Nota simple in Spain: what it is, how to order it yourself and when it is required for a visa

A nota simple is an extract from the Spanish property register (Registro de la Propiedad): who owns a flat or house, and whether there is a mortgage, an attachment or a ban on selling. Anyone can order one online in a few minutes for about 11 euros, without a Spanish identification number and without a visit. A nota simple is checked before buying or renting, and some Spanish consulates ask for one together with the tenancy agreement in a visa application. Below: what it shows and what it does not, how to order it yourself, what it costs and when it is required for a visa.

What a nota simple is

A nota simple informativa is a short extract of the current register entries for a specific property. It is issued by the Registro de la Propiedad under Articles 221–222 of the Mortgage Act (Ley Hipotecaria) and Article 332 of its regulations. The key points about its legal force:

• It is for information only. The law states expressly that a nota simple “tiene valor puramente informativo y no da fe del contenido de los asientos”: it only informs and does not certify the entries. Even so, the registrar is liable for damage caused by errors in it.
• To prove something against third parties you need not a nota simple but a certificación registral (registry certificate), a public document signed by the registrar (Article 225 of the Ley Hipotecaria).
• It has no period of validity. The extract shows the state of the register on the day of issue, and something may change in the register afterwards. How recent it must be for a visa is set by consulates, not by law.
• You can order it from any registrar, even if the property is outside their district.

What a nota simple shows and what it does not

Owners’ association debts and IBI are not entered in the register as such, so the extract does not show them. Yet they matter to a buyer: under Article 9 of the Horizontal Property Act, the new owner is liable with the flat for debts to the owners’ association for the current year and the three previous years, and under Article 64 of the Local Finance Act the property remains encumbered by unpaid IBI. The exception is when an attachment has already been registered for the debt: it will then appear in the extract as an encumbrance.

How to order a nota simple yourself

1. Open the registries’ online office sede.registradores.org (Colegio de Registradores, the Association of Registrars), the Registro de la Propiedad section, the Nota Simple service. No subscription is needed: a one-off request is paid by card or through PayPal.
2. Find the property. You can search by the CRU registry code (IDUFIR), by the property’s register number (registry, municipality, number), by the cadastral reference, by address or by a point on the map. The cadastral reference is the most precise: it is on the IBI bill, in the contract or on the cadastre website.
3. Enter your details and the purpose of the request. The law opens the register to those with a legitimate interest, so the purpose is given in one sentence, for example “checking the owner before renting or buying”. A passport is accepted in the identification fields, so an NIE is not required to order. The registrar may ask you to clarify the purpose and decides within 24 hours whether to release the information; if refused, the money is refunded.
4. Pay by Visa, MasterCard, American Express or through PayPal. The money is charged as soon as the request is confirmed.
5. Receive the extract: a PDF with a verification code arrives as a link by email, on average in under two hours. The document can be downloaded for 30 days.

In person, a nota simple can be ordered at any Registro de la Propiedad; addresses are in the directory on registradores.org. For some services, such as a search for all the property a person owns (nota de localización) or a certificate, the website requires a digital certificate; how to get one with an NIE is explained in the guide digital certificate in Spain.

How much a nota simple costs

• Nota simple: €9.02 plus IVA (Spanish VAT) per property, according to the Colegio de Registradores. With 21% IVA that is about €10.91. The Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla have different IVA rules.
• Nota online (información continuada, continuous information): €12.03 plus IVA; real-time information on the property that you can view as many times as you like for 10 days.
• Translation of the extract into English: €30, within 72 working hours. It is for reference only.

When a nota simple is required for a visa

There is no single rule from the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs: housing requirements are set by consulates, and they vary.

• Student visa. The Spanish Consulate in Nador asks for a nota simple with the tenancy agreement to confirm that the landlord is the owner. The BLS visa centre in Moscow lists, for a student visa, a nota simple with the tenancy agreement or invitation, issued no more than three months before the application. How to apply to study is explained in the article student visa for Spain.
• No lucrativa. The Spanish Consulate in Boston asks a homeowner for the deed of purchase or a nota simple, otherwise a tenancy agreement of at least three months. The document lists of the consulate in Moscow and BLS for no lucrativa include no housing documents. The conditions of this permit are on the page residence permit without the right to work.
• Family reunification. It requires a housing report (informe de vivienda adecuada, adequate housing report). The Ministry of Inclusion form does not mention a nota simple: which housing documents are accepted is decided by the region and the town hall.

Since 1 June 2026, national visas other than the digital nomad visa are submitted in Moscow through BLS. Before applying, check the current document list on the page of your consulate or visa centre.

How to check a flat with a nota simple before renting or buying

1. The owner in the extract is the person renting it out or selling. If the landlord is not the owner, ask on what basis they are letting it. The Colegio de Registradores advises checking the owner first of all, so as not to pay a fraudster.
2. No mortgage or attachments. In a purchase, the seller’s mortgage is paid off before or at completion; an attachment is a reason to stop.
3. No prohibitions on disposal and no tax notes.
4. Request a certificate of debts from the owners’ association separately (the seller must present it when signing the deed of sale) and check the IBI.
5. If you need legal force, for example for court, order a certificación, not a nota simple.

What else to check when renting and how much to pay on moving in is explained in the article how to rent a flat or a room in Spain, and for buying in the article how to buy a house in Spain. What to do if strangers are living in a flat you have bought is covered in the article on okupas (squatters) in Spain. You can entrust us with checking the property and documents before the deal as part of our property search in Spain.

Frequently asked questions

What is a nota simple in Spain?

An extract from the Registro de la Propiedad (property register): a description of the property, the owner, mortgages, attachments and prohibitions. It is for information only and does not certify the entries.

How do you order a nota simple yourself?

On sede.registradores.org: find the property by cadastral reference, CRU code or address, enter your details and the purpose of the request, and pay by card or PayPal. The PDF arrives by email, on average in under two hours.

How much does a nota simple cost?

€9.02 plus IVA per property according to the Colegio de Registradores; with 21% IVA, about €10.91. A nota online for 10 days costs €12.03 plus IVA.

Can you order a nota simple without an NIE?

Yes. A passport is accepted in the applicant identification fields, and no subscription to the website is needed.

How long is a nota simple valid?

The law sets no period of validity: the extract shows the state of the register on the day of issue. Consulates and visa centres may require a recent one; for example, BLS in Moscow requires one no older than three months for a student visa.

Do you need a nota simple for a Spanish visa?

It depends on the consulate and the visa. For a student visa it is often requested with the tenancy agreement to confirm that the landlord is the owner. The consulate in Moscow does not require housing documents for no lucrativa.

Does a nota simple show debts to the owners’ association and IBI debts?

No, unless an attachment has been registered for them. Debts to the owners’ association are confirmed by a certificate from the association’s secretary; IBI debts are checked at the town hall or through the notary at the sale.

What is the difference between a nota simple and a certificación?

A nota simple only informs. A certificación is a public document signed by the registrar, and only a certificación proves the content of the register against third parties.

Sources

• Ley Hipotecaria, Articles 221–225: BOE-A-1946-2453; Reglamento Hipotecario, Article 332: BOE-A-1947-3843.
• Colegio de Registradores: the register’s online office and the cost of a nota simple.
• Ley de Propiedad Horizontal, Article 9: debts to the owners’ association; TRLRHL, Article 64: IBI on a change of owner.
• Spanish consulates in Boston and Nador, BLS Spain Russia: housing document requirements for visas.

Checked against official sources on 15 September 2026.