To sell a property in Catalonia, you should gather your title deed, check ownership and charges at the Land Registry and prepare identification for everyone signing. In addition, some documents are required depending on the property and the stage of the sale: the energy certificate for advertising where applicable, the cédula de habitabilidad (certificate of habitability) for the transfer unless a legal exception applies, and a debt certificate if there is a homeowners' community.
This guide explains which documents to review before advertising, which to present at the signing and what to add if there is a mortgage, an inheritance, holiday-let use, owners living outside Spain or a property with planning or coastal particularities.
This table is a starting point. The notary will confirm the specific documentation depending on ownership, the building and the terms of the transaction.
| Document | What it is for | Where to get it | Mandatory? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Title deed (escritura) | Proves how and when you acquired the property | Your copy or the notary's office that executed it | Yes, to prove title |
| Nota simple | Lets you check ownership and registered charges | Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad) | Highly recommended at the outset; the notary checks the Registry before signing |
| Energy performance certificate | Rates the property's energy consumption | Qualified technician + ICAEN register | Yes, to advertise and transfer, unless legally exempt |
| Cédula de habitabilidad | Proves the property meets the minimum standards to be lived in | Agència de l'Habitatge de Catalunya | Yes, on transfer, unless a legal exemption applies |
| Latest IBI receipt | Provides the cadastral reference and proves that receipt was paid | Town council or tax collection body | Usual; check for other debts separately if needed |
| Community debt certificate | Proves you are up to date with community fees | Community secretary or property manager | If the property belongs to a community; the buyer may expressly waive it |
| ITE and certificate of fitness | Condition of the building | Homeowners' community | If the building is required to undergo the ITE |
| ID document and NIF/NIE, as applicable | Identifies all sellers | Your own document; NIF/NIE from the relevant authority | Yes |
Everyone entitled to sell must attend, or be represented by someone holding sufficient power of attorney. If a signatory lives outside Spain, ask the notary how to grant the power of attorney. One issued at a Spanish consulate is not treated the same way as a power of attorney executed before a foreign notary; the latter may require an apostille or legalisation and a translation.
The title may be a deed of sale, an inheritance allocation, a gift or another form of acquisition. If you no longer have your copy, ask the notary's office that executed it, or its archive, where to obtain one. Check that the people selling appear on the title and are entitled to dispose of the property.
The nota simple is an extract from the Land Registry showing ownership and registered charges, such as mortgages, attachments or easements. Visit the Colegio de Registradores (Spain's association of land registrars) and request it through their online portal at the start to spot any issues. It usually arrives electronically the same day or within one or two days, although timings can vary. In any case, the notary will carry out the necessary Registry checks before signing.
Having an outstanding mortgage does not prevent you from selling. The usual approach is to pay it off at the notary's office itself, using part of the buyer's money. To do so, you need a statement of the outstanding balance issued by your bank dated for the signing.
If the loan has been repaid but the mortgage is still registered, arrange its removal from the Registry with the bank and the notary. This process can take several weeks. Depending on how the purchase is financed, it can be arranged beforehand or coordinated with the sale; it is best to start early so it does not delay the signing.
The cadastral reference appears on the IBI receipt. The owner can obtain the descriptive and graphic certificate from the Sede Electrónica del Catastro (the Land Cadastre's online portal); compare that record with the nota simple and the physical reality. If floor areas, outbuildings or uses differ, consult a technician and the town council before assuming the discrepancy can be fixed with a single procedure.
Royal Decree 390/2021 requires the energy rating to be included in sale advertising when the property is subject to certification. Commission the certificate from a qualified technician and check that it has been registered so that you have the label. You can look up the procedure with the Institut Català d'Energia (ICAEN) and in the certificate register.
It is valid for a maximum of ten years, except for a G rating, which is valid for a maximum of five. If a certificate already exists, check its date and label before publishing the listing.
In Catalonia, the cédula certifies that the property meets habitability standards and, as a general rule, must be handed over when the property is transferred. Law 18/2007 provides for specific exemptions, and Decree 141/2012 sets out its technical requirements. To start the check, contact the Agència de l'Habitatge de Catalunya.
A second-occupancy cédula is valid for 15 years. Before commissioning a new one, check whether the property already has a valid one using the official cédula search tool. If it needs renewing, start the process in good time. The application receipt is not, on its own, equivalent to the cédula required for the transfer.
