión).
- Non-EU citizens: your TIE or your passport.
- Spanish citizens: DNI, passport or driving licence.
Proof of identity (children): their ID document, plus a family book or birth certificate. Both parents or guardians must authorise the registration and show their ID. Separated parents need to show both consents or the relevant court decision.
Proof that you live at the address. What you bring depends on your situation:
- You rent: your current rental contract in your name, the latest rent receipt or proof of payment, and a copy of the ID of every owner. If you’re not named on the contract, you also need authorisation from the owners and from the people named on the contract.
- You own the home: if you bought it less than a year ago, the nota simple from the Land Registry or your title deed. Otherwise, the latest IBI (property tax) receipt or a recent landline, water, gas or electricity bill in your name. Bank receipts aren’t accepted, except for the IBI.
- You live in someone else’s home: a signed authorisation and a copy of the ID of every owner, plus the same proof of ownership as above (for example, the IBI receipt or a recent utility bill).
If a company owns the property, or it changed hands through inheritance or a gift, expect to show extra proof of ownership.
Step 3: Attend the appointment (or submit online)
Go in person: the town hall says padrón procedures must be done by the person concerned. Only if you live in Alicante and can’t attend for reasons of fuerza mayor can a representative go for you, with a signed authorisation form, proof of why you can’t attend and both people’s original ID. Bring the same ID document you used to book: the office won’t serve you if they don’t match.
Every padrón procedure in Alicante is free (Ayuntamiento de Alicante).
Step 4: Get your volante or certificate
Once you’re registered, you can ask for an individual, historical or collective certificate. Alicante offers several ways to get one (Ayuntamiento de Alicante: Certificado de empadronamiento):
- online through the Sede Electrónica, with a digital certificate;
- in person, with an appointment, at an OAC or a Junta de Distrito;
- in person, without an appointment, at the city’s network of ciberkioscos;
- by post, using the request form on the same page.
After you register: keep it up to date
- Moving within Alicante? A change of address uses the same procedure and the same document list as a new registration.
- Non-EU and not a long-term resident? The law requires non-EU nationals without permanent residence to renew their padrón registration every two years (Ley 7/1985, art. 16, BOE). Put a reminder in your calendar, because a registration that isn’t renewed can lapse.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Booking with one document and turning up with another. If you booked with your passport, bring your passport.
- A rental contract that doesn’t name you. If you’re sub-letting a room or living with a partner, get the authorisations in advance.
- Bringing a bank statement as proof of address. Alicante only accepts the IBI receipt among bank receipts. Bring a utility bill or IBI receipt instead.
How Activities International can help
You can do all of this yourself. If you’d rather not deal with the forms, appointments and document checks, our Padrón registration service (no appointment or visit needed) handles it for you online: we complete the forms, submit the application and confirm when you’re registered.
Haven’t got your NIE yet? Start with our step-by-step NIE guide for 2026. And if you’re moving on a visa, our Relocate and Reconnect programme covers the wider move, from paperwork to finding your feet. Once you’re settled, come and meet people at one of our language exchanges and community events.
FAQ
How much does it cost to register on the padrón in Alicante?
Nothing. The Ayuntamiento de Alicante says all padrón procedures are free.
Can I register on the padrón online in Alicante?
Yes, through the town hall’s Sede Electrónica, if you have a digital certificate or an electronic DNI. Otherwise you book an appointment at an OAC.
Does the padrón give me residency in Spain?
No. It records where you live. Your right to live in Spain depends on your visa, residence permit or EU registration.
Do I need to renew my padrón registration?
If you’re a non-EU national without permanent residence, yes: every two years. The law sets no periodic renewal for anyone else; just update your registration when you move.
Last checked: October 2026. General information, not legal advice. Sources: Ayuntamiento de Alicante (Altas y cambios de domicilio en el Padrón Municipal de Habitantes; Certificado de empadronamiento), BOE (Ley 7/1985, de 2 de abril, Reguladora de las Bases del Régimen Local, arts. 15 and 16).
