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The headline tax: ITP 7% (resale) vs IVA 10% + AJD 1.2% (new build)
The single largest closing cost is the transfer tax or VAT. For a resale property in Andalucía, you pay Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales (ITP) at a flat 7% of the purchase price declared in the escritura. For a new-build property purchased directly from a developer, you pay IVA (VAT) at 10% plus Actos Jurídicos Documentados (AJD, Stamp Duty) at 1.2%, totalling 11.2%. On a €1.5M property: ITP resale = €105,000; IVA+AJD new build = €168,000. The difference is €63,000.
These rates are specific to Andalucía. Other autonomous communities have different ITP rates (ranging from 6% in Madrid to 11% in Cataluña), so if you are comparing properties across Spain, the tax landscape varies significantly. Within the Costa del Sol, you are always in Andalucía, so the 7% ITP / 11.2% IVA+AJD rates apply uniformly.
Notary and Land Registry: €2,000–8,000 combined
The notary (notario) charges a regulated fee based on the purchase price for preparing and witnessing the escritura pública. For a €1.5M property, expect approximately €1,200–1,500. The notary fee is set by a government-regulated tariff, so there is minimal variation between notaries. You can choose any notary in the province. It does not have to be in the same municipality as the property.
The Land Registry (Registro de la Propiedad) charges a separate regulated fee for inscribing the property in your name. This is typically 0.3–0.5% of the purchase price, or approximately €4,500–7,500 on a €1.5M property. Registration is not instantaneous. It typically takes 2–4 months for the registro to process the inscription, though you are the legal owner from the moment the escritura is signed at the notary. Your lawyer handles the registro submission.
Legal fees: 1–1.5% plus IVA for a thorough service
A good independent lawyer specialising in Spanish property conveyancing for international buyers charges 1–1.5% of the purchase price plus 21% IVA. For a €1.5M property at 1.2%, that is €18,000 plus €3,780 IVA = €21,780. This is not a cost to economise on. Your lawyer handles: due diligence (nota simple, planning verification, community debt checks, catastral matching), arras contract negotiation, completion at the notary, post-completion registration, tax filings, utility transfers, and ongoing annual Modelo 210 returns.
Beware of agents who recommend lawyers charging 0.5% or less. At that fee level, the firm is processing volume and cutting corners on due diligence. We have seen buyers represented by cut-price lawyers discover post-completion that their property had an outstanding community debt of €15,000, an unregistered extension, or an expired licence of first occupation. The cost of remedying these issues dwarfs the saving on legal fees.
Mortgage costs: if you are financing
If you are taking a Spanish mortgage, add the following to your closing costs: a property valuation (tasación) at €300–600, a mortgage arrangement fee of 0.5–1% of the loan amount (some banks have reduced or eliminated this), and the mortgage deed notary and registro fees. Under the 2019 Spanish mortgage law, the bank pays the AJD on the mortgage deed, the valuation fee, and the gestoría fees for the mortgage registration. The buyer pays only the property valuation and any arrangement fee agreed with the bank.
For a €1M mortgage on a €1.5M property: valuation €500, arrangement fee 0.5% = €5,000. Total mortgage-specific costs: approximately €5,500. This is significantly less than pre-2019 when the buyer bore all mortgage-related costs. Shop 2–3 banks simultaneously, arrangement fees and interest rates vary significantly, and Spanish banks are negotiable on both.
Worked example: €1.5M resale vs €1.5M new build total costs
Resale villa €1,500,000: ITP 7% = €105,000 | Notary = €1,300 | Land Registry 0.4% = €6,000 | Legal 1.2% + IVA = €21,780 | Gestoría = €500 | Bank transfer fees = €300 | NIE (via PoA) = €700 | Total additional costs = €135,580 | Total cost = €1,635,580 | Closing costs as % of price = 9.0%.
New-build apartment €1,500,000: IVA 10% = €150,000 | AJD 1.2% = €18,000 | Notary = €1,300 | Land Registry 0.4% = €6,000 | Legal 1.2% + IVA = €21,780 | Gestoría = €500 | Bank transfer fees = €300 | NIE (via PoA) = €700 | Total additional costs = €198,580 | Total cost = €1,698,580 | Closing costs as % of price = 13.2%. The €63,000 difference between resale and new build at the €1.5M price point is entirely driven by the tax differential (11.2% vs 7%).
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How much are closing costs when buying property in Spain?
In Andalucía, total closing costs (excluding the purchase price) are approximately 9–11% for a resale property (7% ITP + 2–4% fees) and 13–15% for a new build (10% IVA + 1.2% AJD + 2–4% fees). For a €1M property, budget €90,000–110,000 for resale or €130,000–150,000 for new build. If you are taking a mortgage, add approximately €5,000–10,000 for valuation and arrangement fees.
Who pays the notary and land registry fees in Spain?
The buyer pays the notary fee (€1,000–1,500 for a typical purchase) and the Land Registry fee (0.3–0.5% of the purchase price). These are government-regulated tariffs with minimal variation between providers. Under the 2019 mortgage law, the bank pays the notary and registro fees for the mortgage deed specifically, but the buyer still pays for the property transfer deed. Your lawyer or gestoría handles all submissions.
Is ITP the same across Spain?
No. ITP (Transfer Tax on resale property) varies by autonomous community. Andalucía charges a flat 7%. Madrid charges 6%. Cataluña charges up to 11%. Valencia charges 10%. The Balearic Islands (including Ibiza and Mallorca) charge 8–13% on a progressive scale. If you are comparing properties in different regions of Spain, the tax landscape is a significant factor. On the Costa del Sol, you are always in Andalucía at 7%.
What is the difference between ITP and IVA when buying in Spain?
ITP (Impuesto de Transmisiones Patrimoniales) is Transfer Tax, charged at 7% in Andalucía on resale property purchases from private individuals. IVA (Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido) is VAT, charged at 10% on new-build property purchased from a developer, plus AJD (Stamp Duty) at 1.2%. You never pay both. It is always one or the other depending on whether the property is resale or new build. New build is 4.2 percentage points more expensive in tax terms.
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