Declaración de obra nueva en Catastro (alta/actualización de una construcción)

What you need to have on hand

1. Cl@ve PIN/Permanente, certificado digital FNMT o DNIe (to sign online).
2. La referencia catastral de la parcela.
3. Licencia de obras o declaración responsable del ayuntamiento (the paper that allowed the build).
4. Certificado Final de Obra signed by the dirección facultativa.
5. Ficheros GML/ETRS89 of the building (coordinates). Ask the architect for them.
6. Planos with surfaces by floor and use (PDF).
7. If you have it, escritura de declaración de obra nueva and, even better, a nota simple from the Registro de la Propiedad.

Documentation

1. CFO (with signature and a clear date of completion).
2. Título habilitante: licencia or declaración responsable (resolution, acknowledgement and, if applicable, proof of payment of urban fees).
3. GML de la edificación (ETRS89 format; includes vertices and height if needed). Don’t upload a 200 MB file or it will be rejected.
4. Planos of floors and elevations with constructed and usable surfaces by use.
5. Escritura de obra nueva (copia simple). Helps match data, though Catastro can process without it if everything else is correct.
6. DNI/NIE and, if you act for someone else, a signed autorización de representación.

Step by step

1. Go to https://www.sedecatastro.gob.es and log in with Cl@ve or certificado.
2. Go to Declaraciones de alteraciones catastrales and choose Nueva construcción / ampliación / reforma.
3. Fill in: referencia catastral, fecha de fin de obra, superficies por planta y uso (vivienda, garaje, trastero, etc.).
4. Attach: Certificado Final de Obra, licencia/DR, GML, planos and, if you have it, the escritura. Check the GML matches exactly what was built.
5. Sign and send. Download the justificante with the expediente number.
6. Watch for requerimientos in your carpeta ciudadana: if they ask for corrections, upload the missing file or correct surfaces/uses.
7. When the resolución arrives, verify the new descripción catastral is correct. If not, file an alegación from the same sede.
8. If you prefer in-person, book cita previa at the Gerencia del Catastro via the sede and bring the paperwork in paper/USB.

Tricks that save you time

1. Ask the técnico for the GML that closed the work. Trying to generate it yourself last minute usually ends in errors.
2. Use Cl@ve Permanente or a certificado: fewer failures than PIN by SMS.
3. Compress PDFs and GMLs; the sede has size limits and sometimes crashes with huge files.
4. Check your parcel on the sede first: if the build already appears (because the notario sent it), you might only need to confirm data.
5. If there are multiple owners, upload a signed autorización or the community acta. Avoid dumb requerimientos.

Common mistakes that can mess up the process

1. Not declaring within 2 months after finishing the work. You risk a sanción and being regularised with back charges.
2. Missing GML or a bad GML (wrong reference system or wrong vertices). Result: guaranteed subsanación.
3. Wrong surfaces by floor (only entering the total and forgetting use detail). Catastro wants a breakdown by use.
4. Uploading blurry plans or unsigned documents. They will ask you to resend.
5. Trusting that the ayuntamiento or notario will do everything. Sometimes they don’t send it or it gets lost. Check your property on the sede.
6. Trying to submit from a mobile phone. Better use a computer and a stable browser; avoid experiments if you’re in a hurry.