# Living in Spain (2026): Arrival Admin and Renting

> Arrival admin in Spain in the right order: padron (free), TIE (EUR 16.08), NUSS, regional health card and digital certificate, plus the October 2026 rental rules on agency fees and deposits.

Updated: October 2026 · By Jules · URL: https://www.how-to-spain.com/living

Arrival admin in Spain runs as a chain: padron registration is free, a non-EU TIE card costs **EUR 16.08** and needs fingerprints within one month of entry, and an EU registration certificate costs **EUR 12**, as of October 2026. For renting, Real Decreto-ley 29/2026 (in force since **8 October 2026**) keeps agency fees with the landlord and caps extra cash guarantees at two months on top of the one-month fianza.

## In What Order Do You Do Arrival Admin in Spain?

Passport and visa or EU status, then address evidence, then padron where required, then NIE and TIE or EU registration, then NUSS and health entitlement, then the regional health card, then digital identity, then online municipal, DGT and AEAT services. This is an operational sequence, not a legal order: an FNMT certificate can often come before the TIE, and some workers get a NUSS before the padron.

- Passport and visa, or proof of EU status
- Address evidence, then empadronamiento where required
- NIE and TIE (non-EU) or the EU registration certificate
- Social security number (NUSS) and health entitlement
- Regional health card
- Cl@ve or an FNMT digital certificate, then online municipal, DGT and AEAT services

Illustration of a house with a key, a map pin, and a landmark spire, for housing, costs, and settling into life in Spain.Housing, costs, and daily life: settling into Spain.

## Which Procedures, Fees and Deadlines Apply?

Arrival procedures in Spain with 2026 fees (Orden PJC/617/2025, DGT, FNMT). Processing times are not guaranteed by any office.
| Procedure | Who issues it | Deadline | Fee 2026 | Key caveat |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Address registrationEmpadronamiento (alta en el padron) | Each ayuntamiento (town hall); INE coordinates the municipal registers | No national day deadline found | Registration is free; the local certificate tariff was not captured | Non-EU nationals without long-term residence generally confirm their registration every 2 years (LBRL art. 16, RD 1690/1986 art. 54 bis). |
| EU registration certificateCertificado de registro de ciudadano de la Union | Policia Nacional / Oficinas de Extranjeria | Apply within 3 months of entry | EUR 12.00 on the EU line; check the generated form | The rules are national; appointment supply varies by province. |
| Standalone NIENIE (Numero de Identidad de Extranjero) | Spanish consulate, or Policia Nacional / Extranjeria in Spain | No deadline: applied for when needed | EUR 9.84 | A NIE is often printed automatically on the TIE or EU certificate, so a separate application may not be needed. |
| Foreigner identity card (fingerprints)TIE (Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero), toma de huellas | Policia Nacional | Within 1 month of entry or of the grant | EUR 16.08 initial, EUR 19.30 renewal, EUR 21.87 long-term | A student stay and residence are legally different statuses, even though both can lead to a TIE. |
| Tax number and census registrationNIF, alta censal (modelos 030/036) | Agencia Tributaria (AEAT) | No deadline: needed before the taxable act | Free | Check your NIE status before paying anyone for a separate Spanish tax number. |
| Social security numberNUSS / NAF (numero de afiliacion) | Tesoreria General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) | No separate deadline captured | Free | A NUSS is not a work permit. |
| Regional health cardTarjeta sanitaria (TSI in Catalonia, SIP in Valencia) | The regional health service: SERMAS, CatSalut, GVA, SAS, SCS and others | No deadline | Free | Catalonia's uninsured-access route and Madrid's DASE route have their own padron-history conditions. |
| Driving-licence exchangeCanje del permiso de conducir | Direccion General de Trafico (DGT), provincial traffic offices | Not stated on the DGT exchange page; check the issuing country's DGT page | EUR 28.87 without tests, EUR 94.05 with tests for specified categories | The licence must normally predate Spanish residence; check the issuing country's DGT page, since agreements can be suspended. |
| Cl@ve government loginCl@ve (PIN and Permanente) | SGAD, with AEAT as a registration office | Voluntary | Free | One mobile number per identity; the access level differs by route. |
| FNMT personal digital certificateCertificado digital de persona fisica | FNMT-RCM | Voluntary | Free for adults and emancipated minors who hold a DNI or NIE | Can unlock online services before the TIE exists where NIE evidence is accepted; AEAT census status matters. |

