Investment approach
Notary, registration and gestoría: what the purchase paperwork costs
On top of the tax, the buyer pays the notary, the Registro de la Propiedad and a gestoría. We go through the fee ranges and add up the total for a €400,000 property.
Besides ITP or IVA, the buyer pays for three services: the notary, registration of title at the Registro de la Propiedad (Land Registry) and, as a rule, a gestoría. On a €400,000 property they come to €1,200–1,600 on top of the tax, which is roughly 0.3–0.4% of the price. The 1–2% often quoted for these costs is closer to the mark for cheaper properties; we explain why below.
Three costs on top of the tax
Notary and Land Registry fees follow a regressive scale: the state sets it out in the Arancel de los Notarios (RD 1426/1989) and the Arancel de los Registradores (RD 1427/1989), and the rate applied to each band falls as the price rises. A single percentage of the price, often quoted as a rule of thumb (0.2–0.5% for the notary, 0.1–0.25% for registration), describes cheaper properties reasonably well but overstates the cost on a €400,000 property. Worked out from the actual scale, the notary's fee at that price usually comes to €600–900, and registration to €300–400. A gestoría, the agency that files the tax returns and registers the purchase, typically charges around €300. Idealista gives guideline figures for how these costs break down.
Why the fees are a range, not a fixed figure
Notary fees in Spain are regulated by the state: the official scale is tied to the value of the transaction and the complexity of the deed. Even so, the final bill depends on the number of pages, any annexes and the mortgage terms. Land Registry fees work in much the same way. The notary and the registrar will quote the exact figure for the specific deed, and no generic rate found online can replace it.
Worked example: a €400,000 property
| Item | Amount | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Notary | €600–900 | Regressive scale under RD 1426/1989, not a percentage of price |
| Registration | €300–400 | Regressive scale under RD 1427/1989 |
| Gestoría | ≈ €300 | — |
| Total on top of the tax | €1,200–1,600 |
Including ITP on a resale home, total purchase costs are usually put at 10–12% of the price.
How these costs fit into the budget
The tax rises in step with the price; notary, registration and gestoría costs rise more slowly. So on properties under €300,000 they take a bigger share of the budget, and on properties over €1,000,000 a smaller one. On an inexpensive flat these three lines do come close to that 1–2%. The full breakdown of acquisition costs is in our article on the entry price and in the DNPI calculator.
Questions and answers
Can I save money by choosing a different notary?
Not really. Notary fees are regulated by the state, and different notaries should not charge significantly different amounts for the same deed. Choose a notary for convenience and timing, not in search of a cheaper rate.
Is a gestoría compulsory?
Strictly speaking, no: the buyer can file the documents and tax returns themselves. In practice, with a mortgage or a complex deal structure, a gestoría saves time and reduces the risk of missing a filing deadline.