Spanish Wills for Foreign Property Owners

With over 30 years of experience, Bravo Legal specialises in preparing Spanish Wills for foreign property owners and clients with other assets in Spain. A properly drafted Spanish Will can simplify the administration of your estate and help ensure that your wishes are clearly documented.

Although a Spanish Will is not compulsory simply because you own property in Spain, having one specifically dealing with your Spanish assets is often advisable. It can make the inheritance process easier for your beneficiaries and avoid unnecessary complications when dealing with Spanish Notaries, banks, the Land Registry and tax authorities.

How Much Does a Spanish Will Cost?

Our all-inclusive fee for preparing and signing a Spanish Will is 400,00 Euros. This includes legal advice, bilingual drafting, attendance and interpretation at the Notary, Notary fees and VAT.

For couples making their Wills together, the total all-inclusive fee is 600,00 Euros for both Wills. Each person signs an individual Will, as required under Spanish law. There are no hidden costs or additional Notary charges.

Ready to make your Spanish Will? You can start by completing our online Spanish Will instructions form. We will review your instructions and prepare a draft for your approval.

How to Make a Spanish Will

We aim to make the process straightforward. Your Spanish Will is prepared in bilingual format (Spanish and English), allowing you to understand the provisions before signing.

Once the wording has been agreed, we arrange an appointment for you to sign the Will before a Spanish Notary. We attend the appointment and provide interpretation where required.

The original Will remains in the Notary’s protocol, while information about its existence is communicated to the Central Registry of Wills in Madrid (Registro General de Actos de Última Voluntad). We provide printed and electronic copies and can retain a copy in our files if requested.

Do I Need a Spanish Will if I Already Have a Will Abroad?

A foreign Will can cover assets situated in Spain, so having a Will in your home country does not automatically mean that you need a separate Spanish Will. However, a Will specifically dealing with Spanish assets can often make the subsequent probate and inheritance process in Spain considerably easier.

Where Wills exist in more than one country, they must be drafted carefully to ensure that one does not inadvertently revoke or conflict with another. We therefore consider your existing testamentary arrangements when preparing your Spanish Will.

For further information, read our article Must I Make a Will in Spain?.

Spanish Wills and the European Succession Regulation

The European Succession Regulation (EU Regulation 650/2012), applicable to successions opened from 17 August 2015, establishes rules for determining which country’s succession law applies to cross-border estates.

One of its most important provisions allows a person, subject to the Regulation’s requirements, to choose the law of their nationality to govern their succession. This can be particularly relevant where different national laws impose different rules concerning beneficiaries, reserved shares or forced heirship.

The applicable succession law must be distinguished from inheritance taxation, which is governed by separate tax rules. We take account of your nationality, habitual residence and existing Wills when advising on the appropriate provisions for your Spanish Will.

You can consult the official text of EU Regulation 650/2012 or read our article about the European Succession Regulation and Spanish Wills.

Arrange Your Spanish Will

If you own property or other assets in Spain and would like to make a Spanish Will, please complete our online Will instructions form. We will prepare a draft for your review and arrange the Notary appointment once you are satisfied with its contents.

For questions about Spanish Wills, existing foreign Wills or inheritance matters, please contact us at wills@bravolegal.es.