## How Do Regions Differ?

Immigration law, the SMI and the LAU are national. The padron channel, the health card and part of the rental administration are local or regional.

| Region | Padron | Health card |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Madrid | Any OAC for padron appointments; Aravaca and El Pardo require a cita | SERMAS card; the DASE route for specified uninsured or irregular situations requires padron history [Source](https://www.comunidad.madrid/servicios/salud) |
| Catalonia (Barcelona) | Empadronament at an OAC; idCAT Mobil, Cl@ve or certificate options online | CatSalut issues the TSI; the uninsured route has continuous-padron and income conditions, and some cards need annual renewal [Source](https://catsalut.gencat.cat) |
| Comunitat Valenciana | Municipal padron | GVA SIP card at the assigned health centre; +Salut uses SIP credentials [Source](https://www.san.gva.es) |
| Andalusia | Municipal padron | First SAS card request in person at the centro de salud, with padron and entitlement evidence [Source](https://www.juntadeandalucia.es/temas/salud) |
| Canary Islands | Municipal padron; also used for resident travel discounts | SCS card plus padron and entitlement [Source](https://www.gobiernodecanarias.org/sanidad/scs) |

## What Are the Rental Rules After October 2026?

The controlling sources are the consolidated LAU and Real Decreto-ley 29/2026. Guides written before October 2026 that say a tenant always pays the agency fee on seasonal lets are out of date.

Agency and contract costsLandlord-side management and contract-formalisation costs (gastos de gestion inmobiliaria y de formalizacion del contrato) cannot be passed to the tenant directly or indirectly under any concept (LAU art. 20.2 as amended by RDL 29/2026). Seasonal and temporary-housing contracts signed before 8 Oct 2026 keep their previous regime until their agreed term ends. [BOE: Real Decreto-ley 29/2026](https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-20823)Legal deposit (fianza)One month's rent for housing, two months for non-housing use. This is the tenant's legal deposit, separate from any additional guarantee. [BOE: Ley 29/1994 de Arrendamientos Urbanos (consolidated)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1994-26003)Additional guaranteesAdditional guarantees for habitual housing are capped at two months' rent for contracts of up to five years (seven if the landlord is a legal person), and at one month for temporary rentals. A tenant can never be required to take out rent-default insurance (LAU art. 36.5 as amended by RDL 29/2026). [BOE: Real Decreto-ley 29/2026](https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-20823)Regional deposit dutyLandlords may have a separate duty to lodge the fianza with a regional body. This is the landlord's administrative duty, not an extra tenant payment. [BOE: Ley 29/1994 de Arrendamientos Urbanos (consolidated)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1994-26003)Andalusia administrative depositAndalusia abolished the landlord's administrative deposit duty for new contracts from 24 January 2026. The tenant's LAU fianza still applies, and legacy contracts keep their administration. [AVRA (Agencia de Vivienda y Rehabilitacion de Andalucia)](https://www.avra.es)Duration and noticeMinimum-extension, withdrawal and notice rules for habitual housing depend on the landlord type and the contract. They do not apply mechanically to every room or seasonal agreement. [BOE: Ley 29/1994 de Arrendamientos Urbanos (consolidated)](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1994-26003)Stressed areas and SERPAVIDeclared stressed areas (zonas tensionadas) and large-holder rules depend on the region and the property. SERPAVI is the official rent reference, not a listing site. [MIVAU: SERPAVI rent reference system](https://www.mivau.gob.es)**RDL 26/2026:** Derogated by Congress on 2 October 2026; not used as authority.