Residential buildings subject to the technical inspection (ITE) must have the report and apply for the certificate of fitness. The general rule takes 45 years of age as the reference, but there are other cases and exceptions, including a specific one for detached single-family homes with a valid cédula when they reach that age. If the building is subject to it, ask the owner or community for the report and certificate of fitness so you can pass them on to the buyer; also disclose any defects and approved works.
The latest receipt for IBI (Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles, the Spanish annual property tax) provides the cadastral reference and proves that receipt was paid, but it does not rule out other outstanding amounts. To check the tax position, ask the town council or the body that handles collection; in some municipalities in Girona this will be XALOC, the Diputació de Girona's tax collection network. As far as the council is concerned, the whole year's IBI is payable by whoever owned the property on 1 January. In a sale, buyer and seller often agree to split the cost in proportion to the days each of them owns the property during the year of the sale.
If the property belongs to a homeowners' community, ask whoever acts as secretary for a certificate of debts and of approved expenses not yet due. The Civil Code of Catalonia requires it to be provided in order to execute the deed, unless the buyer expressly waives it; that waiver does not remove the seller's liability for their debts.
Recent electricity, water and gas bills help identify the utility supplies and arrange the change of account holder. On their own, they do not prove there are no other outstanding amounts. If the house has a well, a septic tank or a private sewerage connection, gather the available documentation and clarify its status with the technician or the relevant authority.
Besides the property paperwork, the notary will review your personal situation. These are the cases that raise the most questions:
The signing records how the price is paid. Before going to the notary's office, confirm with them which proof of transfers, cheques or accounts must be provided for the transaction.
If you are selling as a tax non-resident, gather your ID and NIF/NIE (Spanish tax identification number) and ask whether you will need a power of attorney to sign remotely. Where the regime for non-residents without a permanent establishment applies, the buyer generally pays a 3% withholding on the part of the price corresponding to the non-resident seller using modelo 211 from the Agencia Tributaria (the Spanish Tax Agency). Keep the receipt for the subsequent return filed on modelo 210.
If the property is operated as tourist accommodation, gather the registration number, the notice of commencement and the documentation for the activity; if available, prepare its letting history. Check the Generalitat's procedures to see how to notify the change of holder, and ask the town council about planning compatibility and the applicable licences. The current registration does not, on its own, guarantee that the buyer will be able to continue the activity on identical terms.
If the property is close to the coastline, review its nota simple and compare its situation with the official boundary mapping of the maritime-terrestrial public domain. There may be easements or restrictions on use under the Ley de Costas (Spanish Coastal Law). If the plot's relationship to the boundary is unclear, request information from the Coastal Authority before committing to the sale.
For masías (traditional Catalan farmhouses) and houses on non-developable land, compare the deeds, nota simple, cadastral record and what has actually been built. If there are undeclared outbuildings, pools or extensions, request planning information from the town council and commission a technical survey. In certain cases, the declaration and registration of those works can be processed before the sale using a technical certificate of age. First check with the technician, the town council and the notary that the requirements are met: the certificate alone does not legalise a construction.
Not all the paperwork for selling a flat or a house is needed on the same day. This is the usual order in a sale:
The taxes on the sale affect the net amount you will receive. To calculate them, keep the purchase and sale deeds, invoices for expenses and improvements that may count, and tax receipts. Your specific obligations depend on your tax residence, the property and the transaction.
| Residents' savings tax base | Marginal rate |
|---|---|
| Up to €6,000 | 19% |
| €6,000 to €50,000 | 21% |
| €50,000 to €200,000 | 23% |
| €200,000 to €300,000 | 27% |
| Over €300,000 | 30% |
The gain on the sale of your main residence may be exempt if you meet the requirements for reinvesting in another main residence or if you sell at the age of 65 or over. Keep invoices for improvements and the costs of buying and selling, such as notary, registry or agency fees, because the allowable amounts can change the taxable gain. Check the conditions with the Agencia Tributaria before filing your return.
Gathering the documents to sell a house is straightforward when everything is in order. It gets complicated with inheritances, extended masías, owners living abroad or properties affected by the Ley de Costas.
At Costa Brava House we review your property's documentation before putting it on the market, identify what is missing and coordinate technicians, the gestoría (administrative agency) and the notary right through to the signing. If you are thinking of selling your house on the Costa Brava, we can start with a free valuation. For inheritances, powers of attorney or non-residents, we also offer specialised real estate legal services.
We work particularly in the Baix Empordà. If your property is in Begur or Llafranc, we have first-hand knowledge of each municipality's planning particularities.
