Certificate of Habitation – CH (Cédula de Habitabilidad or Licencia de Primera Ocupación)

What is it and why do I need one?

This is a document which resumes the confirmation from the Town Hall that the property is ready for habitation, and it is applied once the property is finished with the Final Works License (Certificado Final de Obra), and inscribed in the land registry with the New Building Declaration-DON (Declaración de Obra Nueva).
You need this document to obtain the permission of the Town Hall to live live in the house. Before you  get it, what you have a is a construction, but not a “house”.
 This document will be necessary to obtain the individual supply of the utilities on your name, and with “house” use.
This document is then extremely important to get the electric and water contracts on individuals name. Before the builder obtains the certificate of habitation, there could be water and electric supply in the construction, because, is normal that the builder obtains this supply to make the works (for the tolls, machinery, etc.). But the supply obtained from the builder is a supply for “works”, but not for “house”.
Sometimes, buyers or promoters are left in their properties with electric and water supply for works use for years, because the builder did not obtain the proper CH (Certificate of Habitation). They have water and electric, but in a very poor condition and more expensive than the normal supply for a house.
In order to guarantee you, as buyer or promoter, that the builder will obtain the proper CH, it will be recommendable to leave a part of the payment of the price when the CH is obtained. It will force the builder to work right and to do his best to get this document asap. You cannot legally sell a property whith out this document.
If you are living in a property at the moment that does not have a cedula, or you have lost or never received a cedula, then you can enquire about this by contacting the technical department at your local town hall. When you aplly for it, have your passport, NIE number and title deeds ready. It also does not hurt to bring your recent water and electricity bills, as well as the last SUMA bill for your property.