Legalising a Refrigeration Installation in Catalonia: Levels, Documents and RITSIC

To legalise a refrigeration installation in Catalonia, first establish whether it is a Level 1 or Level 2 installation under the Reglamento de seguridad para instalaciones frigoríficas, known as the RSIF. This classification determines whether a technical report or an engineering project is required, which authorised contractor may carry out the work and which certificates the owner must hold. For a new installation, the responsible declaration must be submitted before it is put into service.

Buying and connecting a cold room is therefore not enough. Refrigeration legalisation is a separate industrial safety procedure, although it may need to be coordinated with the premises’ electrical installation, building works, fire safety measures and activity licence. International owners and tenants in Barcelona should review these requirements before ordering equipment, signing a lease or taking over premises containing an existing refrigeration system.

Start by collecting the technical information

Classification cannot be based on the commercial description or physical size of a cold room. You need to consider the complete refrigeration installation, including its independent systems, compressors, refrigerant circuits and associated components. Before purchasing or relocating equipment, obtain the installed electrical compressor power for each system, the combined power, the refrigerant type and safety class, the refrigerant charge and the intended use of the refrigerated space. [4] [7]

You should also identify whether the equipment is compact or non-compact, whether an A2L refrigerant is used and whether the system serves an artificial-atmosphere chamber. Record whether the installation is new, already operating, being modified or moved from another address. These details affect the classification and the correct administrative procedure; the headline power shown in a product catalogue is not sufficient on its own. [4] [5]

• Number of independent refrigeration systems
• Installed electrical compressor power for each system
• Combined installed compressor power
• Refrigerant, safety class and charge
• Compact or non-compact equipment configuration and any applicable A2L provisions under the RSIF in force when the application is made.

Determine whether the installation is Level 1 or Level 2

Under the RSIF, Level 1 includes installations in which each independent system has no more than 30 kW of installed electrical compressor power and the combined total does not exceed 100 kW, provided that they use high-safety L1 refrigerants and do not serve artificial-atmosphere chambers. All these conditions must be considered together rather than treating either power threshold as a standalone test. [4] [5]

An installation is Level 2 if any individual system exceeds 30 kW, the combined power exceeds 100 kW, it serves an artificial-atmosphere chamber, or it uses medium- or low-safety L2 or L3 refrigerants. For Catalan administrative purposes, Canal Empresa currently identifies Level 1 as class M and Level 2 as class P. [4] [6]

Special provisions apply to compact equipment and certain installations using A2L refrigerants. Depending on the complete technical configuration, these rules can affect both classification and documentation. The definitive assessment should therefore be made from the design data and the current RSIF, especially where an A2L refrigerant or an unusual system arrangement is proposed. [4] [5]

• Level 1: no system above 30 kW and no more than 100 kW in total
• Level 1: L1 refrigerants and no artificial-atmosphere chamber
• Level 2: either power limit is exceeded
• Level 2: an artificial-atmosphere chamber or an L2 or L3 refrigerant is involved
• Check A2L and compact-equipment rules separately

Appoint the right contractor and prepare the technical file

Industrial refrigeration installations must be carried out by a refrigeration contractor authorised for the relevant scope and level. In Catalonia, the contractor must be entered in the Registre d’Agents de la Seguretat Industrial de Catalunya, or RASIC, unless the applicable equivalent register is used. RASIC records authorised agents and businesses; RITSIC records technical installations. A contractor’s RASIC registration does not register the customer’s installation in RITSIC. [7]

As a general rule, a Level 1 or class M installation requires a descriptive technical report, commonly called a memoria técnica. A Level 2 or class P installation requires a project signed by a suitably qualified professional, together with the applicable works supervision and completion documentation. Certain A2L installations may follow the specific documentary arrangements in Article 21 of the RSIF, so they require an individual review rather than an automatic Level 1 or Level 2 document list. [4] [5]

For Level 1, the owner’s file includes the technical report, refrigeration installation certificate, electrical installation certificate, instruction manual, relevant declarations of conformity and installation logbook. Level 2 documentation additionally includes the project, the applicable supervision and completion certificate, and a maintenance contract. A civil liability insurance policy and other technical evidence must also be available where required by the installation’s circumstances. [1] [6]

