A power of attorney lets someone you choose, usually your lawyer, sign documents for you in Spain. When you are buying, it means your NIE (the identity number every foreign buyer needs), your Spanish bank account, the arras contract (the binding deposit contract) and the signing at the notary can all happen without you flying out for each one. This guide covers what a power of attorney can and cannot do, where you can sign one, abroad or in Spain, what each option costs, and how to stay in control of it.
The short version
You sign one document, once. Your Spanish lawyer drafts it and lists exactly what the person you name may do for you. You sign it at a Spanish consulate, before a notary in your own country, who then gets it certified for use abroad, or at a notary in Spain if you are here anyway. The signed document goes to your lawyer in Spain, and from then on your lawyer can sign for you.
It lasts until you cancel it, unless it sets its own end date. Each time it is used, the notary in Spain checks that it covers the document being signed and that it has not been revoked.
What can your lawyer do with a power of attorney?
It covers what is written in it and nothing more. A power of attorney drafted for a purchase normally lets your lawyer handle each step of the buying process:
You still make the decisions. You agree the price, approve the contract terms and accept the mortgage offer. Your lawyer signs what you have approved. It is worth agreeing that in writing at the start: nothing is signed on your behalf until you have seen and accepted the final text.
The same approach works when you sell. Our guide to selling property in Spain explains the seller’s side.
General or specific power of attorney: which do you need?
A power of attorney can be general, covering your affairs as a whole, or specific, covering only the acts it lists. For a purchase, the choice is between these two.
General power (poder general)
Specific power (poder especial)
A general power still has limits. Under article 1713, a power written in general terms only covers day-to-day management; selling or mortgaging needs to be stated expressly. For buying a property, a specific power is the right choice. It does not have to name the property, so you can sign it before you have found one and have it ready when you make an offer.
If you are taking a mortgage
A power to buy does not include a power to borrow. If your lawyer is going to sign the mortgage deed for you, the power has to say expressly that they may take out a loan in your name and grant a mortgage over the property as security. Without that wording the notary will not accept it for the mortgage, and you would have to sign in person or sign a second power of attorney. If you are using a mortgage, say so before the power is drafted. Our guide to Spanish mortgages covers the rest of the mortgage process.
If the same person acts for both sides
Spanish law treats it as a conflict of interest when the person you appoint also represents the other party in the same deal, or has an interest of their own in it. The legal term is autocontratación. A power that may be used in that situation has to allow it expressly, or the notary will refuse it. Your lawyer should explain whether the clause is needed in your case and why.
Where can you sign a Spanish power of attorney?
From abroad you have two options: a Spanish consulate or embassy, or a notary where you live followed by an apostille. If you are coming to Spain for viewings, you can also sign at a notary here.
| Route | Typical cost | Apostille | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spanish consulate or embassy in your country | €45 to €55, paid in local currency | Not needed | Any country, and the safer choice from the United States and the UAE |
| Notary in your own country, then apostille | The notary’s fee plus the apostille; both vary by country | Yes (the UAE uses two stamps instead) | Most of Europe, the UK and Ireland |
| Notary in Spain | €50 to €100 | Not needed | Buyers who are in Spain for viewings |
At a Spanish consulate or embassy
The consul acts as a Spanish notary, so a power signed there counts as signed in Spain and needs no apostille. You do not need to be Spanish to use one. The fee is the same everywhere, set in euros and charged in local currency: €30.05 for the power, plus €3.01 a page for the official copy (copia autorizada) that you send to Spain; the consulate keeps the original. A typical power comes to about €45 to €55. In London that is £26.40 plus £2.65 a page; the consulate in Washington quotes about $60.
Consulates usually want your lawyer’s draft and copies of your documents before they give you an appointment. Washington, for example, only books one once it has everything. Bring a valid passport on the day. A power signed at a Spanish consulate is valid in Spain but not in the country where you signed it, which does not matter for a Spanish purchase.
Before a notary in your own country
Spain accepts a power signed before a foreign notary if two things are true: the notary has confirmed who you are and that you have the legal capacity to grant the power, and the document carries an apostille. Notaries in continental Europe do both as standard. Elsewhere, ask the notary to confirm your identity and your capacity in the certificate, because that is the point a Spanish notary checks.
