Sworn Translation of a Rental or Lease Agreement

A rental or lease agreement drafted in English requires a sworn translation when it must be submitted to a Spanish authority as proof of address or as part of an administrative file. This document comes up frequently in immigration procedures and in municipal registration (empadronamiento) for people recently arrived in Spain.

When is it usually requested?

• Residence applications: as proof of address in Spain or in the country of origin.
• Municipal registration: some town halls accept a translated rental agreement when the original is in another language.
• Other administrative procedures: such as utility registration or bank applications requiring proof of a previous address.

Which parts of the contract are translated?

As a general rule, the document is translated in full: identification of the parties, property description, term, rent and general conditions. If the contract includes annexes (inventory, community rules), it is worth confirming with the authority whether those also need translating.

Before ordering the translation, it is worth asking the authority whether the full contract is required or whether the pages identifying the parties, term and rent are sufficient.

Are signatures and stamps also translated?

The sworn translation notes the presence of signatures, stamps and any handwritten annotations in the original document, without graphically reproducing the signature itself, while recording that it exists.

Can I send just a photo of the contract?

Yes, as long as it is clearly legible. A sharp photo or scan is enough to quote and carry out the translation.