Know what’s coming before it lands in your buzón.

The annual income tax campaign — usually opens early April and closes end of June, with online filing available from day one and in-person appointments filling up fast in the final weeks. Almost every resident needs to file, even with modest income.

⚠Exact dates are published each year by the Agencia Tributaria — always check agenciatributaria.gob.es

If you own property in Spain, your local council sends this once a year — the exact window varies significantly by municipality, so check with your specific Ayuntamiento rather than assuming a national date.

If you're self-employed, your Social Security contribution is due by the last day of each month, calculated on your chosen base de cotización — owed regardless of how much you actually earned that month.

⚠Missed payments escalate to enforced collection (vía de apremio) fast, with an automatic surcharge

Renewal applications for your residence card open 60 days before it expires, via cita previa at your provincial Extranjería office or the Interior Ministry's online portal. Appointments routinely take weeks to come up.

⚠Letting your TIE lapse risks an irregular administrative situation — start earlier than you think you need to

Your empadronamiento (municipal registration) doesn't expire for Spanish/EU purposes, but a current certificate is routinely required for TIE renewals, school enrollment, and healthcare — worth refreshing it before you need it urgently.

Self-employed workers file quarterly VAT (Modelo 303) and income tax installment (Modelo 130) returns, due the 20th of the month following each quarter — one of the most commonly missed autónomo obligations.

Not government, but a genuinely common trap: Spanish home and auto insurance auto-renews unless cancelled. Insurers must warn you before the renewal date — that letter is your only real window to switch or cancel without penalty.