Documents you need to sell a home in Spain

The complete list of papers a Spanish notary and a buyer will ask for — what each one is, where to get it and when you need it.

General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules differ by region and municipality and change over time; have your own situation checked by the notary or a local adviser.

Most delays in a Spanish sale have nothing to do with the buyer. They come from a document that is missing, out of date or does not match reality: a pool that is not in the registry, a community certificate nobody asked for, an energy certificate that was never registered. If you collect the papers below before you advertise, the notary appointment becomes a formality instead of a scramble. This is especially true if you live outside Spain and cannot pop into the town hall.

1. Title deed (escritura)

The escritura de compraventa (or, after an inheritance, the escritura de aceptación de herencia) is the public deed by which you acquired the property. It shows who owns it, how it was described and the price you paid. The notary who handles your sale will want to see it, and you will need it later for your tax calculation, because it proves your acquisition value.

Lost your copy? A Spanish notary keeps the original deed in his or her archive (the protocolo). You can ask the notary's office that signed your purchase, or the notary who has taken over that archive, for a new copy.

2. Nota simple from the Land Registry

The nota simple is an extract from the Registro de la Propiedad. It shows the registered description of the property, the registered owner or owners and any charges on it, such as a mortgage or an attachment (embargo). Buyers and their lawyers always ask for a recent one, and the notary checks the registry again just before signing.

You can request a nota simple online through the website of the Spanish Registrars (registradores.org), without being in Spain; an English translation can be requested with it. Read it carefully: is your name spelled correctly, is the surface area right, is the old mortgage still listed? If a mortgage you paid off years ago still appears, arrange its cancellation with your bank in good time; this is usually done through a separate deed.

3. Cadastral reference and description

Every property in Spain has a referencia catastral, a 20-character code from the Catastro (the cadastral office, which is separate from the Land Registry). It appears on your IBI tax bill and must be stated in the deed. Check on the Catastro's electronic office that the cadastral description matches what is actually built. Extensions, a converted garage, a covered terrace or a pool that were never declared are a common source of questions from buyers and the notary. Correcting this takes time, so start early.

4. Energy performance certificate (certificado de eficiencia energética)

Under Royal Decree 390/2021, anyone who advertises a home for sale — on a property portal, a website, a sign in the window — must include its energy rating. That means you need the certificate before you put the home online, not just before the notary. At the sale, the seller gives the buyer a copy of the registered certificate and the energy label is attached to the contract.

The certificate is drawn up by a qualified technician (usually an architect or engineer) after a visit, and then registered with the energy certificate register of your autonomous community. Keep both the certificate and the proof of registration.

5. Habitability: cédula, licence or declaration

Whether you need a habitability document depends on the region. In Catalonia, for example, a valid cédula de habitabilidad is required when a home is transferred. Other regions use a first or second occupation licence (licencia de primera / segunda ocupación) or a responsible declaration (declaración responsable) at the town hall, and some regions no longer require a separate document for resales. Buyers also need it in some regions to connect water and electricity in their own name.

Ask the town hall (ayuntamiento) or the housing department of your autonomous community what applies to your home, and whether an older document is still valid. If you need a new one, a technician will usually inspect the property.

6. Proof that the IBI is paid

The IBI (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles) is the annual municipal property tax. Under the Spanish Local Finances Act, unpaid IBI stays attached to the property when it changes hands, which is why notaries request information on outstanding IBI debts and warn the parties about it in the deed. Have your most recent IBI receipt ready. It also shows the cadastral reference and the cadastral value, which both the notary and the tax office use.

7. Certificate from the community of owners

If your home is part of a community of owners (comunidad de propietarios) — an apartment building, but also many urbanizaciones with shared gardens and pools — the Horizontal Property Act applies. In the deed you must declare that you are up to date with the community fees, or state what you owe, and you must provide a certificate of your debt status signed by the community's secretary with the approval of the president. Without that certificate the notary cannot authorise the deed, unless the buyer expressly waives it.

The law gives the secretary a maximum of seven calendar days to issue the certificate after your request. Ask the administrator (administrador de fincas) for it as soon as you have a buyer. Serious buyers will also ask about planned works or special levies (derramas), and for recent minutes of the owners' meetings.

8. Your NIE and identification

As a foreign owner you need your Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE): the notary records it in the deed and you need it for your tax return on the sale. If you bought the property you almost certainly have one already. If you inherited it and do not yet have a NIE, you can apply in Spain or at a Spanish consulate in your country of residence; the application is made in person or through an accredited representative. Bring a valid passport or identity card to the notary.

9. Documents that depend on your situation

Married or registered partner: the notary will ask about your marital status and property regime; in some cases your spouse or partner must also sign.
Inherited property: the inheritance must be accepted and registered in the name of the heirs before you can sell. See our guide on selling an inherited house abroad.
Signing through someone else: a power of attorney (poder notarial). One signed at a notary outside Spain usually needs an apostille and sometimes a sworn translation; you can also sign it at a Spanish consulate. Ask the Spanish notary to approve the wording first.
Tourist rental: if the home is registered for holiday rental, find out what the registration means for the sale in your region and municipality.
Utilities: recent bills for water, electricity and, where relevant, gas help the buyer take over the contracts.
Improvements: invoices for renovations and building works you carried out. They can matter for your capital gains calculation.

A practical order

Request the nota simple and compare it with the Catastro and with reality.
Order the energy certificate and have it registered — before you advertise.
Check which habitability document your region requires.
Collect your deed, IBI receipt, NIE and utility bills.
Once you have a buyer: request the community certificate and, if needed, the mortgage cancellation.
Read our guides on the notary and the sale process and on tax for non-resident sellers.

Having everything in one folder — ideally scanned as well — also makes a better impression on buyers. It shows that the home is in order and that the sale will not drag on.

Help with selling your house in Spain

Tell us about your home. We look with you at a realistic asking price, the documents your home needs and the steps up to the notary — also if you do not live in Spain.

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More guides for selling in Spain

Selling in Spain as a non-resident: tax and the retention — The buyer's retention (form 211), your own return (form 210) and the municipal plusvalía.
The notary and the sale process in Spain, step by step — From the arras contract to signing at the notario and registration in the Land Registry.
How to list your home on idealista and fotocasa as a private seller — Photos, floor plan, description, price, handling enquiries and avoiding scams.
Sell your house in Spain
Selling an inherited house abroad

Sources

Consulted on 30-09-2026. Always check the current version at the source.