Chapter
Completion and the deed (escritura) when buying in Spain
Quick answer
Completion happens at the notary, where buyer and seller sign the public deed, the price is paid and the notary records how. Taxes are then paid and the deed is registered. Registration makes you the recognised owner. Plan the payment, the documents and the signing, in person or by attorney.
Applies toBuyers who have reached the final stage and want to know what happens on and after the day.
On this page: 14 sections
§ 1The final stage
Completion is the moment when the sale is formalised. It takes place before a notary, who authorises the public deed, the escritura de compraventa. The registrars describe five steps in the purchase: find the home, sign the contract, pay taxes, register, understand the costs. Completion covers the signing and the steps that follow it. They are the last part of the wider process described in the buying-process section.
§ 2Before the day
Ask the notary for the draft deed several days before, and read it with your lawyer. Check the names, the property description, the price, the charges and the payment method. Order a fresh registry extract and the latest debt certificates. Arrange the payment with your bank in advance. If you will not attend, prepare the power of attorney, as explained in power of attorney.
§ 3At the notary
The notary verifies identities and capacity, and the ownership and charges of the property, and drafts the deed. The notary also records how the price was paid, and prefers payment by bank transfer or nominative cheque. The practical sequence of the day is in completion day.
§ 4Signing from abroad
If you live abroad, you may sign in person on a short trip, or by an attorney, or sometimes at a consulate or before a foreign notary. Each route has requirements. Signing from abroad explains the choices.
§ 5Taxes and registration
After the signing, the taxes on the purchase must be filed and paid, and the deed presented to the registry. The deadline for the tax is set by the region and is typically a short period after signing. Registration makes the buyer the recognised owner against the seller’s creditors and hidden charges. The steps are explained in registration.
§ 6What you receive
When the signing is over you receive a copy of the deed, and later the registered title. Keep the deed, the receipts of taxes and fees, the keys, the utility readings and the documents of the building. You will need them again.
§ 7If a mortgage is involved
A buyer with a mortgage signs the loan deed at the notary together with the purchase, usually on the same day. The lender’s requirements come first, so ask the bank for its documents early. The seller’s mortgage, if any, is paid off at the same time, with the bank’s confirmation. Ask your lawyer to coordinate the two banks so that the order of payments is clear.
§ 8Keys, inventory and handover
Agree what is included in the sale, from furniture to appliances, and list it in the contract. On the day, check the home against the list, read the meters and take photographs. Ask for all keys, remote controls and manuals.
§ 9Money
The sums due at completion are the price balance, the taxes, the notary and registry fees and the fees of professionals. The costs section of this handbook explains them. Ask your lawyer for a written statement of the amounts and the accounts, and pay only to accounts you have verified.
§ 10Joint buyers
If two or more people buy together, the deed states their shares, and each can sign through an attorney. Agree the shares and the effect on inheritance before you sign, because changing them later has a tax cost. Couples should also consider what happens to the share of the survivor.
§ 11Common mistakes
The usual errors are signing a draft that was never read, arriving without the right documents, paying into an account that was not verified, leaving the registration to chance and forgetting the utilities and the community. Each is avoided by a short checklist agreed with your lawyer a week before the date. Ask also what happens if the signing has to be postponed: a delay of a day or two is normal, but the contract may set penalties for longer ones.
§ 12After completion
Change the holder of the utilities, register with the community, take out insurance, and note the dates for the yearly taxes. If you are a non-resident, the tax calendar is different, as described in the costs section.
§ 13Back to the section
The rules on legal process and checks explains the legal steps and checks of a purchase.
§ 14Other chapters in this section
What to know about the NIE explains the foreigner’s number you need to buy and a closer look at the professionals in a purchase explains who does what: lawyer, notary and gestor.
The main points of due diligence explains the checks to make before you sign and illegal builds for buyers explains the planning risks and how to avoid them.
Contracts before completion for buyers explains the papers you sign before the deed and the rules on wills and succession explains how inheritance works for foreigners who own Spanish property.
The rules on communities of owners explains how a Spanish flat block is governed and the rules on risks and scams explains the real risks and how to reduce them.
FAQRelated questions
What happens on the day?
You and the seller, or your representatives, meet before the notary, who verifies identities and the documents, reads or summarises the deed, and records the payment. Everyone signs, and the notary gives copies. Taxes and registration follow.
When do I become the owner?
The signing transfers the property between the parties, but registration makes you the recognised owner against others, including the seller’s creditors. File promptly. A gestor or lawyer normally handles the filing, and you should ask for the proof.
Do I have to attend?
No, a representative can sign with a power of attorney that meets the notary’s requirements. Many buyers abroad do this. Be careful about the powers you give, and ask for copies of everything signed in your name.
Sources
- Colegio de Registradores de España: Cómo comprar una vivienda en España (edición revisada, February 2020) (official source, opens in a new window), The five steps, nota simple, taxes and costsLast checked 17 October 2026
- Consejo General del Notariado: Houses and real estate properties (official source, opens in a new window), Steps, documents and the notary's roleLast checked 17 October 2026
Legal note. How the process works in general. It is not legal advice, and it never replaces an independent Spanish lawyer acting for you.