Buying property in Galicia, Spain

Buying a property in Galicia should not be a complicated process with the right professional guidance.

ACYL Abogados assists foreign buyers and investors throughout the entire purchase process, from due diligence and contract review to tax settlement and military authorization for non-EU nationals.

Whether you are buying a holiday home, relocating to Spain or investing in Galician property, we help ensure that the transaction is legally secure and properly documented.

Legal Assistance for Property Purchases in Galicia

Purchasing property in Spain involves more than signing before a Notary. Rural and coastal properties in Galicia often require additional legal verification regarding ownership, land boundaries, inheritance issues, access rights, planning restrictions and cadastral discrepancies.

ACYL Abogados provides preventive legal assistance before the transaction is completed, helping buyers identify risks and avoid future disputes.

Our assistance includes:

• Legal due diligence on the property
• Verification of ownership and title
• Land Registry and Cadastre review
• Drafting and review of purchase contracts

• Representation through Power of Attorney
• Tax settlement after completion
• Coordination with architects and technical experts
• Assistance with military authorization for non-EU nationals

Land Registry and Cadastre Verification

The Land Registry provides legal security against third parties. Only documents issued by a Notary or pronounced by a Court may be registered, and only a notarized deed will be entered into the Land Registry.

It is common to find differences between a private contract and the notarized deed: boundary descriptions may vary, and adjoining parts must be verified before registration. The notarized deed is the legally definitive document.

The Cadastre is a register managed by the Ministry of Finance for tax purposes, primarily used for the calculation of the local property tax (IBI). Notaries now pass transaction information to the Cadastre automatically, although older properties may require a specific update of their cadastral records.

The Cadastre does not generate civil rights over a property. Only the Land Registry provides that legal protection.

Galicia is a region with a tradition of small landholdings, making it relatively common to find discrepancies between cadastral records and actual property boundaries. Ensuring that both registers are concordant before completing a purchase is strongly advisable.

Purchase Contracts and Title Verification

It is not uncommon to find title errors that have remained uncorrected across several generations. With the right legal advice, most of these issues can be resolved before the purchase is completed.

In Galicia, many properties belong to multiple heirs. Before proceeding, it is necessary to verify the legal title of all sellers and ensure they have proper authority to transfer the property. When heirs live outside Galicia, a Power of Attorney is often required to complete the transaction.

Rural properties may also involve access paths that are either private or municipal. A municipal path generally adds value to the property, while private access rights must be properly verified and documented.

Property Taxes in Galicia

After signing the purchase deed before a Notary, two main taxes apply. The buyer is generally responsible for Transfer Tax (ITP), currently at 10% of the purchase price in Galicia, with certain exceptions and discounts available. The seller is responsible for the municipal capital gains tax (Plusvalía).

The regional tax authority (Xunta de Galicia) routinely reviews declared purchase prices against their own valuations. To avoid unexpected adjustments, it is advisable to assess the property's tax value in advance.

Our firm assists clients with the calculation of acquisition taxes, review of taxable property values and submission of the corresponding tax forms.

For non-resident buyers, specific tax obligations may also apply. We advise clients on their individual tax position before and after the transaction.

Renovation and Planning Advice for Rural Properties

Any amendments, improvements or new constructions require a permit from the relevant Town Council. Each municipality has its own planning rules for the restoration of rural properties, and regulations vary depending on the classification of the land.

Our firm works alongside collaborating architects and technical professionals to assist clients with planning and licensing issues, restoration permissions and the legal review of rural development restrictions.

If the intention is to build a new property on a plot, preventive legal and technical advice is equally important before any commitment is made.

Military Authorization for UK and non-EU Buyers in Galicia

Following Brexit, British citizens are subject to the same military authorization requirements as other non-EU nationals when purchasing property in certain strategic areas of Spain.

In Galicia, military permission may apply to coastal and border areas considered strategically sensitive by the Spanish Ministry of Defence. This specifically includes the entire coastline of the provinces of A Coruña, Pontevedra and Lugo.

This authorization may affect purchases by:

ACYL Abogados assists foreign buyers with the full military authorization process, including document preparation, application management and coordination with the relevant authorities.

Frequently Asked Questions