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Emergencies and key laws in Spain

For anyone at any step. Save these numbers in your phone before you fly.

112All emergencies: police, fire, ambulance and rescue. Free, from any phone, even without credit or a SIM card. Run by each region
091Policía Nacional (National Police)
062Guardia Civil (Civil Guard)
092Policía Local (local police) in many towns and cities
061Medical emergencies in some regions; elsewhere it is part of 112. If unsure, call 112
016Help with any form of violence against women: free, confidential, 24 hours, in 53 languages. WhatsApp 600 000 016. It doesn’t show on the phone bill, and on many phones sold in Spain it doesn’t stay in the call log
024Suicide prevention line: free, confidential, 24 hours, for anyone at risk and for family and friends
91 562 04 20Toxicology information service (Servicio de Información Toxicológica): poisoning advice from doctors, 24 hours
+34 917 146 300British Embassy Madrid and British consulates in Spain. From the UK, family can call the FCDO on 020 7008 5000, 24 hours

If something goes wrong

Car accident
  1. If anyone is hurt or there is danger, call 112
  2. Make the scene safe and move people away from traffic
  3. Fill in the accident report form (parte amistoso, or declaración amistosa de accidente) with the other driver: date, place, both vehicles, insurers, the boxes that apply and a sketch
  4. Check the other driver’s details against their documents. Don’t sign if you disagree; if they refuse to fill it in, call the police or Guardia Civil
  5. Each driver keeps a copy. Tell your insurer within 7 days unless your policy allows longer
Wildfire, heat or flood (DANA) warning
  1. AEMET (the state weather agency) warnings use colours: yellow means be aware, orange be prepared, red act on the authorities’ instructions and don’t travel unless you must
  2. ES-Alert messages from Civil Protection reach every mobile phone in the area, even on silent, without an app. Follow them straight away
  3. Report any fire to 112. Causing a wildfire is a crime in Spain even by accident: no barbecues or cigarette ends in forest areas
  4. Flash floods happen fast: follow local authorities, stay away from riverbeds and never drive into floodwater
Lost or stolen UK passport
  1. Report it to the police (a denuncia) at the Policía Nacional, the regional police or the Guardia Civil. Minor thefts can be reported online
  2. If you need to travel urgently, apply online for an emergency travel document: £125, usually ready 2 working days after you apply. Paying usually cancels your old passport
  3. The British Embassy is in Madrid, with consulates in Alicante, Barcelona, Ibiza, Las Palmas, Málaga, Palma and Santa Cruz de Tenerife: +34 917 146 300
Unwell but not an emergency
  1. Book your GP at your health centre (centro de salud) through your region’s health app or phone line
  2. Health centres and hospitals have urgent care (urgencias) for things that can’t wait
  3. At night and on Sundays, use the duty pharmacy (farmacia de guardia). The national pharmacists’ council lists them online
  4. For possible poisoning or a medicine mix-up, call 91 562 04 20
  5. For chest pain, breathing trouble or signs of a stroke, call 112 straight away

Laws and customs to know

Carry photo IDYou must show photo ID if a police officer asks, and the police can hold you until they confirm who you are. Once resident, carry your TIE. Read more
Drink-driving limits are lower for new driversThe limit is 0.5 g/l in blood (0.25 mg/l in breath), and 0.3 g/l (0.15 mg/l) for drivers in their first 2 years and professional drivers. Read more
Apply for your TIE within a monthIf you arrive on a residence visa, apply for your TIE (residence card) within 1 month of arriving, and register on the padrón at your town hall. Read more
A GHIC is for visits, not for livingOnce you live in Spain you need cover through work, an S1, private insurance or the Convenio Especial. Register at your health centre early. Read more
Controlled medicines need a permitBring no more than 3 months’ supply of your medicines with a prescription. Controlled medicines need a permit from the AEMPS before you travel. Read more
The deposit is one month by lawFor a home, the legal deposit (fianza) is one month’s rent. For leases of up to 5 years (7 with a company landlord), any extra security is capped at 2 months’ rent. Read more
What rules catch Brits out in Spain?How does Spanish healthcare work for Brits?

General guidance. In an emergency, follow the instructions of the police, ambulance or fire service.