What is the cédula de habitabilidad?
The cédula de habitabilidad (certificate of habitability) is an official document confirming that a dwelling meets the minimum conditions to be lived in. In Catalonia those conditions are set by the Generalitat's habitability rules (see the Portal Jurídic de Catalunya for the official text and the Generalitat housing website for the procedure). This is general information, not legal advice.
Who needs it, and when
Responsibility sits with the owner, not the tenant: you do not obtain it. In Catalonia it is part of the documents of a home that is rented or sold, and utility companies can ask for it when you put a contract in your name. Ask the landlord, before you sign, whether the property has a valid one.
It is a regional matter
The cédula and its equivalents are set by each autonomous community, so the document, its name and its validity differ across Spain. Outside Catalonia, ask the landlord which habitability document applies in that region and check the regional housing authority's website. We do not list other regions here because we have not verified their rules.
What to ask the landlord
Before signing, ask whether the home has a current cédula de habitabilidad (or the regional equivalent), and ask for a copy. Without one you may struggle to put utilities in your name. Know your wider rights in our tenant rights guide.