The apostille is a certificate from a government office in your country confirming that the notary’s signature is genuine. Where you get it depends on the country:
| Country | Apostille issued by | Official fee |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office | £45 by post, up to 25 working days; notaries can use a next working day service |
| Ireland | Department of Foreign Affairs, Dublin or Cork | €40; about 30 minutes in person, 3 to 7 working days by post |
| United States | Secretary of State of the state where the notary is commissioned | $1 to $40 by state, for example $10 in New York and Florida, $26 in California |
| Netherlands | District court (rechtbank) | €27 |
| Germany | Regional court (Landgericht) for the notary’s district | €25 |
| France | Regional council of notaries, online at apostille.notaires.fr (since May 2025) | €10 plus VAT, or €20 plus VAT for 24 hours |
| Sweden | The notarius publicus who certifies your signature | Set by the notary |
| Norway | County Governor (Statsforvalteren) | Ask the office |
| United Arab Emirates | Not in the Apostille Convention: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then the Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi | From 30 AED a stamp at the embassy |
Canada (since January 2024), Australia, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark and South Africa are also in the Apostille Convention, so the same route works from there. The notary’s own fee varies far more than the apostille: published prices from UK notaries for a power of attorney with the apostille run from about £200 to £350 including VAT, while notaries in much of Europe charge fixed fees set by law.
If you live in the United States
Powers signed before a US notary are accepted in Spain in many cases, but not all. A US notary public confirms who signed, but usually does not confirm the signer’s legal capacity, and in some states, California among them, is not allowed to. Spanish notaries and land registries can refuse a power that lacks it. Signing at a Spanish consulate removes that risk. Spain has consulates in Washington and several other US cities. If you are also borrowing, see Spanish mortgages for US citizens.
If you live in the UAE
The UAE is not part of the Apostille Convention, so a power signed before a UAE notary needs two further stamps: legalisation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then legalisation by the Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi. Signing at the Spanish Embassy instead avoids both. If you are also borrowing, see Spanish mortgages from the UAE.
The language
The document has to be in Spanish for the notary in Spain. If you want, it can include your own language alongside. A power written only in another language needs a sworn translation into Spanish before it can be used.
In Spain, at a notary
If you are coming out for viewings, this is the simplest route. Your lawyer sends the draft to a notary, you sign it there, and there is no apostille or courier to wait for. Notary fees are fixed by the national fee schedule: €30.05 for the power itself, plus a charge for each page beyond the fourth, the official copy and IVA (Spanish VAT). A power for a purchase usually comes to €50 to €100; a longer one sits towards the top of that range.
How it works, from draft to use
Your lawyer drafts it
A document that names who may act for you and lists exactly what they may do: the NIE, the bank account, the contracts, the mortgage if there is one, completion and the registration afterwards.
You read it and ask for changes
Read it in full. If something is there that you did not expect, or something you need is missing, have it changed now. Once it is signed, a change means a new document.
You sign it
At the consulate, before a notary in your own country, or at a notary in Spain. Take your passport.
Apostille, if you signed before a foreign notary
The notary, or an agency that handles apostilles, sends it to the apostille office and gets it back to you.
The document goes to Spain
By courier, to your lawyer: the apostilled original if you signed before a notary abroad, or the official copy if you signed at a consulate. A scan or a photocopy is not enough.
It is checked every time it is used
Before your lawyer signs anything with it, the notary confirms that the powers are enough for that particular deed and checks the notaries’ central register of revoked powers.
What does a power of attorney cost?
| Item | Typical amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Notary in Spain | €50 to €100 | €30.05 for the power, plus per-page charges, the official copy and IVA (Spanish VAT), all set by the national fee schedule. |
| Spanish consulate or embassy | €45 to €55 | €30.05 plus €3.01 a page for the official copy, charged in local currency. No apostille needed. |
| Notary abroad, plus apostille | Varies by country | Apostille fees are in the table above. In the UK, notary and apostille together usually cost £200 to £350. |
| Courier to Spain | Varies | Only for a power signed abroad. Use a tracked service. |
| Sworn translation | €0.07 to €0.15 a word | Usually with a minimum of around €35. Only if the document is not already in Spanish. |
| Drafting by your lawyer | Included at Foxes | Part of our conveyancing fee when we handle your purchase. |
These are the costs of the power of attorney only. For everything else you pay when you buy, see what it costs to buy a property in Spain.
