Step · City hall
Register on the Bilbao padrón (empadronamiento)
Register (alta) or change your address on Bilbao’s Padrón Municipal de Habitantes in person at the Oficina de Atención Ciudadana or a district office, with the signed hoja padronal, ID and proof of housing use. Appointment is optional.
- Why it matters
- The padrón is the basis for many local services and for registering in the Basque health system; foreigners are also covered by a separate renewal procedure.
- When
- You start living at an address in Bilbao or move within the city.
- How long it takes
- With complete documents the registration is effective on presentation; if documents are incomplete the maximum resolution time is three months (art. 21.3 Ley 39/2015). Newborns of parents already registered in Bilbao can also be registered by emailing altanacimiento@bilbao.eus.
- Official page
- Solicitud de alta y cambio de domicilio en el Padrón Municipal de Habitantes (procedure page, read 2026-10-07)
- Last checked
- 16 Oct 2026
In the guide: the 4 steps, what to bring (5 items), the 2 offices with addresses and hours, and 3 Easy to miss lines, with every official source.
One Easy to miss, on us
Documents must be originals and valid; foreign documents come with an official translation where needed.