Information reviewed in August 2026 · Reading time: 10 minutes

When you sell property in Spain, the amount that reaches your bank account is not simply the sale price. A seller may need to allow for capital gains tax, municipal plusvalía, mortgage repayment and cancellation, an energy certificate, professional fees and estate agency fees.

The largest variable is usually the capital gain: the difference between the adjusted acquisition value and the adjusted sale value. The tax is not normally calculated as a percentage of the full sale price. Your tax residence, age, use of the property, previous rental activity and the way you acquired it can all change the result.

This guide explains the main costs for an individual selling a home in Spain, with particular relevance to owners in Almuñécar and the Costa Tropical. Companies, professional property traders and unusually complex ownership structures follow different rules and need specialist advice.

If you also need an overview of the complete sale — from pricing and documents to offers, contracts and completion — see our step-by-step guide to selling property on the Costa Tropical.

Seller's costs in Spain: the quick overview

Our separate 2026 document checklist for selling property in Andalusia explains where to obtain the title deed, Land Registry extract, energy certificate, IBI receipt and community certificate.

Costs before and during the sale

Energy performance certificate

The energy rating must generally appear in the property advertisement. A certificate commonly costs around €80–€150 on the Costa Tropical, depending on the technician, property and size. Treat that range as an estimate and request a current quotation.

Land Registry information

A recent nota simple often costs approximately €10. It identifies the registered owners and shows mortgages, embargoes and other registered charges. An updated copy may be requested again before completion.

Estate agency fees

The fee should be agreed in writing and VAT may be added. A properly documented fee paid by the seller and directly connected with the transaction can normally form part of the sale expenses considered when calculating the capital gain. Keep the agreement and invoice for the tax adviser.

Legal and tax advice

Some sellers appoint an independent lawyer, tax adviser or representative. This is especially useful for non-residents, inheritances, divorces, several co-owners, planning discrepancies or a sale completed under power of attorney. Ask the adviser which professional costs can be included in the tax calculation.

Mortgage repayment and Land Registry cancellation

If a mortgage remains outstanding, the bank will normally provide a redemption figure for completion. The loan balance is repaid from the price. That principal is not a sale expense for capital-gain purposes, but it must be subtracted when estimating the cash the seller will actually receive.

Repaying the loan does not automatically remove the registered mortgage. Notarial, registry and administrative work to cancel it may commonly cost around €400–€1,000, depending on the case. Check whether the mortgage contract also contains an early-repayment charge.

Capital gains tax for a Spanish tax resident

A Spanish tax-resident individual normally reports the sale in the income-tax return for the year in which it takes place. The Spanish Tax Agency explains that the sale creates a capital gain or loss and that some gains on a main residence may be exempt: what happens when a property is sold.

The simplified calculation is:

Capital gain = adjusted sale value − adjusted acquisition value

Adjusted acquisition value

The starting point is the amount paid to acquire the property. Certain acquisition taxes and costs paid by the buyer can be added, such as ITP or VAT, notary and Land Registry charges. Qualifying investments and improvements can also be added when they are properly supported.

Ordinary repairs and maintenance are not automatically treated as improvements. Painting, repairing a broken installation or replacing a worn item may be preservation rather than an investment that increases the acquisition value. Keep invoices, proof of payment, licences and technical documents so an adviser can classify the work correctly.

If the property was rented, the acquisition value may have to be reduced by tax depreciation, including the minimum depreciation that should have been applied. This can increase the taxable gain even if the owner did not claim every available deduction. The Tax Agency's calculation rules explain acquisition, transmission and depreciation adjustments.

For inherited property, the acquisition value is not always simply the figure a family remembers or chose. It is based on the value resulting from the Inheritance and Gift Tax rules, subject to the applicable limits, plus eligible acquisition costs. Read our guide to selling inherited property in Granada and the Costa Tropical.

Adjusted sale value

The sale value normally starts with the amount actually received, provided it is not below the normal market value. Eligible expenses and taxes paid by the seller that are inherent to the transfer may reduce it. Examples may include documented estate agency fees, municipal plusvalía and other necessary sale expenses. Every item should be reviewed against the seller's invoice and circumstances.

Savings-income tax rates

Under the rates in force when this guide was reviewed in August 2026, the savings scale for a Spanish tax resident is progressive:

The bands apply progressively, rather than one rate being charged on the whole gain. The current scale is published by the Spanish Tax Agency.

Exemptions and reductions that may apply

Reinvestment in a new main residence

A gain on the sale of a main residence may be wholly or partly exempt when the qualifying amount is reinvested in another main residence. The reinvestment can generally take place during the two years before or after the sale. When there is an outstanding acquisition mortgage on the old home, special rules determine the amount considered to have been obtained.

Both properties and the timing must satisfy the main-residence requirements. Reinvesting only part of the required amount normally produces a proportional exemption. See the Tax Agency's main-residence reinvestment guidance.

Seller aged 65 or over

The gain on the sale of a qualifying main residence is exempt for a seller aged 65 or over, without a requirement to reinvest the proceeds. The rules also cover certain people in a situation of severe or high dependency.

For another asset, including a second home, a person aged 65 or over may obtain an exemption by investing the proceeds in a qualifying insured life annuity within six months. The maximum qualifying investment is €240,000 per taxpayer, and detailed conditions apply. The main-residence exemption and the annuity exemption should not be confused.

