How to get a Certificado Digital

If you want to save huge amounts of time and money dealing with Spanish bureacracy, you need to know how to get a certificado digital. We have all the information you need here.

What is a Certificado Digital?

A certificado digital is a digital certificate that you download to your computer or smartphone. There are various types available, including Clave Permanente, Clave Pin, and special versions created by autonomous regions like Catalonia. On this page, we will focus on the one that is easiest to get and is most useful. It is issued by the FNMT (the authority that issues money in Spain) and is simply called ‘Certificado Digital’.

What does a Certificado Digital allow me to do?

Once you have the certificado digital downloaded onto your computer, you can access many government ministries and departments, to check the information they have about you; carry out processes; and even to make complaints. The certificado digital will save you hours of waiting in government departments, not to mention the time and money spent getting there in the first place! Some examples of the many things you can do online with the certificado digital include:

Get your certificado de empadronamiento (if your local town hall offers an online service. If they don’t, they soon will).
Check if you have any speeding fines and pay them. Check/change data about vehicles you have registered
Check your health data, get a health card (if you are entitled to it) and book appointments
Sign on as unemployed and get unemployment benefit (if you are entitled to it)
Pay your taxes or have your gestor do it for you (by sending them your certificado digital)