## Which Step Fits Your Situation?

Worked scenarios, October 2026. Winners are processes, not paid products.
| # | Situation | Best answer | Runner-up | Why | Ruled out |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| B3 | Non-EU resident with visa, no NIE yet | Use NIE printed on visa/authorisation, then EX-17 within one month | Standalone EX-15 only if no NIE exists | Avoids duplicate identifier request | "NIE grants residence": false |
| B4 | Non-EU newcomer waiting for TIE | FNMT using NIE evidence and accepted identity accreditation | Cl@ve office registration | Digital certificate can unlock services before card collection | Waiting for TIE as universal prerequisite: not established |
| B5 | Newcomer without own lease | Host authorisation + host ID/address proof + own ID, per municipality | Utility/title alternative where accepted | Addresses actual residence without inventing a tenancy | False contract/address: legal and continuity risk |
| B6 | Non-EU resident approaching 2 years on padrón | Municipal confirmation before baja de oficio | Re-register after deletion | Preserves continuous address history | Assuming EU/long-term exemption applies: status mismatch |
| B7 | First employee without NUSS | Employer alta; self-request via Import@ss/TGSS if needed | INSS health entitlement first | NUSS precedes contribution record | Treating NUSS as work permission: false |
| E6 | Landlord demands agency management fee in covered rental | Written challenge citing current LAU/RDL 29/2026 | Walk away and report/document | Direct/indirect pass-through is the legal issue | Paying because an old blog calls it customary |

## Change log

Updated 25 October 2026

- 2026-10-25 Published: arrival admin and renting hub with the 2026 procedure and fee table

## What Should You Read Next?

[### Padron Registration in Spain Including without your own rental contract.](/living/padron-registration)[### Spanish Digital Certificate Without a TIE FNMT and Cl@ve compared.](/living/digital-certificate)[### Spanish Health Cards by Region SERMAS, TSI, SIP, SAS and SCS.](/living/health-card)[### Spain Rental Agency Fees Who pays after October 2026.](/living/rental-agency-fees)[### Spanish Rental Documents Legal versus customary.](/living/rental-documents)[### Spain Visa Routes 2026 means thresholds per route.](/visa)[### NIE, TIE and NIF in Spain What each identifier does.](/finance/nif-and-tax-id)[### Health Insurance in Spain Public and private cover.](/insurance/health-insurance)[### Empadronamiento: Facts The municipal register explained.](/facts/empadronamiento)

## Frequently Asked Questions

### What should I do first after arriving in Spain?

Spain has no single legal order, but the usual sequence is: address evidence, then empadronamiento (padron) where required, then the NIE and TIE or the EU registration certificate, then the social security number (NUSS) and health entitlement, then the regional health card, then a Cl@ve login or FNMT digital certificate. An FNMT certificate can often come before the TIE.

### How much does the padron cost in Spain?

Registering on the padron (empadronamiento) is free at the ayuntamiento as of October 2026. Some towns charge for certificates; that local tariff was not captured here. Non-EU nationals without long-term residence generally have to confirm their registration every 2 years.

### Can I register on the padron without my own rental contract in Spain?

Yes, in principle: municipalities accept alternatives such as the written authorisation of the person you live with, plus their ID and proof of address, together with your own ID. Which documents are accepted is set by each ayuntamiento, so check your city's current checklist. Never use a false contract or address.

### Who pays the rental agency fee in Spain after October 2026?

The landlord. Since Real Decreto-ley 29/2026 came into force on 8 October 2026, landlord-side management and contract-formalisation costs cannot be passed to the tenant directly or indirectly under any concept. Seasonal contracts signed before that date keep their previous regime until their agreed term ends.

### How much deposit can a Spanish landlord ask for?

The legal deposit (fianza) is one month's rent for housing. For habitual housing, additional guarantees are capped at two months' rent for contracts of up to five years (seven with a company landlord) and one month for temporary rentals, and a tenant can never be required to take out rent-default insurance, as of October 2026.

---

Source: https://www.how-to-spain.com/living
Last updated: Updated: October 2026
Format: LLM-readable Markdown twin (.md) of the canonical HTML page.