Notary, Land Registry and lawyer fees when buying in Spain (2026)
Notary and Land Registry fees in Spain are fixed by official scales (Real Decreto 1426/1989 and Real Decreto 1427/1989): a sliding rate on the value of the home, less 5%, plus page and copy charges and VAT. A lawyer or gestoría is not compulsory and charges a market fee.
Key facts
- The notary's fee for the deed follows a sliding scale on the value, from 4.5 per thousand down to 0.3 per thousand, less 5%.
- Registry fees follow their own scale, capped at €2,181.67 per property before the 5% reduction.
- Both are charged on the value checked by the tax office or, failing that, the value in the deed.
- By default the seller pays for the deed and the buyer for the first copy, unless the contract says otherwise.
- A lawyer is not legally required to buy a home in Spain; the fee is agreed freely.
- On a mortgage, the bank pays the notary and registry fees for the mortgage deed (Ley 5/2019, article 14).
What fees does a buyer pay in Spain besides the tax?
Three, usually: the notary (notario) for the deed, the Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad) for registering the buyer as owner, and a lawyer (abogado) or gestoría if the buyer hires one. For a €300,000 resale home in Madrid:
| Line | Kind | Amount | Estimate range | Share of price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer tax (ITP), 6% | Tax | €18,000 | 6.00% | |
| Lawyer or gestoría (market rate) | Fee, estimate | €3,000 | €1,500 to €4,500 | 1.00% |
| Notary | Fee, estimate | €900 | €600 to €1,500 | 0.30% |
| Land registry (official fee scale) | Fee | €248.54 | 0.08% | |
| Taxes | €18,000 | 6.00% | ||
| Fees, typical | €4,148.54 | €2,348.54 to €6,248.54 | 1.38% | |
| Total on top of the price | €22,148.54 | €20,348.54 to €24,248.54 | 7.38% |
The calculator shows each fee as an estimate with a range, because the exact amount depends on the length of the deed, the copies, and what the lawyer charges. The notary and registry parts follow the official scales below. The fees are the same in every region; only the taxes change.
Are notary fees fixed in Spain?
Yes. Notaries charge under a state fee scale, the arancel (Real Decreto 1426/1989). For a deed with a value, like a home purchase, the fee for the deed is a sliding rate on the value (Anexo I, número 2):
| Slice of the value | Fee |
|---|---|
| Up to €6,010.12 | €90.15 |
| €6,010.13 to €30,050.61 | 4.5 per thousand |
| €30,050.62 to €60,101.21 | 1.5 per thousand |
| €60,101.22 to €150,253.03 | 1 per thousand |
| €150,253.04 to €601,012.10 | 0.5 per thousand |
| €601,012.10 to €6,010,121.04 | 0.3 per thousand |
| Above €6,010,121.04 | Agreed freely |
Then:
- the total is reduced by 5% (“se aplicará una rebaja del 5 por 100”);
- pages of the deed from the fifth onwards cost €3.005061 per written side (número 7);
- authorised copies cost €3.005061 per page, halved from the twelfth page (número 4);
- VAT is added at the general rate.
The base is “el valor comprobado fiscalmente”, the value checked by the tax office, or failing that the value in the deed (Anexo II, norma primera). The notary “no podrá percibir cantidad alguna por asesoramiento”: advice on the deed is not charged separately (norma segunda).
Who pays the notary?
The Civil Code sets a default: “Los gastos de otorgamiento de escrituras serán de cuenta del vendedor, y los de la primera copia y los demás posteriores a la venta serán de cuenta del comprador, salvo pacto en contrario” (article 1455). So the seller pays for drawing up the deed and the buyer for the first copy and what follows, unless the contract says otherwise. The calculator puts the whole notary estimate on the buyer.
How much does the Land Registry charge?
The registry also charges under a state scale, by property registered (Real Decreto 1427/1989, Anexo I, número 2). The rates by slice, as the calculator applies them:
Land registry (official fee scale)
Charged in bands on the taxable value (the higher of the price and the official value): each slice is taxed at its own rate, then multiplied by 1.1495, at least €27.63, at most €2,507.83.
| Slice of the value | Rate on that slice |
|---|---|
| up to €6,010.12 | 0.4% |
| €6,010.12 to €30,050.61 | 0.175% |
| €30,050.61 to €60,101.21 | 0.125% |
| €60,101.21 to €150,253.03 | 0.075% |
| €150,253.03 to €601,012.10 | 0.03% |
| over €601,012.10 | 0.02% |
Applies to every purchase.
