Organismo de recaudación / Diputación letter explained in English

Local tax collection office. Collects local taxes and fines for many town halls, for example IBI, car tax and parking fines.

Letters you may get

• Recibo / anuncio de cobranza — your yearly local taxes are due
• Providencia de apremio — you paid late, so a surcharge is added
• Diligencia de embargo — they are taking money from your account

What to do

• Many local taxes have a fixed yearly payment period. Direct debit (domiciliación) helps you not miss it.
• Check that the debt is really yours — for example car tax for a car you already sold.
• Find the deadline. Look for “plazo”, “hasta el”, “días hábiles”.
• Write the reference number from the letter on everything you send back, and keep copies.
• If you disagree with a decision, object in writing before the deadline (“recurso de reposición”, “reclamación económico-administrativa”, “recurso de alzada”, “reclamación previa”, “alegaciones”, “oposición”, “recurso”). See the template.

Words you may see

Apremio

Enforced collection. You didn’t pay in time, so a surcharge is added.

Embargo

Seizure of money or property to pay a debt, for example from your bank account or wages.

Domiciliación

Direct debit. The money is taken from your bank account automatically.

IBI

Yearly property tax, paid to the town hall by the owner.

Questions

What is the Organismo de recaudación / Diputación?

Local tax collection office. Collects local taxes and fines for many town halls, for example IBI, car tax and parking fines.

How long do I have to answer a letter from the Organismo de recaudación / Diputación?

It depends on the letter. Look for words like “plazo”, “hasta el”, “días hábiles” — they mark the deadline. In Spain, deadlines usually count from the day after the letter is delivered (notificación). A paper letter is delivered on the day you receive it; an electronic one when you open it, or 10 calendar days after it was made available. We estimate 3 days for post — use the real date if you know it. To object, the letter usually names the way to do it (“recurso de reposición”, “reclamación económico-administrativa”, “recurso de alzada”, “reclamación previa”, “alegaciones”, “oposición”, “recurso”).

Can I read a Organismo de recaudación / Diputación letter in English?

Yes. Take a photo of the letter with Briefly. It explains the letter in plain English, finds the deadline and the amount, and gives you ready-made replies in Spanish. Your letter never leaves your device.

Other offices in Spain

Agencia Tributaria (AEAT) · Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (TGSS) · Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS) · Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal (SEPE) · Oficina de Extranjería / Policía Nacional · Ayuntamiento · Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT) · Agencia tributaria autonómica