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Altea · Planning office
Planning office

Planning office

Concejalía de Urbanismo

Anything touching a building goes through here: permits, notifications, first-occupation licences, and the question of what a plot allows in the first place. In the old town the rules are stricter than anywhere else.

This is not a page of Altea Town Council. alteamar.es is a private site and not a public authority: we do not accept applications or advise on individual cases. Only information from the competent office is binding: altea.es ↗. Like a directory, we gather here what is otherwise spread across many websites: an overview, not instructions.

Upper floors of the town hall: galleries with timber beams, red-and-yellow striped cloths on the balustrades and four flags on poles. On the wall the wooden sign “AJUNTAMENT”; a large, leafy bougainvillea on the right; blue sky.
The town hall, also the point of contact for Urbanismo — the “Ajuntament” sign above Open Street View →Photo: Axel Voigts

Contact

Address
Ajuntament d’Altea, Urbanismo
Plaça de José María Planelles 1
03590 Altea (Alicante)Show on the map

Opening hours

PeriodPublic opening
Opening hoursmornings; times on altea.es
Saturdays, Sundays, public holidaysclosed
Online officearound the clock
Technical consultationask the Oficina Tècnica for an appointment by phone

For anything involving drawings, ask for an appointment with the technical staff rather than queuing at the counter.

Opening hours change. Please check before going: altea.es

Departments and contacts

  • Regidoria d’UrbanismePlanning department, combined with environment
  • Oficina TècnicaArchitects and technicians who assess applications
  • Disciplina UrbanísticaEnforcement, inspections, orders

Step by step: works to an existing property

  1. Establish what appliesSmall works usually need only a notification (declaración responsable); anything structural needs a licence (licencia de obra). Ask before you start.
  2. Check the plotApply for the cédula urbanística: information on the planning rules that apply to the plot.
  3. Engage a technicianFor anything beyond the simplest works an architect or technical architect must draw up the project and sign it off.
  4. Submit the applicationThrough the online office with a digital certificate, or at the counter.
  5. Wait for the decisionStarting work before it arrives is at your own risk — and unlawful works can be ordered to be undone.
  6. First occupationFor new build, the licencia de primera ocupación comes at the end. Without it there is no permanent water or electricity supply (art. 32, Law 3/2004). For buildings over ten years old, a licencia de segunda ocupación may be required when a new supply contract is signed (art. 33).

What is handled here

  • Licencia de obra — for structural work, extensions, new build
  • Declaración responsable — the notification route for minor works
  • Licencia de primera ocupación — the precondition for utility connections
  • Cédula urbanística — what a particular plot permits
  • Opening licences for business premises
  • Old town — stricter rules on façades, windows, colours and roof tiles
  • Enforcement — inspections and orders where work is unlawful
  • Building files — access to the record of a property

What to bring

  • NIE and passport or identity card
  • Title deed or land registry extract
  • Cadastral reference of the property
  • A technical project where required, signed by an architect
  • Photographs of the existing state
  • Digital certificate for filing online

The documents required change with the rules. Current list: altea.es → Urbanismo

Good to know

The heart of the old town is a protected area. The Renaissance bastion around the church (Carrer Major, d’Enmig, de Baix, del Forn and others) has been a Bien de Interés Cultural since 2013 (Decreto 69/2013). Roofs, windows, façades and colours are regulated there, and works also need the approval of the regional heritage department. Anything visible from the street needs checking first.

Buying first and asking later is the expensive way round. Before purchasing, obtain the cédula urbanística and check the building file. A pool, a terrace or an extension built without a licence becomes your problem the day you sign.

Work carried out without the required permission can be ordered to be reversed, and the obligation attaches to the property, not to whoever did it.

Fees and charges

Planning fees and the tax on construction are set by the municipality and published in the fiscal bylaws: altea.es → Ordenanzas fiscales. They are calculated from the value of the works.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a licence to change the windows?

In the old town, almost certainly. Elsewhere a notification may be enough. Ask before ordering anything — the frames are the visible part.

How long does a decision take?

It depends on the scale of the work and the caseload. Notifications are quicker than full licences; plan months rather than weeks for anything substantial.

What is a cédula urbanística?

A municipal certificate stating what the planning rules allow on a specific plot. It is the document to obtain before buying land or an older property.

Can I do the paperwork myself?

For small notifications, yes. For anything requiring a project you will need an architect in any case, and they usually handle the filing.

Map

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Related pages

Information from the municipality of Altea, as of October 2026. Planning rules and procedures change — check with the department before starting anything. Sources: boe.es (Decreto 69/2013, BIC), boe.es (Law 3/2004, occupation licence), boe.es (RD 1000/2010, visado).