The registration of the purchase on the registrars' official scale, with its 5% reduction and 21% VAT. Small extras (the filing entry, certificates) and a mortgage registration are not included.
The law sets the first slice as a fixed €24.04, caps the total for one registration at €2,181.67 and sets a floor of €24.04, then reduces it by 5%; VAT is added. The calculator applies the scale with the reduction and VAT, which is why its limits differ from the law’s figures before VAT. Registration is what protects the buyer’s ownership against third parties, and it can only happen once the purchase tax is paid: “Ninguna inscripción se hará en el Registro de la Propiedad sin que se acredite previamente el pago de los impuestos” (Ley Hipotecaria, article 254.1).
How do the fees change with the price?
The scales charge less per euro on each higher slice, so the fees shrink as a share of the price:
| Price | Taxes | Fees, typical | Total on top | Estimate range | Share of price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| €150,000 | €9,000 | €2,596.68 | €11,596.68 | €10,596.68 to €12,946.68 | 7.73% |
| €300,000 | €18,000 | €4,148.54 | €22,148.54 | €20,348.54 to €24,248.54 | 7.38% |
| €500,000 | €30,000 | €6,217.51 | €36,217.51 | €33,417.51 to €39,317.51 | 7.24% |
| €1,000,000 | €60,000 | €11,344.07 | €71,344.07 | €66,044.07 to €76,944.07 | 7.13% |
Is a lawyer compulsory?
No. No law requires a buyer to hire a lawyer. The notary checks the identity and tax numbers of the parties (Ley del Notariado, article 23) and records how the price was paid (article 24), but acts for neither side. A lawyer acts for the buyer.
The fee is agreed freely. The calculator’s estimate uses a share of the price with a minimum: €3,000 on a €300,000 home at the typical level, with the range shown in the table above. A gestoría handles paperwork such as filing form 600.
What about the mortgage fees?
A mortgage brings its own deed. Since 2019 the law splits its costs (Ley 5/2019, article 14.1.e):
- the buyer pays for the valuation (tasación);
- the bank pays the notary fees for the mortgage deed, the registry fees for the mortgage, and the gestoría;
- copies are paid by whoever asks for them.
The bank also pays the AJD stamp duty on the mortgage deed. The calculator does not include mortgage costs.
What are the purchase steps the fees belong to?
- NIE. A foreign buyer gets a foreigner’s identity number first; the notary and registry need it.
- Deposit contract (arras). Under the Civil Code, with “arras o señal” the buyer may withdraw by losing the deposit, or the seller by returning it doubled (article 1454). The law sets no deposit amount.
- Deed (escritura) at the notary. A transfer of a home must be in a public document (article 1280). The price is paid, by a traceable means, at signing.
- Purchase tax. Form 600 to the regional tax agency within the region’s deadline.
- Registration at the Land Registry, once the tax is paid.
What this guide does not cover
- Estate agent fees, which are agreed between the agent and whoever hires them.
- Valuation, bank and mortgage broker fees.
- Utility transfers, community fees and the yearly IBI property tax.
- Notary fees for powers of attorney and other documents outside the purchase deed.
Questions people ask
Are notary fees fixed in Spain?
Yes. Notaries charge under a state fee scale (Real Decreto 1426/1989), a sliding rate on the value of the transaction less 5%, plus charges per page of the deed and per copy, and VAT. A notary may not charge for advice on the deed.
Who pays the notary when buying a house in Spain?
The Civil Code says the seller pays for drawing up the deed and the buyer pays for the first copy and everything after the sale, unless the contract says otherwise (article 1455).
How much does the Land Registry charge?
Its own state scale (Real Decreto 1427/1989): a sliding rate on the value, with a cap of €2,181.67 per property and a 5% reduction, plus VAT.
Do I need a lawyer to buy property in Spain?
No law requires one. The notary checks identity, tax numbers and how the price is paid, but does not act for either side. A lawyer's fee is agreed freely.
Do I pay the notary separately from the taxes?
Yes. The notary's fee is paid to the notary. Transfer tax or stamp duty is paid to the regional tax agency on form 600, and the Land Registry registers the deed only after the tax is paid.
Sources
- Real Decreto 1426/1989, Arancel de los Notarios (Anexo I, números 2, 4 and 7; Anexo II)BOE (Agencia Estatal Boletín Oficial del Estado)
Behind the figures
Every amount on this page is worked out by the engine from rule files that cite these pages.
- Agència Tributària de Catalunya: ITP ratesOfficial source