• Verify the contractor’s authorisation and permitted level before work begins
• Define power, refrigerant and configuration before drafting the report or project
• Confirm whether a suitably qualified professional must sign and supervise the project
• Coordinate refrigeration design with the electrical supply and conditions in the premises
• Prepare any risk assessment required by the system’s technical characteristics

Submit the responsible declaration and obtain RITSIC registration

The responsible declaration for a new installation must be filed electronically through Canal Empresa before the system is put into service. It is signed by the owner or an authorised representative. The same official procedure includes separate options for modifications, ownership changes, refrigerant changes and decommissioning, so the selected option must reflect what is actually happening to the installation. [1] [6]

Normally, the signed declaration starts the procedure, but this does not remove the obligation to have the full technical file. By signing, the owner declares that the applicable requirements are met and the supporting documents are available. Those records must be retained throughout the installation’s working life. The logbook may be kept on paper or digitally, must record the work undertaken and must remain accessible at the installation. [1] [6] [8]

After the relevant checks and payment, the Administration issues the certificate confirming registration in RITSIC. It can be consulted and downloaded through Canal Empresa or the online application-status service. Refrigeration installations use an identifier within the CIF category. A submission receipt should not be mistaken for this registration certificate, and the official information does not guarantee a fixed number of days for its issue. [1] [6]

• Complete the installation and assemble all applicable certificates
• Submit the responsible declaration before putting a new system into service
• Pay the administrative fee using the generated payment document
• Download and retain the RITSIC certificate when it becomes available
• Keep the technical file and logbook for the installation’s entire working life

Costs, existing installations and later changes

As checked on 1 October 2026, Canal Empresa listed an administrative fee of €34.85 for putting a refrigeration installation into service. A payment document is generated after submission, and payment must be made within a maximum of two months. This is only the government fee: it does not include engineering, installation work, inspections, maintenance or remedial works. Fees and online procedures can change, so confirm the current amount and instructions directly with Canal Empresa before filing. [6]

If second-hand refrigeration equipment remains at the same premises and only the owner changes, the ownership-change procedure applies. If it is dismantled and transferred to another location, it is treated as a new installation and must be legalised at the new address. A technical modification, refrigerant change or decommissioning has its own procedure and should not be reported automatically as a simple change of owner. [1] [8]

The Generalitat distinguishes portable chambers used as a means of transport from transportable chambers installed permanently. Its guidance states that a transportable chamber fixed in place for more than one year is considered a fixed installation and must be legalised. For an older system with missing records, first look for its RITSIC certificate, technical certificates and logbook. If they cannot be found, review the installation and consult Canal Empresa about the applicable route rather than assuming that a new declaration will correct every previous omission. [8]

• Check that an existing RITSIC certificate matches the owner, installation and address
• Review the records before buying or leasing premises with a cold room
• Do not use an ownership change when equipment has moved to a new site
• Update the logbook after maintenance and modifications
• Check the current procedure before changing refrigerant or altering the installation

Frequently asked questions

Does every cold room in Barcelona require legalisation?

This cannot be decided from the room’s name, dimensions or commercial description alone. Its configuration, power, refrigerant, charge, use and location must be assessed against the scope of the RSIF. The Generalitat also treats a transportable chamber fixed in place for more than one year as a fixed installation requiring legalisation.

When is an engineer required for a refrigeration installation?

As a general rule, a Level 2 installation requires a project signed by a suitably qualified professional, with the applicable supervision and completion documents. Level 1 normally requires a technical report. Certain A2L systems have specific documentary rules, so the design must be classified before equipment is ordered or installed.

How much does refrigeration installation legalisation cost in Catalonia?

The official fee for putting an installation into service was €34.85 when checked on 1 October 2026. This is not the total legalisation cost: professional services, installation work, inspections, maintenance and necessary alterations are separate. Verify the current fee on Canal Empresa because official charges may be updated.