Major building licence: what you must get from the ayuntamiento before a big renovation

What you need first

1. Competent technician to produce the proyecto (architect and arquitecto técnico if there’s structure). Without a proper project the town hall won’t even look.
2. Presupuesto de ejecución material (PEM) closed. ICIO and the fee come from this.
3. Approval from the comunidad if you touch common elements or the façade. Avoid getting stopped by a hostile owners’ meeting.
4. Signing methods: Cl@ve, certificado digital or DNIe. Most moves are via the sede electrónica now.
5. If you’ll occupy the street with contenedor/andamio, budget time and cost. It’s a separate request.

Documentation

1. Proyecto técnico completo (memoria, planos, pliego, mediciones y presupuesto), signed and, if required, visado by the colegio.
2. Estudio de seguridad y salud (or basic study), and designation of the coordinator of safety.
3. Nombramiento de dirección facultativa (director/a de obra y de ejecución).
4. Estudio y plan de gestión de RCD and, if applicable, justificante de fianza de residuos.
5. Plano de situación and photos of façade/interior.
6. Autorización de la comunidad if common elements are affected.
7. Autoliquidación del ICIO y tasa paid, with receipts.
8. Municipal licence application (your ayuntamiento’s form).

Step-by-step

1. Go to the sede electrónica of your ayuntamiento and identify with Cl@ve or certificado. Search “Licencia urbanística – procedimiento ordinario/obra mayor”.
2. Fill the application with property and works data. Note the PEM and the use (vivienda, local…), because fees come from that.
3. Calculate and pay the autoliquidación del ICIO and the urban licence fee (there’s usually a payment gateway or a payment letter). Keep the receipt (CSV or reference).
4. Attach the project PDF, the dirección facultativa, the estudio de seguridad, the estudio de residuos and the payments. Check each PDF is electronically signed by the correct person.
5. If you’ll place contenedor/andamio/grúa, apply for ocupación de vía pública in the same sede (separate expediente) with an implantation plan and pay its fee.
6. Watch for subsanación: if they ask for documents, you have 10 working days to upload them. If you don’t reply, they archive and you start over.
7. When you get the resolution, download it, display the licence sign visibly and notify start of works if your ayuntamiento requires it. If you change the project, apply for a modificación.

Tips

1. Ask your technician for a checklist with documents and signatures. Avoid stupid subsanaciones.
2. Compress PDFs and use clear names ("01_Memoria", "02_Planos"). Some sedes choke on 100 MB files.
3. If the building might be protected, have your technician confirm that before you submit. Saves weeks.
4. Many cities offer ICIO reductions for energy efficiency or accessibility. Ask before you pay.
5. Online processing often works better in Chrome. Yes, it hurts, but some sedes fail on other browsers.

Common mistakes

1. Mixing up obra menor and obra mayor: opening façade holes or touching structure is not minor. They can stop works and fine you.
2. Forgetting the estudio de residuos or the fianza: they will demand it in many cities.
3. Not paying the fee/ICIO when submitting: the file won’t start.
4. Project without electronic signatures or without visado when required: guaranteed subsanación.
5. Not requesting ocupación de vía pública for container or scaffold: quick fine and removal.
6. Ignoring the 10-day subsanación: archive of the file and wasted money and time.