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What documentation you need to sell your property (checklist)

Documentation does not sell the property on its own, but without it, the sale stalls. Having it ready before listing reduces surprises at the deposit agreement stage and at the notary.

This checklist covers the standard documentation required for a property sale in Spain. Each transaction may require additional paperwork depending on the land registry, the owners' community, the mortgage, or the property regime (for example, subsidised housing in the Comunidad de Madrid).

Essential seller's checklist

1. Identification and legal capacity

  • Valid DNI/NIE for all registered owners.
  • If acting via representation: sufficient power of attorney.
  • In the case of multiple owners: a clear agreement on price and terms.

2. Title deed and Land Registry

  • Title deed (escritura de propiedad or document proving ownership).
  • Recent land registry extract (nota simple) from the Land Registry: ownership details, charges, liens, easements.
  • Cadastral reference and, if it adds clarity, a cadastral search or certificate.

The nota simple is the map of what you are actually selling. Request it early, not the day before signing.

3. Taxes and municipal tax receipts

  • Latest IBI (local council tax) receipt and, when requested, a certificate confirming payments are up to date or detailing outstanding debts.
  • Other local taxes affecting the property, if applicable in your municipality.

4. Owners' community

  • Community certificate (from the property manager or president) confirming payments are up to date.
  • Information on approved or planned special levies (derramas), if any.
  • Bylaws or relevant regulations when requested by the buyer (terrace use, building works, pets, etc.).

5. Energy performance certificate (CEE)

It is mandatory for selling (subject to relevant legal exemptions). Without a valid energy label, marketing the property and completing the sale become complicated. If it has expired, renew it before listing in earnest.

6. Habitability / occupancy

Depending on the autonomous community and the age of the property, an occupancy certificate (cédula de habitabilidad), first occupancy licence, or equivalent document may be required. In Madrid, the regulations differ from other autonomous communities: confirm what your specific case requires before assuming that "the title deed is enough".

7. Utilities and inspections

  • Latest electricity, water, and gas bills (useful for transfer of utility accounts and proving actual consumption).
  • If applicable to your area and property type: technical inspection reports or a valid electrical safety certificate (boletín eléctrico).

8. Mortgage and other charges

  • Certificate of outstanding balance from the lending bank.
  • Early redemption conditions (fees, interest charges).
  • If there are court attachments or other charges: an agreed cancellation strategy prior to signing binding deposit agreements.

Documents commonly requested in practice (and sometimes forgotten)

  • Floor plans or specifications summary, if available.
  • Building licences or permits for significant renovations.
  • Current tenancy agreement and status of the security deposit, if selling a tenanted property.
  • For inherited properties: deed of inheritance distribution and registration documents in the seller's name.
  • For VPO/VPP in the Comunidad de Madrid: official classification, regime details, and, where applicable, sales authorisation or declassification (descalificación). Do not confuse this with regulations from other autonomous communities.

Recommended sequence (to avoid improvising)

  1. Nota simple and title deed.
  2. CEE, owners' community status, and IBI receipts.
  3. Outstanding mortgage debt, if any.
  4. Remaining certificates depending on property type and autonomous community.
  5. Legal review prior to signing the deposit agreement.

Listing without a nota simple is like selling a car without checking if there is outstanding finance on it: you might get lucky, or you might discover the problem when the buyer is already waiting.

What the estate agency provides at this stage

A professional agency does not invent paperwork, but it does anticipate gaps, request certificates promptly, and coordinate with the notary and lender. This shortens the time between an accepted offer and final signing.

If you would like us to review your documentation before going to market, at Sky Real Estate we include this within our property sales and promotion service. The sooner we identify a bottleneck, the less likely it is to derail a good offer.