How long does it take?
How long drafting takes depends on your purchase and what the power needs to cover. Signing depends on how soon you can get an appointment at a consulate or a notary. The apostille is the step that varies most by country: about half an hour in person in Dublin, three working days in France, and up to five weeks by post in the UK unless your notary uses the next working day service. A courier to Spain adds a few days.
From most countries, one to two weeks from first draft to the document arriving in Spain is realistic. Because a specific power does not need to name the property, you can start it as soon as you are serious about buying, so it is in place before you need to sign the arras.
How long does a power of attorney last, and how do you cancel it?
A Spanish power of attorney has no expiry date unless the document sets one. Under Spanish law it ends when you revoke it, when the person you named gives it up, when any end date in the document passes, or on the death of either of you.
You can cancel it at any time by signing a revocation, a short notarial document, at any notary in Spain or at a Spanish consulate. A revocation signed at a Spanish notary is recorded in the notaries’ central register, which the notary checks before any power is used. Tell your lawyer as well, and ask for the original back.
You can set an end date a few months after the expected completion, or revoke the power once the purchase and the paperwork after it are finished. We agree which suits you before the power is drafted.
Is it safe to give a lawyer power of attorney?
It is a normal part of buying from abroad. The protection comes from how the power is drafted and who you give it to. Four things keep you in control:
How we handle it at Foxes
Foxes is an independent Spanish law firm and mortgage broker based near Málaga, working with international buyers across Spain since 2015. Our mortgage brokerage is registered with the Bank of Spain (D470).
Buying in Spain from abroad? We can sign for you
Independent English-speaking Spanish lawyers. We draft the power of attorney, tell you exactly where and how to sign it, and use it to take your purchase from NIE to completion. If you also need a mortgage, our brokerage is registered with the Bank of Spain (D470).
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a power of attorney to buy property in Spain?
No. You can sign everything yourself, in Spain. A power of attorney means you do not have to travel for the NIE, the bank account, the arras contract or completion.
Can I buy a property in Spain without going there?
Yes. With a power of attorney your lawyer can apply for your NIE, open your bank account, sign the contracts and complete at the notary for you.
How much does a power of attorney cost in Spain?
Usually €50 to €100 at a notary in Spain. At a Spanish consulate abroad, about €45 to €55 in local currency, including the official copy. Signed before a notary in your own country, add the notary’s fee, the apostille and a courier to Spain; that total varies by country.
Can I sign a Spanish power of attorney in my own country?
Yes, in two ways. At the Spanish consulate or embassy, where no apostille is needed, or before a local notary, after which the document needs an apostille from your country’s apostille office. From the United States and the UAE, the consulate is usually the better route.
Does a Spanish power of attorney need to be translated?
It has to be in Spanish, and it can include your own language alongside so you can read what you sign. A power written only in another language needs a sworn translation into Spanish before a notary in Spain will use it.
How long does a power of attorney last in Spain?
It has no expiry date unless the document sets one. It ends when you revoke it, when the person you named gives it up, when an end date in the document passes, or on the death of either of you.
Can I cancel a power of attorney?
Yes, at any time, by signing a deed of revocation at a notary in Spain or at a Spanish consulate. Tell your lawyer and ask for the original back.
Can my lawyer sign my mortgage with the same power of attorney?
Only if it says so. The power must expressly allow your lawyer to take out a loan in your name and grant a mortgage over the property. A power to buy on its own is not enough, so mention the mortgage before the power is drafted.
Sources: Spanish consular fee schedules for 2026 (London, in pounds; Berlin, in euros) and the Spanish consulate in Washington; GOV.UK, Get your document legalised; Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs; US state apostille fees; Rechtspraak (Netherlands); Landgericht Braunschweig (Germany); the French notaries’ apostille service and the fee decree of 10 April 2025; the Swedish Government Offices on apostilles; Statsforvalteren (Norway); the Spanish Embassy in Abu Dhabi on legalisation; DGRN resolutions of 14 September 2016 and 17 April 2017 on powers granted abroad; Consejo General del Notariado on the extinction of powers; Spanish Civil Code, articles 1712, 1713 and 1732; national notary fee schedule (Real Decreto 1426/1989); published UK notary prices, September 2026. Notary and translation costs are typical ranges and vary with the length of the document.
