What regulates notary fees
Notary fees in Spain are set by Royal Decree 1426/1989 of 17 November. They are not negotiable. It does not matter which notary office you go to: they all apply the same scale. What changes is the speed of service, customer attention and willingness to work by video conference.
The fee schedule is divided into two groups: documents with a financial value (property sales, mortgages, inheritances, donations) and documents without a financial value (wills, powers of attorney, notarial acts). For the first group, the price depends on the value of the transaction. For the second, there are fixed rates.
The sliding scale of notary fees
The fee schedule works cumulatively, like income tax. A single percentage is not applied to the entire amount. Instead, each bracket has its own rate. The current brackets are:
- Up to €6,010.12: 4.5‰ (four point five per thousand).
- From €6,010.13 to €30,050.61: 1.50‰.
- From €30,050.62 to €60,101.21: 1.00‰.
- From €60,101.22 to €150,253.03: 0.50‰.
- From €150,253.04 to €601,012.10: 0.30‰.
- From €601,012.11 upwards: 0.20‰.
A base fee of €30.05 is added on top, and then 21% VAT applies to the total.
Example: property sale of €250,000
Bracket by bracket:
- First €6,010.12: 6,010.12 × 4.5‰ = €27.05.
- From €6,010.13 to €30,050.61 (€24,040.49): 24,040.49 × 1.50‰ = €36.06.
- From €30,050.62 to €60,101.21 (€30,050.59): 30,050.59 × 1.00‰ = €30.05.
- From €60,101.22 to €150,253.03 (€90,151.81): 90,151.81 × 0.50‰ = €45.08.
- From €150,253.04 to €250,000.00 (€99,746.97): 99,746.97 × 0.30‰ = €29.92.
Total fee: 27.05 + 36.06 + 30.05 + 45.08 + 29.92 = €168.16. Add the base fee of €30.05, giving €198.21. With VAT (21%): €239.83.
On top of this, add authorised copies (about €3 per page) and simple copies (€0.60 per page). A property sale deed usually has 15-25 pages, so copies add between €45 and €75 plus VAT.
Example: inheritance of €150,000
For an inheritance of €150,000, the calculation is similar but only reaches the fourth bracket:
- First €6,010.12: €27.05.
- Next €24,040.49: €36.06.
- Next €30,050.59: €30.05.
- Last €89,898.80: €44.95.
Fee: €138.11 + €30.05 base = €168.16. With VAT: €203.47. Inheritances usually have more pages than a property sale (asset inventory, heir documentation), so copies can add between €60 and €100.
Fixed-rate documents
Documents without a financial value have more predictable prices:
- Open will: about €40 in fees. With VAT, €48.40.
- Power of attorney: between €40 and €60 in fees depending on length. With VAT, from €48 to €73.
- Affidavit: from €30 in fees.
A will is one of the cheapest notarial acts. There is no excuse for not having one.
What the notary invoice includes and what it does not
The invoice breaks down into three items:
- Fee: the charges set by RD 1426/1989.
- Copies: authorised (with legal value for the registry) and simple (for your records). Charged per page.
- Disbursements: expenses the notary advances on your behalf, such as Land Registry fees or Civil Registry certificates. No additional VAT.
VAT (21%) applies to the fee and copies. Disbursements are separate.
The 10% discount
Article 1 of RD 1426/1989 allows the notary to apply a discount of up to 10% on their fees. Not all do, and you are not required to ask for it. But it exists and you can ask before signing. In practice, some notaries apply it as standard and others only when the client requests it.
On high-value documents (property sales over €300,000, large inheritances), that 10% can mean savings of €20-30. On small documents like a will, the difference is €4.
Legal reductions
In addition to the 10% discount, there are reductions set by law:
- State-subsidised housing (VPO): 25% reduction on the fee.
- Mortgage subrogation: 75% reduction on the rights for the new deed.
- Mortgage novation: 75% reduction if the novation only modifies the interest rate, the term or both.
These reductions are mandatory. The notary must apply them automatically if the transaction qualifies.
Does the price change if you sign online?
No. Video conference processing does not alter the fee. RD 1426/1989 sets prices by document type and value, without distinguishing between in-person or electronic signing. What you save with an online notary is the travel and the wait for an appointment.
Calculate your case
Use our fee calculator to work out your exact case. Enter the document type and value, and get the full breakdown: fee, estimated copies and VAT.
If you need to process a property sale, an inheritance or a power of attorney, at Notaría Online we tell you the cost before you commit to anything. Also check our pricing page for each service's rates.