Buying property in Spain from the UK: what to know first

Buying property in Spain from the UK is still straightforward, and Brexit did not remove your right to own a home there. You will need an NIE, an independent lawyer and up to 13 to 14 per cent on top of the listing price on the Costa Blanca. Owning a home gives you no extra right to stay.

Calpe bay and the Peñón de Ifach seen from villas on the hillside above the town

Calpe and the Peñón de Ifach on the Costa Blanca, where we have one of our two Spanish offices. Photo: Werner Wilmes, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

Can you still buy property in Spain from the UK?

Yes. The Colegio de Registradores shows British buyers were still the largest foreign group in Spain in the second quarter of 2026, at 6.99 per cent of foreign purchases, just ahead of the Dutch on 6.94. Foreign buyers made 46.43 per cent of purchases in Alicante province, the highest share in Spain.

Two old ideas need clearing up first:

The golden visa is gone. The route closed to new applicants on 3 April 2025, so buying a home no longer leads to a residence visa.
The 100 per cent tax is not law. The Local reported that parliament had not debated the proposal for non-EU, non-resident buyers by the end of March 2026, and the proposal lapsed when parliament was dissolved in October 2026.

What do you need to buy property in Spain?

You need	What it means for a UK buyer	Read next
An all-in budget	The listing price plus up to 13 to 14 per cent	Purchase costs guide
An NIE	The foreigner's tax number. The Spanish Consulate in London says it is normally issued within three weeks, though it can take longer	Consulate NIE page
An independent lawyer	GOV.UK advises one who works only for you and belongs to the local bar association	GOV.UK advice
Your funding	Cash, or a Spanish mortgage of up to 60 to 70 per cent of the value	Mortgages for foreigners
A Spanish bank account	Useful for paying tax, utilities and community fees	Bank accounts for non-residents
Ownership checks	Who owns it, what is owed on it and whether it is legal	How to check property ownership in Spain
The right area	Town, year-round life, rental rules and flights. Ryanair alone lists Alicante routes from 26 UK and Irish airports	Where to live in Spain

Six key numbers for UK buyers: 13 to 14 per cent costs, 9 per cent ITP, 10 per cent VAT, 90 days, 60 to 70 per cent loans and 46.43 per cent foreign buyers

The numbers to keep in mind. Tripinvest ES graphic, source: BOE, GOV.UK, Colegio de Registradores and A Place in the Sun, October 2026.

How much does it really cost to buy?

Budget up to 13 to 14 per cent on top of the listing price on the Costa Blanca. On a €200,000 home that means about €227,000 in all, or about £189,300 at the European Central Bank's rate of 30 October 2026.

On a €200,000 home	Resale	New build
Main tax	ITP at 9 per cent: €18,000	VAT (IVA) at 10 per cent: €20,000
Notary, registry and legal costs, up to	€8,000	€8,000
Total, up to	€226,000	€228,000

On a new build, the €8,000 includes stamp duty (AJD), 1.4 per cent in the Valencian region.

ITP is a regional tax. On the Costa Blanca it has been 9 per cent since 1 June 2026, down from 10, with 11 per cent on the whole price if the home is worth more than €1 million.

Area	ITP on a resale	ITP on €200,000	Average price per square metre, second quarter 2026
Costa Blanca (Alicante province)	9 per cent	€18,000	€2,267
Costa Cálida (Murcia)	7.75 per cent	€15,500	€1,514
Costa del Sol (Málaga province)	7 per cent	€14,000	€3,347

These are Colegio de Registradores averages, so a seafront flat will sit well above them.

How long can you stay once you own a home in Spain?

Owning a home changes nothing here. On a UK passport you can stay up to 90 days in any 180 across the whole Schengen area, and that includes your viewing trips.

EES. The EU's Entry/Exit System has been fully operational since 10 April 2026, so your fingerprints and photo may be recorded at the border.
ETIAS. The €20 travel authorisation has not started yet.
Staying longer. You need a visa. The non-lucrative visa asks for at least €2,400 a month in 2026, plus €600 for each dependant.
Healthcare. Living in Spain does not cover you automatically. UK State Pensioners usually register an S1 form.

Does an Irish passport change anything?

Yes, although tax follows where you live and not your passport.

	UK passport	Irish passport
Time in Spain	90 days in any 180	No such limit, but register if you stay beyond three months
Moving to Spain	Visa needed	EU right to live there
EES at the border	Applies	Does not apply
Military permit on rural land in restricted zones	Needed	Not needed
Spanish tax on rent, non-resident	24 per cent of gross rent if you live in the UK, no expenses	19 per cent after expenses if you live in Ireland

Can you get a mortgage for Spain from the UK?

Usually from a Spanish bank, not a British one. One UK broker states that no UK lenders offer mortgages for a purchase in Spain.

Spanish banks usually lend non-residents up to 60 to 70 per cent of the value, and the loan does not cover taxes and fees. On a €200,000 home with a 70 per cent loan, you still need €60,000 plus about €27,000 in costs. That is about €87,000 in cash.

Some buyers release equity from their UK home instead. Check early repayment charges first, and remember that the debt is then secured on your UK home.

GOV.UK also says to check that the lender is authorised to operate in Spain, and warns that if the home is worth less than the debt, the bank may pursue your UK assets for the shortfall.

How does buying a house in Spain from the UK work, step by step?

