Opening a shop or business in Madrid (declaración responsable)

To start or change an economic activity in the city of Madrid, including the necessary works, the general procedure is the declaración responsable: a signed document in which the person states, under their own responsibility, that they meet the legal requirements, hold the documentation proving it and undertake to keep meeting them. If all requirements are met, it takes effect from the moment it is filed in the register; the City Council may inspect afterwards. An urban planning licence is only needed when justified by safety, public health or the environment. It can be filed directly with the City Council or through an Entidad Colaboradora Urbanística (ECU). Filing with the City Council is online (with electronic identification and signature) and includes, among other things, the relevant technical documentation and the paid self-assessment of the urban planning services fee; if there are works, also the self-assessment of the Construction, Installations and Works Tax (ICIO), provisionally 3.75 % of the works budget. If the holder is a company, its deed of incorporation is provided.

Official sources

• Cómo poner en marcha una actividad económica (Ayuntamiento de Madrid)ESOfficial guidance · Checked on 2026-10-26
• Declaración responsable urbanística (Sede electrónica del Ayuntamiento de Madrid)ESOfficial guidance · Checked on 2026-10-26