Note
How plusvalía is calculated in Spain
Quick answer
The tax starts from the cadastral value of the land, applies a coefficient for the years held, then applies the town rate. If the real gain is lower, the taxpayer can ask to be taxed on that. We print no coefficient because the national rules have been amended and we have not verified the current text.
Applies toOwners who want to estimate the tax on a sale, and buyers who want to check a figure the seller quotes. It does not replace the calculation your town hall or adviser makes.
This area of Spanish law is complex. We could not open the legal text behind the point below in full on the official site, so we state it as it is generally understood and have not checked it word for word. Before you rely on it, ask an independent Spanish lawyer who acts for you to confirm it for your case.
- Where the seller is an individual who is not resident in Spain, the buyer is the substitute taxpayer (art. 106 TRLRHL).
- On a transfer without payment, such as an inheritance or gift, the taxpayer is the person who receives the land or right (art. 106 TRLRHL).
- On a transfer for payment, such as a sale, the taxpayer is the seller (art. 106 TRLRHL).
On this page: 6 sections
§ 1Start with the land, not the home
The tax is calculated on the land. Every property in Spain has a cadastral value, which the cadastre splits into a land part and a construction part. Only the land part counts for this tax. You find the split on the yearly property tax receipt or on a certificate from the cadastre, which is why a seller's old receipt is a useful document to ask for. A flat in a large building has a small land share, and a house with a big plot has a large one, so two homes with the same price can carry very different bills.
§ 2The two ways to reach the base
The standard method takes the land value and multiplies it by a coefficient. The coefficient depends on the number of years the owner held the property, and the national law sets a maximum for each period, which the town council can lower in its ordinance. The tax base is the result. The second route is the real gain: if the taxpayer asks, and shows that the increase in the value of the land was lower than the standard method gives, the base becomes the real increase. To show it, you normally compare the value in the deed of the earlier purchase with the value in the deed of the sale, separating out the land.
A third case is a transfer in which no increase in value can be shown. After rulings of the Constitutional Court the law was rewritten so that such a transfer is not taxed, and the taxpayer is allowed to prove it. This matters most to owners who bought during a rise in prices and sold after a fall.
§ 3Then the town applies its rate
The town council sets the rate in its ordinance, within a ceiling fixed by national law. Two towns can therefore give different bills for identical land values. The ordinance is public, normally on the town hall website, and your adviser should quote the article it relies on. Some towns also grant bonuses in specific cases, such as the transfer of a main home on the death of the owner, and these differ from place to place.
§ 4Why we do not print the coefficients
The national rules for the coefficients were rewritten in November 2021, and we have seen signs that they have been amended again since. The current maximums are not something we can trace to the consolidated text today, and a table of old numbers would mislead the reader. If you need a number now, ask the town hall to calculate the tax for your property and give you the working in writing, including the coefficient and the holding period it used.
§ 5How this fits with the rest of the tax
Who owes the bill, and whether the buyer can be pulled in, is explained in who the taxpayer is. If you think a bill is too high, or you paid under the old rules, read refunds and appeals.
The chapter that ties the three pages together is the chapter on plusvalía.
§ 6A short checklist for a seller
Gather both deeds, the latest property tax receipt and the cadastral certificate. Ask the town hall for the cadastral split of land and construction. Write down the date of the earlier acquisition, since the holding period starts from it. Ask for the calculation in writing, and keep it. If the land lost value, or gained very little, tell your adviser before the self-assessment deadline, because it is easier to claim the real-gain basis when you file than to reclaim afterwards.
FAQRelated questions
Is the building included in the base?
No. The tax base is built from the cadastral value of the land. The building is not part of it, so a home with a high cadastral value for the construction can still carry a modest bill.
Do I have to use the town hall figure?
Not always. If the real increase in land value was lower than the standard method gives, the law lets the taxpayer ask to be taxed on the real increase. You need documents that show the earlier and the later value.
Can I calculate it myself?
You can estimate it from your receipt and your town ordinance, but the official figure comes from the town hall. Use your estimate to spot a figure that looks wrong, not to pay without checking.
Sources
- Ministerio de Hacienda: Real Decreto-ley 26/2021, text published in the Hacienda bulletin (arts. 104.5, 107 and 110 of the TRLRHL as rewritten) (official source, opens in a new window), Arts. 104.5 and 107Last checked 18 October 2026
- Boletín Oficial del Estado: Texto refundido de la Ley Reguladora de las Haciendas Locales (RDLeg 2/2004, BOE-A-2004-4214) (official source, opens in a new window), Arts. 60 to 77 (IBI) and 104 to 110 (municipal tax on the increase in value of urban land)Last checked 17 October 2026
Tax note. Rates depend on the region, the type of property and the buyer, and they change. Figures here are dated and sourced; examples are illustrative and show their assumptions. Confirm yours with the regional tax agency or a tax adviser.