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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.

Contact

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

Opening hours

PeriodPublic opening
Monday to Friday8:30 – 14:00
Saturdays, Sundays, public holidaysclosed
Online officearound the clock
Technical consultationby arrangement

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, jointly with the environment
  • Oficina TècnicaArchitects and technicians who assess applications
  • Disciplina UrbanísticaEnforcement, inspections, orders
  • Names of case officers still to be added

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 plotThe cédula urbanística sets out what is permitted: height, footprint, distances, protection status.
  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 an unlawful work 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.

Open Street View →

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 old town is a protected area. The Casco Antiguo is listed as a Bien de Interés Cultural. Façade colour, window frames, roof tiles and even air conditioning units are regulated. Anything visible from the street needs checking first.

Buy first, ask later is the expensive order. 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 at August 2026. Planning rules and procedures change — check with the department before starting anything.