This guide outlines the main stages of buying a property in Mallorca, from selecting a property and carrying out legal checks to signing the purchase deed, paying the relevant taxes and registering the acquisition.
Last legally reviewed: 21 September 2026
Official sources: Registradores de España — Property Registry, Balearic Tax Agency (ATIB) and Balearic Urban Planning Law 12/2017 (BOE).
Before to keep reading, keep in mind I am offering the opportunity to prove my abilities by giving you a free custom report regarding the potential risks of your future property purchase.
The Steps for Purchasing a Property in Mallorca
1. Select the property you intend to purchase
Rural or urban, big city or small village; with a vast 3,640 square kilometers, Mallorca has so many possibilities. In just about an hour’s drive, you are able to cross the entire island from one side to the other. The location of your future property can offer boundless opportunities in the way you live your life here on the island.
Pro Tip: Don’t rush the process. Certainly, the seller is going to try to convince you that someone else is extremely interested in purchasing the same property. There’s a real persuasion in trying to hurry you into buying a property immediately, or you may miss out on the house of your dreams. Pay no mind to the pressure. Don’t be forced into signing any papers until you are absolutely certain that it is, in fact, your dream home.
2. The process of buying a property in Mallorca requires careful review of the property status
Verify that the property is in good, legal standing
It may seem inconceivable, but a property with completely valid paperwork can still be considered illegal. The property can have a signed and notarized deed, record in the Land Registry and Cadaster, and somehow still find itself in violation of the law.
Determining the legality of a property is an essential part of purchasing a property in Mallorca. The seller or real estate agent’s (who is just an extension of the seller) guarantee on the property’s legality is not enough. In the event that something is amiss, the seller might not inform you of the problem. Keep in mind that if the seller is willing to hide something from the buyer, the seller may also be willing to hide information from the real estate agent as well.
Trusting the legality of the property based on verbal assurance and surface level research is ill-advised. With that said, discovering these violations is not easy. Learn the tools to detect property violations here.
Every moth Consell de Mallorca orders to knock it down illegal properties. Be sure non of them it’s yours.
Make certain that your future property doesn’t have any remaining charges or claims to the property.
Whether the property is in good, legal standing is, unfortunately, not your only concern. The process of buying a property in Mallorca implies to be sure the property is also be free of debts such as mortgages, pending payments to the current owner(s), and land development costs that may hinder your ability to purchase the property. On the other hand, it’s equally important to verify that the property is up to date on payments and taxes.
Pro Tip: Hire a lawyer who specializes in real estate. A good legal professional will make certain that the property you are buying is exactly what it claims to be. Going with a professional will save you serious time and trouble in the future.
3. Moving forward with your decision to buy in Mallorca
Make an offer
Once you are sure that you’ve found your dream property, inform the seller of your decision.
Your offer will be the starting point of the negotiation and, with that in mind, it’s important that you clearly define: the price, the date of signing, and any additional factors that are crucial to your offer.
For example, if your concern is legality, make it exceedingly clear that the offer is conditional upon good, legal standing of the property. Other conditions to consider would be the property being free of remaining charges and guaranteeing that the necessary documentation is provided in proving this.
Draft a “Reservation Contract”
There are several types of preliminary reservation agreements, including earnest money agreements—which can themselves take different legal forms—and option contracts.
These preliminary contracts allow the buyer and seller to enter into an agreement subject to specified terms and conditions. A preliminary reservation contract is not mandatory, so the parties may proceed directly to the purchase deed if they consider it unnecessary. Nevertheless, an earnest money agreement or option contract is used in many transactions, commonly leaving a short period—often around two months—between signing the preliminary contract and executing the purchase deed. Although it is not the definitive deed, it is an important stage because it establishes the agreed price, timetable, conditions and documentation required for completion.
During the period between signing the earnest money agreement or option contract and executing the purchase deed, the buyer can arrange the necessary funds or obtain mortgage financing.
At the same time, the seller can prepare the required documents, settle any outstanding charges and vacate the property when agreed.
Although a preliminary contract is optional, once signed its clauses are binding on both parties. It is therefore essential that all conditions of the future purchase are negotiated beforehand and expressly included in the agreement.
When signing, the buyer normally pays a deposit or reservation amount, often around 10% of the purchase price. The consequences of withdrawal or breach depend on the type of agreement and its precise wording. In the specific case of penitential earnest money under Article 1454 of the Spanish Civil Code, the buyer may withdraw by forfeiting the deposit and the seller may withdraw by returning double the amount received. This rule does not apply automatically to every reservation agreement or option contract.
Pro Tip: Include a clause allowing the buyer to terminate the preliminary contract before signing the purchase deed if the legal review reveals a planning violation or another material problem with the property.
Sign the Purchase Deed
The Purchase Deed has to be signed in front of a public notary. The notary will draft the deed in Spanish and will verbally translate the document into English.
4. The process of buying a property in Mallorca will keep on after signing the deed.
From the moment you sign the deed you will have 30 days to pay taxes.
File the property in the Land Registry
This step is not obligatory, but highly recommended. The Land Registry protects you and your property from third parties. It is a public registry, so no one can buy the registered property in your name without your formal consent.
Register yourself as the owner in the Cadaster, Homeowners Association, and change supplies (water, electricity, etc)
Once you sign the Purchase Deed, you will be the legal owner, but the status of ownership must be properly registered through the necessary channels.
Taxation after purchasing property in Mallorca
After purchasing a property in Mallorca, you will find that there are multiple taxes that must be paid, such as:
- Transfer Tax: This tax is for the transfer of property. It is only paid once.
- Periodic Taxes: Other taxes outside of the transaction.
As a new owner you are also expected to pay a Land Tax, Garbage Tax, and a Non-Resident Tax (specifically tax code 210) In cases of owning Spanish assets over 3,000,000 euros, a Wealth Tax will also be issued.
Click here to find out more information on taxes that arise from property purchases in Mallorca.
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