Ministry of Justice

This is a certificate that certifies the absence or existence of a criminal record.

Documentation and necessary requirements

NOTE: The information in this section only applies if you are going to make your application in person or by post. If you have a user's electronic certificate you can choose to process your application electronically, for which you will need to go to the Electronic headquarters of the Ministry of Justice

1. APPLICATION- This must be done using Model 790, which can be downloaded from this page or is available, free-of-charge, at the following places:

• The Regional Offices of the Ministry of Justice.
• Civil Registers throughout Spain.
• In Madrid, in the Central Office of Citizen Services.

2. PROVIDING PROOF OF IDENTITY OF THE PERSON MAKING THE APPLICATION

Original and current DNI, residency card, passport, driver's licence or EU identity document or equivalent of the person applying for the certificate. The document presented must provide unequivocal proof of the applicant's identity.

3. WHEN THE CERTIFICATE IS NOT APPLIED FOR IN PERSON BY THE INTERESTED PARTY BUT BY SOMEONE REPRESENTING HIM/HER, in addition to the documentation mentioned in point 2, this person must provide:

• Original or certified photocopy of a valid identification of the principal.
• Original or certified photocopy of the document that provides proof of representation by any means deemed valid under the law that provides a reliable record of same (public document authorised by a notary, private document with signatures authorised by a notary or private document, granted when the interested party appears in person before a public employee who will record this incident using a legal measure).
• WHEN APPLYING FOR A CERTIFICATE FOR A CORPORATE ENTITY OR ORGANISATION WITH NO LEGAL STATUS, power of attorney must be accredited in an original or certified copy of a public notarised document to this effect.

4. PAYMENT OF THE FEE.-Proof of payment of the fee; this can be provided in any of the following ways:

• 4.1.- If the payment is made in Spain.
  • You must take completed form 790 to a financial entity that works with the Tax Agency (practically all financial entities) to make the payment. Proof of payment will be provided through machine validation or authorised signature of the financial entity on the "copy for the Administration" part of form 790 which must be presented in order for the certificate to be issued.
• 4.2.- If the payment is made outside Spain.
  • You must take a signed form 790 to a Spanish financial entity that works with the Tax Agency and has a branch in the country where the certificate is being requested. Proof of payment will be provided through machine validation or authorised signature of the financial entity on the "copy for the Administration" part of form 790 which must be sent.
  • Alternatively, you can pay the fee via a bank transfer, provided that said transfer is made from an account opened with a bank outside national territory. To make the transfer, you should use the IBAN or International Code of the Ministry of Justice restricted deposit account, details of which are given below, and you should send the original proof of payment receipt, together with the "copy for the Administration" of form 790.

    BANK: BBVA

    ACCOUNT HOLDER: Ministerio de Justicia - Cuenta Restringida Recaudación Tasas Extranjero (Ministry of Justice - Foreign Fee Collection Blocked Account)

    NIF (TAX IDENTITY NUMBER) OF THE ACCOUNT HOLDER: S-2813610-I

    IBAN or International Bank Account Number: IBAN ES62 0182 2370 4202 0800 0060

    Bank Identification Code (BIC) of the BBVA: BBVAESMMXXX

FEE PRICE: 3,62€

IMPORTANT: Special care should be taken that the correct amount of the fee is paid, as the financial entity is not able to refund mistaken amounts paid; requests for reimbursement will require that the interested party initiates a procedure for the refund of undue payment.

Any individual of legal age.

If the concerned party holds the nationality of a European Union country other than Spain, he/she may request that any information existing in his/her country’s Registry be included in this certificate by expressly making said request in form 790.

IMPORTANT: THE CRIMINAL RECORD CERTIFICATE MUST BE LEGALISED IF IT IS TO HAVE VALIDITY OUTSIDE OF SPAIN. DO NOT FORGET TO MENTION THIS FACT WHEN MAKING AN APPLICATION WHEREVER CERTIFICATES ARE ISSUED. (Universal legalisation or The Hague Apostille)

Circumstances under which it is issued

A - When requested by the interested party either directly or through a representative.

B - When requested through a competent body, as part of processing a procedure in which it is legally required. In these cases the certificate is sent directly to the body.

With a view to simplifying administrative processes, the Ministry of Justice has signed agreements to directly issue criminal record certificates to the competent body in the procedures described below of the following Ministries:

• Ministry of the Interior, in the area of the Guardia Civil:
  • Cancellation of criminal records.
  • Cancellation of unfavourable notes for personnel in the Civil Guard Corps.
  • Firearms and explosives permits
  • Selection procedures for entry in the different Levels of the Corps
  • Private Rural Guards.
  • Protection and Security services.
• Ministries of the Interior, Labour and Immigration and the Presidency:
  • Residence permits (granting and renewal) and non-nationals working in Spain.
• Ministry of Defence:
  • For the selection of officers, non-commissioned officers, soldiers and sailors.
  • For the cancellation of unfavourable notes in military records.
  • For the selection of volunteer reservists.
  • For granting military recognition.
• Ministry of the Interior, in the area of policing:
  • For the Protection and Security Service (security guards, heads of security, bodyguards, private detectives).
  • For police rank selection.
  • For the cancellation of police/criminal records.
  • For the cancellation of unfavourable notes.
• The criminal record certificate is also issued directly to the competent body in the selection procedures for Justice Administration personnel.
• For legal procedures related to incapacity, guardianship and tutorship, the certificate is issued directly to the Courts hearing the case.

NOTE: If a certificate does not have to be issued and the interested parties only wish to obtain information on the data concerning them contained in the Central Criminal Records Registry, they are entitled to request access to this data free of charge by providing proof of their identity.