Goal: see if a simple ‘obras menores licence’ is doable in one morning for small jobs (paint, a short privacy screen, window screens). Marina Alta council. Normal weekday.
What I took
- ID
- Form filled at home (name, address, phone)
- One-page sketch with basic dimensions and materials
- Two printed photos of the spot
- Rough budget number (materials + labour, even if DIY)
- Owner authorisation (I’m not the deed holder)
Stopwatch log (today)
- 08:03 arrive, take number A-27
- 08:06 triage glance, sent to “licencias menores”
- 08:19 at desk
- 08:26 sketch checked; asked distance to boundary and height of screen
- 08:32 budget entered; fee calculated
- 08:34 sent to cashier
- 08:41 pay; back to desk with receipt
- 08:49 licence printed with conditions (hours, waste)
- 08:52 out
Time inside: 49 minutes. Queue light; two people bounced for missing papers.
What they actually checked
- ID matches the form
- Address matches the sketch/photos
- Dimensions make sense; boundary distance shown
- Materials are ordinary (paint, timber, mesh)
- Budget line not blank; phone number legible
Fee was based on the budget band. Mine landed in a low bracket and was paid at the cashier before they printed the licence.
Where people lost time (watched from the chairs)
- No sketch (talking it through wastes 10 minutes)
- No budget number (can’t calculate the fee)
- No owner authorisation
- Only phone photos; printer drama
Bring paper. It goes faster.
One change I’ll ask for
A printed sketch sheet at the door: small plan box, small elevation box, one line for “distance to boundary,” one for “materials,” one box for “budget.” Next to it, a short card that says what counts as “minor”: paint, short screens, like-for-like repairs; no structure, no services.
Cost: a few prints. Likely saves the two bounces I watched.
My checklist (kept on the fridge)
- ID + a photocopy
- Form filled (name, address, phone)
- One-page sketch: plan + elevation + dimensions + boundary distance
- Budget number (materials + labour, even if DIY)
- Owner authorisation (if not the holder)
- Two printed photos
- Copies of everything
Edge notes
- Boundary work: take neighbour consent if you plan to touch their wall.
- Street-visible: expect a quick note on finish/colour; bring a product sheet.
- DIY vs contractor: write which it is; they asked.
- Waste: ask if the ecopark needs anything from you first.
What I’ll time next run
- Ticket to desk: target ≤ 20 min
- Desk to cashier and back: target ≤ 15 min
- Total inside: target ≤ 60 min
- Returns for missing papers: target 0
If I ran the counter for a week
Clipboards with the sketch sheet and two filled examples at the door. A pen pot. One sign that matches the website text. Cashier arrow painted on the floor.
I like forms. This is a good one-morning job if you walk in with a sketch and a number.