Sale at a loss

A genuine capital loss does not create capital gains tax on that sale. It may be available to offset qualifying gains and, within statutory limits, some savings income. An unused negative balance can generally be carried forward for four years. The Tax Agency explains the integration and compensation rules.

Property acquired before 31 December 1994

Transitional abatement coefficients may reduce part of the gain on older assets. The regime is technical and includes a €400,000 cumulative transmission-value limit for assets covered by it. Owners who bought before the end of 1994 should request an individual calculation before accepting an offer.

Municipal plusvalía tax

The municipal tax on the increase in urban land value is commonly called plusvalía municipal. It relates to the land component, not the building as a whole. For a sale, the legal filing period is generally 30 business days, although the procedure and final amount depend on the municipality.

No tax is due when the absence of an increase in land value is demonstrated under the statutory rules, but the transfer must still be declared with the required evidence. If the real increase calculated under the law is lower than the objective tax base, the lower amount can be used when properly requested and documented.

The national framework is contained in the Local Tax Authorities Act. The exact calculation requires the cadastral land value, acquisition and sale information, ownership period and the coefficients and rate applied by the relevant council.

If an individual seller is not resident in Spain, the buyer can become the substitute taxpayer for municipal plusvalía. This is separate from the national 3% non-resident retention and should be coordinated in the completion statement.

Non-resident sellers: the 3% retention is not an extra tax

When the seller is non-resident for Spanish tax purposes, the buyer must generally withhold 3% of the agreed price and pay it to the Spanish Tax Agency using Modelo 211. The seller then reports the actual gain using Modelo 210. The retention is a payment on account: if it exceeds the final tax, the seller may claim a refund; if it is lower, the balance remains payable.

The gain on a property sale is generally taxed at 19% for an individual non-resident, subject to the applicable rules and any treaty considerations. Our dedicated guide explains the 3% retention, Modelo 210 and selling Spanish property from abroad.

Example 1: Spanish tax resident selling an apartment for €220,000

Maria bought an apartment in 2010 for €150,000. She paid €10,500 in ITP and €2,000 in notary and Land Registry costs. In 2016 she completed qualifying improvements supported by invoices for €12,000. She now sells for €220,000. Her energy certificate costs €120 and we assume municipal plusvalía of €1,400.

This estimate excludes any estate agency or legal fee and any mortgage balance. It also assumes that the €12,000 is accepted as qualifying improvement expenditure rather than ordinary repair work.

Example 2: non-resident selling an inherited property for €350,000

Andrew inherited a property in 2019 with a qualifying acquisition value of €280,000 and €4,000 of eligible inheritance acquisition costs. He sells it for €350,000. The energy certificate costs €150 and assumed municipal plusvalía is €2,100.

The buyer's €10,500 retention is credited against the estimated €12,112.50 tax; it is not charged on top of it. This simplified example excludes agency and legal fees, mortgage balances, currency issues and any special exemption or treaty effect.

How to prepare an accurate net-proceeds estimate

• Find the acquisition deed and proof of the acquisition taxes and costs.
• Collect invoices, payment evidence and licences for genuine investments and improvements.
• Tell the adviser if the property has ever been rented so depreciation can be checked.
• Obtain a current mortgage redemption figure and identify cancellation expenses.
• Request a municipal plusvalía estimate using the cadastral land value and dates.
• Confirm your Spanish tax residence for the year of sale.
• Check whether a main-residence, over-65, annuity or older-property relief applies.
• Subtract the outstanding mortgage principal when calculating the cash you will receive.

Frequently asked questions

Does Spain take a fixed percentage of the sale price?

Not for an ordinary resident seller. Capital gains tax is based on the adjusted gain, not the whole price. A non-resident buyer's 3% withholding is based on the price, but it is an advance payment towards the seller's final non-resident tax.

Can estate agency fees reduce the taxable gain?

A documented fee paid by the seller and directly linked to the sale can generally be treated as a transfer expense. Keep the contract and invoice and ask the tax adviser to confirm the treatment in the individual return.

What if I sell for less than the property cost me?

You may have a capital loss rather than a taxable gain, but the calculation must use adjusted values and account for eligible costs, improvements and any required depreciation. The municipal tax follows its own land-value test.

When are the taxes paid?

Municipal plusvalía is generally declared within 30 business days of a sale. A Spanish tax resident reports the gain in the annual income-tax return. A non-resident follows the Modelo 210 timetable, with the buyer paying the 3% retention through Modelo 211.

Can I calculate the exact amount before listing?

A useful estimate can normally be prepared before marketing when the deeds, cadastral information, invoices, mortgage figure and tax-residence position are available. Final figures may still change with the sale price, completion date and municipal calculation.

Know your likely net proceeds before you sell

Bonillo Real Estate has helped owners sell in Almuñécar and the Costa Tropical since 1975. We can value the property, review the available documents and coordinate an estimated cost and tax calculation with the appropriate professional advisers.

Thinking of selling? Contact us about your property for a valuation and an initial review of the figures.

The examples and explanations in this article are general information, not individual legal or tax advice. Tax residence, property use, ownership history and future legislative changes can alter the result. Obtain a calculation for your specific transaction before signing.

Author: Jorge Bonillo · Bonillo Real Estate, Almuñécar