Note
Changing the electricity contract holder in Spain
Quick answer
The new holder asks the retailer for the change and signs a contract, and the regulator says it is free. You can keep the old tariff or change both holder and tariff. Expect days to weeks. Have the supply point code, your ID and the deed or lease ready.
Applies toOwners who bought a home that already has a supply and need to put it in their name.
On this page: 9 sections
§ 1Who asks for the change
The Spanish energy regulator, the CNMC, explains that a change of holder is requested by the new holder, not by the previous one. You approach a retailer, which can be the one already supplying the home or another one, and you sign a contract in your name. The page describes the process as simple, quick and free of charge, so you should not pay for the change itself. This page belongs to the chapter on the chapter on setting up the home.
§ 2Two ways to do it
The regulator describes two routes. In a transfer, the holder and the tariff conditions both change, so you sign a new contract on the retailer’s terms. In a subrogation, only the holder changes, and the existing contract continues with the same conditions. Which is better depends on the existing tariff, and the retailer should show both so that you can compare. Ask for the offer in writing and read the price terms.
§ 3Documents
The regulator lists the typical documents: your identity document, details of the former holder, the supply point code or the address, proof that you may use the home, such as the deed or a lease, and your bank details. Its general chapter adds that contracting needs the supply point code, the contracted power, the supply address, the holder and billing details and, for some supplies, the installation certificate. A foreigner uses the NIE, which the legal process section explains.
§ 4The supply point code
The code, called the CUPS, identifies the supply point and appears on the bills. If you do not have a bill, the distributor can give it to you. A mistake in the code can send your contract to the wrong supply, so copy it from a bill and check it with the retailer.
§ 5How long it takes
The regulator says the change takes between one and twenty business days business days, so allow up to a month in practice. The previous holder pays for consumption up to the date of the change, so a dated photo of the meter protects you. If the date is unclear, ask the retailer to record the reading it used.
§ 6Two contracts, in principle
The regulator’s guide explains that contracting for supply involves an access contract with the distributor and a supply contract with a retailer, and that in practice the retailer normally handles both for you. You can choose the regulated tariff or the free market. Read the chapter on changing retailers: a change of supplier is free and the chapter says it must happen within a maximum of three weeks.
§ 7New or reconnected supplies
If the supply is cut off, or the home is new, the distributor may ask for the installation certificate, the boletín eléctrico, and may ask for a deposit. This is the case where timing slips, so ask early. The page on more on the first month includes a checklist, and the one on more on water covers the other main supply.
§ 8Check the first bill
Compare the first bill with the meter readings you photographed and with the tariff you signed. If it does not match, write to the retailer and, if you are not satisfied, use the complaint route set out in the regulator’s guide.
§ 9More on this topic
More on gas and internet explains how to arrange gas and internet for a Spanish home.
FAQRelated questions
Does it cost anything to change the holder?
The regulator describes the change of holder as simple, quick and free. The retailer should not charge for the paperwork, though a new tariff or extra services may have their own terms, so read the offer before you sign.
What if the home has been empty a long time?
A supply that was cut off may need a new connection and an installation certificate before the distributor reconnects it. Ask the retailer which case applies, because it affects the documents and the time.
Who pays the old consumption?
Whoever held the contract before you settles usage up to the switch date, says the regulator. A dated meter photograph taken at handover makes any disagreement about the final reading simple to resolve.
Sources
- Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia: Guía informativa para los consumidores de electricidad (January 2022) (official source, opens in a new window), Contracting, PVPC and free market, changing supplier, claimsLast checked 18 October 2026
- Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia: Cómo cambiar la titularidad del contrato de electricidad (undated) (official source, opens in a new window), Traspaso and subrogación; documents; timeframeLast checked 18 October 2026
General information only. This is not legal, tax or financial advice. Check your own situation with a qualified adviser.