Notary and land registry fees in Spain follow national scales that rise with the price of the property, so they are similar at any notary or registry office. On a €250,000 home, published guides point to roughly €750 to €1,050 for the notary and €650 to €800 for the registry, plus a gestoría fee of about €300 to €600 if you use one to file the paperwork. Together that comes to roughly 0.7% to 1.0% of the price before VAT, much less than the purchase tax. The buyer traditionally pays for the purchase deed and its registration, the seller pays to cancel any existing mortgage, and since the 2019 mortgage law the bank pays most of the costs of the mortgage deed. This guide explains how each fee works, shows an example and tells you how to check your quote. It is general information, not legal advice.
What does the notary do, and how is the fee set?
The notary (notario) is a public official who authorises the deed of sale. The notary checks the identity of the parties, confirms that the contract is legal and explains it, records how the price is paid and signs the deed. Notaries’ fees follow a national statutory scale (Royal Decree 1426/1989), based on the price declared in the deed, which falls as a percentage the higher the price goes. Copies and extra work are added, and VAT of 21% applies to the notary fee. You can choose the notary in some cases, but the fee is essentially the same. The deed signing is step 10 of 12 in our buying guide.
How much is the notary fee?
| Price of the home | Notary fee before VAT, per published guides |
|---|---|
| Up to €100,000 | €700 to €900 |
| About €200,000 | €600 to €900 |
| About €350,000 | €1,100 to €1,400 |
| Up to €500,000 | €1,200 to €1,600 |
One firm describes the notary fee as about 0.2% to 0.5% of the price. The ranges overlap and depend on the number of pages and the complexity. Simple and authorised copies are billed per page, and one guide lists two authorised copies at €50 and four at €100.
What does the land registry do, and how much does it cost?
After the deed, the property is registered in the buyer’s name at the land registry (Registro de la Propiedad). Registration makes your ownership effective against third parties and records any mortgage. The registrar’s fee follows a national scale (Royal Decree 1427/1989) based on the value. One guide gives a range of €500 to €2,500 for standard homes, with examples of €650 on a €250,000 second home in Andalucía and €800 on a €300,000 resale in Valencia. Registration usually takes one to two months from completion.
What does a gestoría cost?
A gestoría is an administrative firm that files the tax return, pays the taxes and registers the deed. If your lawyer does this, it may be included in the fee, so ask. Where it is separate, guides give about €300 to €600, either fixed or as a percentage.
A worked example on €250,000
This example combines the ranges above. The notary figures are our interpolation between the published examples for €200,000 and €350,000, not a quote.
| Item on a €250,000 resale home | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Notary (before VAT) | €750 | €1,050 |
| Land registry | €650 | €800 |
| Gestoría | €300 | €600 |
| Copies | €50 | €100 |
| Total before VAT | €1,750 | €2,550 |
| Share of the price | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Approx. in £ / $ | ≈ £1,500 / $2,000 | ≈ £2,200 / $2,900 |
Conversions are approximate and use the European Central Bank reference rates of 14 October 2026 (€1 = £0.844 = $1.120). Rates move every day.
Add 21% VAT on the notary fee and on any gestoría invoice. The tax is a bigger item: on the same home, ITP of 6% or 7% is €15,000 or €17,500 (see ITP vs IVA vs AJD), and our full cost guide and the calculator add everything together.
Who pays what?
| Item | Normally paid by |
|---|---|
| Purchase deed (notary) | Buyer |
| Registration of the deed | Buyer |
| Cancellation of the seller’s mortgage or charges | Seller |
| Mortgage deed: notary, registry, gestoría and AJD | The lender, since the 2019 mortgage law |
| Valuation for a mortgage | Buyer |
| Plusvalía municipal (municipal gains tax) | Seller, unless the contract says otherwise |
Some older guides still say that the buyer pays the mortgage deed costs, so check the standard information sheet your bank gives you and ask for the split in writing. See our non-resident mortgage guide.
How can you check your quote?