Set the budget and the area, and apply for your NIE.
Reserve. A reservation agreement and deposit are common. Read the refund terms before you pay.
Run the checks. Your lawyer starts with the nota simple, the land registry extract.
Sign the private contract. The arras contract usually means a 10 per cent deposit. On the usual terms, pull out and you lose it. If the seller pulls out, they return it doubled.
Complete at the notary. GOV.UK says notaries give free, impartial advice on the contract, and that you can visit in the three days before signing to ask questions.
Pay the tax and register. Ownership goes on record at the Property Registry.

You do not have to fly out to sign. The Spanish Consulate in London can authorise a power of attorney for buying property or opening a bank account, though you must attend in person with your passport and NIE.

What are the pitfalls of buying property in Spain from the UK?

The tax base may not be your price. ITP is charged on the Catastro reference value if that is higher than the price you agreed.
The non-resident seller. If the seller is not resident in Spain, you must hold back 3 per cent of the price and pay it to the tax office.
Old debts. Under Spanish law the home answers for the seller's unpaid community fees from the current year and the three calendar years before it. Get the community's debt certificate.
The pound. Each 1 per cent move in the rate shifts the sterling cost of €227,000 by about £1,900.
Off-plan money. Ask for the bank guarantee covering your stage payments before you pay.
Planning and the coast. GOV.UK tells buyers to check planning at the town hall, take care with rural land and check the 1988 Coastal Law on seaside homes. A survey is optional but wise.
Rental plans. Since 3 April 2025, new tourist lets in a flat need the community's approval by a three-fifths majority, and towns such as Altea and Dénia restrict them by zone.
Bargains. A price far below the area average usually has a reason. Read about bargains and auctions in Spain.

Do you need a military permit to buy in Spain?

Aerial view of the rocky coast at Torrevieja, with housing estates running inland and a salt lagoon behind

The coast at Torrevieja from the air. Photo: Werner Wilmes, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0.

GOV.UK says UK nationals need a military permit from the Spanish Ministry of Defence before buying in restricted areas around military and naval bases. One of them reaches the Costa Blanca. The Cartagena zone covers the coast from Cabo Cervera at Torrevieja down to Punta Negra at Mazarrón, and inland to San Miguel de Salinas. That takes in Orihuela Costa and La Manga. Alicante and Calpe sit outside it.

The practical effect is smaller than it sounds. A 2021 defence ministry order excludes urbanised land, so a flat in town or on a finished estate should need no permit. A rural plot or country house is different. A ruling published in the BOE in March 2026, on a sale in Galicia, backed a registry that would not record a sale until the non-EU buyer produced the permit or a town hall certificate that the land was urbanised. Ask your lawyer before you pay a deposit on anything outside town.

What happens after you buy?

Spain taxes non-resident owners even if the home earns nothing. The bill starts from the cadastral value. For 2026 Spain taxes 1.1 per cent of it if the town's general revaluation took effect from 1 January 2012 and 2 per cent if not, under Real Decreto-ley 29/2026, published but not yet validated on 31 October 2026. The same decree is due to set a sliding scale from 2027. At 1.1 per cent of a €100,000 value, a UK resident pays 24 per cent of €1,100, which is €264 a year on form 210. We cover the rest in our guide to what a holiday home in Spain costs to own.

The UK side matters too:

HMRC. UK residents normally pay tax on overseas rent and report it through Self Assessment. You may be able to claim relief if you are taxed twice.
Stamp duty later. A Spanish home worth £40,000 or more counts when working out the higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax on a later purchase in England or Northern Ireland.
Your will. EU inheritance rules usually follow where you last lived. If that is Spain, forced heirship can reserve a share for your children unless your will expressly chooses the law of your nationality, such as English law. Ask your lawyer about a short Spanish will.

Frequently asked questions

Can a UK citizen buy property in Spain?

Yes. UK citizens can buy property in Spain and own it outright, with the same purchase taxes as any other buyer. You need an NIE and a way to pay. A military permit applies only in restricted zones, and mainly to rural land. Buying a home gives no right to live there.

Can I buy a property in Spain and live there?

Yes, but the property does not give you the right to stay. On a UK passport you are limited to 90 days in any 180 unless you hold a visa. The non-lucrative visa asks for €2,400 a month in 2026. Irish citizens can live there under EU rules.

Can I buy a property in Spain with a UK mortgage?

Usually not directly, because one UK broker says no UK lenders offer mortgages for a purchase in Spain. Most buyers use a Spanish bank, which usually lends non-residents up to 60 to 70 per cent of the value. Others release equity from a UK home, secured on that home.

How much deposit do I need to buy in Spain?

Expect to need over 40 per cent of the price in cash once costs are in. With a 70 per cent Spanish mortgage on a €200,000 home, you need about €60,000 towards the price and about €27,000 for tax and fees, so about €87,000 in cash.

Do you pay more tax as a British buyer in Spain?

Not when you buy. ITP and VAT do not depend on nationality. After buying, UK residents pay Spanish non-resident tax at 24 per cent, against 19 per cent for residents of the EU, Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. UK residents also cannot deduct expenses from rental income.

Can I buy property in Spain without going there?

Yes, you can complete through a representative holding a power of attorney. The Spanish Consulate in London can authorise one, and you attend in person with your passport and NIE. See the home and the area first, though, and take legal advice before you give anyone the power to sign for you.

Thinking about your first step?

Tell us your budget, the towns you like and whether you will live there, spend the winters or rent it out. Browse homes for sale in Torrevieja. Tripinvest ES is a licensed agency (RAICV 4221), with offices in Calpe and Torrevieja and a head office in London. You get service in English from the first call to the notary. We work with lawyers and banks, and we keep an eye on deadlines. Our clients don't pay us commission.

Call us on +44 20 3888 0008.

Talk to us about buying in Spain

Sources

Last checked: October 2026

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