Notary fees in Spain: how do you calculate them?

Are you planning to buy a property in Spain and become a Spanish resident? Whether you are buying, renting or selling property in Spain, there are a number of formalities to complete. To help you through the process, you'll need the services of a notary, whose fees you should expect to pay. Immo365 Costa Brava, your estate agency in Catalonia, tells you everything you need to know about notary fees in Spain.

Real estate: why use a notaire in Spain?

Using a notaire to buy land, a house or a flat in Spain saves you time and money. This professional carries out meticulous checks on the authenticity and accuracy of the documents relating to the property for sale. This guarantees you a secure transaction, peace of mind and a considerable reduction in your expenses.

Notaries in Spain offer personalised services tailored to your needs. Using a notary when buying property in Spain is also important for legalising your documents. Thanks to his status as a civil servant and his expertise, he can take charge of all the legal aspects of your project.

Buying property in Spain: what notary fees should you expect?

Compared with French notaries, Spanish notaries are subject to slightly less stringent regulations. When buying property in Spain, the notary's fees are based on a scale that varies according to the price of the house or land. There are several types of fee payable to the notary's office, as laid down by Spanish law.

The notary's actual fees

For all property purchases in Spain, the law provides for the notary's fees to be split 70% for the seller and 30% for the buyer. You can estimate these fees at 1% of the purchase price of the property, with a minimum of €1,000. Depending on the terms you have agreed, however, the fees may be split 50% between each party. You may also decide to pay 100% of the fees, or leave them to the seller, as you agree.

The firm's fees

These administrative costs enable the notaire's office to deal with the registry and pay your taxes. They generally range from €650 to €800 excluding tax.

Property registration fees

Property registration fees are generally between 500 and 750 euros for the purchase of a property in Madrid and other cities in the country. They are payable by the purchaser of the property.

Wealth transfer tax

Payment of this tax, known as ITP, depends on the region in which you buy your property. You must pay it within 30 days of purchase. This is done by the notaire's administrative office. The rate of ITP generally varies between 8% and 10% of the purchase price of the property. This tax represents the lion's share of the costs involved in buying property in Spain.

All in all, you should expect to pay a minimum of €1,500 for notary fees in Spain for a property purchase, not including inheritance tax. If you use a lawyer to carry out legal checks on the sale of a flat in Spain by a private individual, you should also allow for the lawyer's commission. The same applies to estate agency fees.

What are the criteria for calculating notary's fees in Spain?

The value of the property is the main factor used to calculate notary fees in Spain. The other criteria taken into account in this calculation are :

• the autonomous community in which the property is located
• the presence of a garage and its estimated value
• the number of pages in the deed of sale.

As a general rule, the greater the number of pages in the deed of sale, the higher the notary's fees for the service provided. The notary's fees in Spain are not exaggerated in view of the quality of service that this legal professional can provide and the costs paid in other countries. The notary's services are inexpensive compared with the steps he or she takes.

Like estate agency fees in Spain, notary fees are legally regulated. There is no price competition; the difference is mainly based on the quality of the offer and the professional network of the practitioner. Spanish law aims to ensure that everyone has equal access to high-quality legal services, regardless of income level or social situation.

Choose quality services with Immo365 Costa Brava

Immo365 is a benchmark in property transactions on the Costa Brava. As qualified professionals, we offer you tailor-made support for your property investment project. We have one of the largest property portfolios in the region, enabling us to offer you a wide range of services and innovative solutions.

Whether you're looking for a new build or a property to renovate, you're sure to find what you're looking for with our agency. We work with experts in Spanish property law, who will assist you from start to finish. We also work closely with the notary in Spain to take care of the legal and tax aspects of your case.

You can rely on our experts to carry out secure estate planning once you have acquired your property. Don't hesitate to contact us for advice on the most appropriate purchase solution after examining your personal situation (estimated needs, available budget, etc.).