- Ask the notary or your lawyer for an estimate before the signing, based on the price in the deed.
- Ask for the fee to be broken down: the base fee, the copies and the VAT.
- Check that the number of copies is reasonable, because each adds to the bill.
- Compare the registry bill with the registry’s own scale, or ask your lawyer to do it.
- Be suspicious of a request to declare a lower price: it can reduce the notary fee but creates a tax problem, and the tax authority checks values.
When do you pay?
The notary normally asks for the fees at or soon after the signing, and the registry fee is paid when the deed is submitted. Your lawyer or gestoría usually handles both and asks you for a payment on account, so keep the receipts.
What are the common mistakes?
- Forgetting the VAT on the notary and gestoría fees.
- Budgeting only the purchase tax and ignoring the 0.7% to 1.0% of notary and registry costs.
- Assuming that the lower declared price saves money.
- Paying the gestoría twice, when the lawyer’s fee already includes the filings.
- Assuming the buyer pays for the mortgage deed without reading the bank’s information sheet.
What changes for a new build?
On a new home bought from a developer, the buyer pays VAT and stamp duty (AJD) instead of the resale transfer tax, as explained in ITP vs IVA vs AJD. The notary and registry fees still apply to the deed of sale. The developer usually pays for the paperwork of the building itself, such as the declaration of new construction and the division into separate units, but check the contract to see what is passed on to the buyer. Ask for the fees to be listed in writing before you sign the deposit contract.
What do you pay if you later sell?
When you sell, the buyer normally pays the notary and registry for the new deed, while you pay to cancel any mortgage on your home and the municipal gains tax. A non-resident seller also faces a retention of part of the price for the tax authority, which is covered in our guide on non-resident property tax.
How long does the registration take?
Registration usually takes one to two months after the deed, depending on the registry. Your lawyer or gestoría submits the deed, pays the taxes within the legal period and sends you the registered copy. Do not treat the property as fully registered until you hold that copy, and keep it with the deed, the tax receipts and the nota simple.
Can the fees be reduced?
The scales are set by law, so there is little room for negotiation on the notary and the registry. The areas where you can save are the optional ones: use a gestoría only if your lawyer does not already file the paperwork, ask for the fewest copies you really need, and compare quotes for the lawyer and the valuation.
Where can you check the official scales?
The notary scale is set by Royal Decree 1426/1989 and the registry scale by Royal Decree 1427/1989, and the professional bodies publish information about both. If you want to check a quote, ask the notary or your lawyer for the calculation and compare it with the text of the decree.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the notary fee when buying a house in Spain?
It follows a national scale. Published guides give roughly €600 to €900 for a €200,000 home and €1,100 to €1,400 for a €350,000 home, before 21% VAT.
How much is the land registry fee?
One guide gives €500 to €2,500 for standard homes, with examples of €650 on €250,000 in Andalucía and €800 on €300,000 in Valencia.
Who pays the notary in Spain?
The buyer traditionally pays for the purchase deed and its registration. The seller pays to cancel an existing mortgage.
Who pays the mortgage deed costs?
Since the 2019 mortgage law the lender generally pays the notary, registry and gestoría costs and the stamp duty of the mortgage deed, and the borrower pays the valuation. Check your offer.
Do I need a gestoría?
Not always. Your lawyer may file the taxes and the registration, so ask whether it is included before you hire a separate firm.
Sources
Official sources (check these for the current rule):
- General Council of Spanish Notaries
- Land registry online service (Registradores de España)
- Law 5/2019 on real estate credit contracts (BOE)
Also cross-checked against published guides, because practice varies between notaries, registries and banks:
- Immoabroad: notary fees in Spain
- Immoabroad: registration costs in Spain
- De la Guía Luzón: legal fees for buying Spanish property in 2026
- Costa Luz Lawyers: notary fees in Spain 2026
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules and rates change, and your situation may differ. Confirm the figures with the tax authority and a qualified lawyer or tax adviser before you commit.
