Buying in Spain from the UK after Brexit

Can UK citizens still buy property in Spain?

Yes. There is no restriction on foreigners — British or otherwise — owning a home in Spain, and no permit is needed to buy. The purchase runs through the same steps as for a Spanish buyer: an independent lawyer checks the property, you sign a private contract with a deposit, and the sale completes in front of a notary and is entered in the land registry. Our legal process guide walks through each step.

You may have read about a proposal, announced by the Spanish government in January 2025, for a heavy tax on homes bought by non-EU buyers who do not live in Spain. It was filed as a bill but has not been passed: it is not law.

What changed for UK buyers

• How long you can stay. UK citizens are now visitors under the Schengen 90/180-day rule, and owning a home does not add a single day. Staying longer needs a visa — see our guide to the 90/180 rule.
• How Spain taxes you as an owner. As a non-EU resident you pay Spanish non-resident tax at the non-EU rate, which is higher than the rate for EU residents. The tax guide for UK owners sets out what is due on each side.
• No residence through buying.Spain's “golden visa”, which gave residence to buyers of property over €500,000, was abolished on 3 April 2025. Buying a home, at any price, no longer leads to residence.
• The border.The EU's Entry/Exit System now registers non-EU travellers at the border instead of stamping passports, which is also how your 90 days are counted.

What did not change

The purchase itself. The contracts, the deposit customs, the taxes on buying in Andalucía, the notary and the registry are the same for a buyer from Manchester as for one from Madrid. A UK passport, a UK bank account and money in pounds are entirely normal on this coast — British buyers have been here for decades.

The paperwork that comes first: your NIE

Every foreigner who buys property in Spain needs an NIE— the foreigner's tax identification number. It is required to sign at the notary, pay the purchase tax and open a Spanish bank account. From the UK, you can apply at the Spanish consulate in London — by appointment, with the EX-15 form and your passport; it usually takes about three weeks. You can also apply in Spain, or through your lawyer under a power of attorney. Start early: it is the step most often left until it becomes urgent. Our article on how to get an NIE number explains each route.

From offer to keys, from the UK

You do not need to be in Spain for most of it. A typical resale purchase from the UK looks like this:

• Viewings — one trip, planned around a shortlist rather than a weekend of open houses.
• Offer and reservation; your lawyer starts the checks on title, debts, licences and community.
• Private contract and deposit, usually 10 % of the price.
• Completion at the notary — in person, or by your lawyer under a power of attorney signed at a Spanish consulate or before a UK notary with an apostille.

The money side — paying a euro price from pounds — has a guide of its own.

The short version

You can buy exactly as before. Plan your stays around the 90/180 rule, budget for the non-EU tax rate, get your NIE early, and have an independent lawyer on your side. Everything else about the purchase is the same as it has always been.

More for buyers coming from the UK

• The 90/180 rule: how long you can stay in your Spanish home
• Paying in pounds: exchange rates and moving the money
• Owning in Spain while living in the UK: tax on both sides
• Getting to the Costa del Sol from the UK