Buying property in Spain with a mortgage: new rules and energy labels in 2026

1. New rule: an energy certificate is required for the mortgage valuation

Spain’s Order ECM/599/2025 amended the national valuation rules used for financial purposes. From 12 August 2025, a valuer assessing a completed building must have access to the registered certificado de eficiencia energética. For a building under construction or still at project stage, the certificate and a copy of the registration application are sufficient, provided the information is consistent.

This matters because the valuation normally takes place before the final deed of sale is signed. Previously, the energy performance certificate sometimes appeared relatively late in the file. A missing or unregistered certificate can now delay the valuation and therefore the mortgage application.

Sustainability may affect the assessed value

The same regulation introduces a formal sustainability principle into property valuation. Where the market demonstrably takes these factors into account and the valuation method permits it, energy performance, physical climate risks and transition risks may be reflected in the value. The effect can be positive or negative.

• An energy-efficient home may be more attractive because of lower running costs.
• A poorly performing property may involve future renovation expenditure.
• Flood, heat, drought and coastal risks vary by location.
• The valuer compares the property with relevant transactions and property features.

A low energy rating therefore does not automatically reduce the valuation. The valuer must assess the specific property, its location, the market and the available comparable properties.

2. Does a low energy rating mean you cannot obtain a Spanish mortgage?

No. There is no general Spanish law preventing banks from financing a property with an E, F or G rating. The energy certificate has, however, become part of the valuation file. A lower assessed value or clear renovation risks can therefore indirectly influence the maximum loan amount or the bank’s internal risk assessment.

The bank assesses two different risks

Banco de España describes financing of up to approximately 80% of the assessed value as common market practice. Banks may apply stricter internal limits to non-residents, second homes, investment properties or higher-risk applications. Before signing a reservation agreement or deposit contract, request a written financial pre-assessment.

Protect your deposit with a mortgage condition

A Spanish reservation agreement or contrato de arras can have serious financial consequences if the mortgage is later declined. Include a clear cancellation condition covering financing and, where relevant, a minimum assessed value. Have the precise wording reviewed by an independent Spanish lawyer.

3. Which energy-label rules already apply when selling property in Spain?

The Spanish energy performance certificate was already required for most sales and new rental agreements before the new valuation rule took effect. The seller or owner is responsible for obtaining, registering and retaining the certificate, unless a specific legal exemption applies.

The energy rating must appear in the advertisement

Energy information must be included in offers, promotions and advertisements for sale or rent. This obligation also applies to estate-agent websites, property portals, brochures and other parties publishing or commissioning the advertisement.

The registered certificate must accompany the sale agreement

When an existing home is sold, a copy of the registered energy performance certificate and the official label must be attached to the sale agreement. A standalone report that has not been registered does not have the same legal status.

Validity: ten years, but five years for a G rating

A Spanish energy performance certificate is generally valid for a maximum of ten years. For an energy rating of G, the maximum validity period is five years. The autonomous region in which the property is located may impose additional procedures for registration, renewal and updating.

An energy certificate is not a structural survey

The certificate provides information about calculated energy performance and includes recommendations for improvement. It does not prove that the property is legally compliant or structurally and technically sound. Combine it with legal due diligence and, particularly for older or altered homes, a technical building survey.

4. What changed in Spanish energy certification in 2026?

Royal Decree 659/2025 entered into force on 23 July 2026. The amendment mainly concerns who may prepare energy performance certificates and how authorised professionals are registered and supervised.

• Access to the profession is linked to education, knowledge and qualifications.
• Some qualifications require additional course modules.
• The professional must file a prior declaration with the competent regional authority.
• A central administrative register of authorised assessors is being introduced.
• The autonomous regions continue to play an important role in registration and supervision.

For a buyer, the practical point is to verify that the certificate has genuinely been registered and that the person who prepared it is authorised. The obligation to receive a registered certificate and label when buying remains in place.

New document formats from 30 September 2026

According to joint information issued by the Spanish ministries, revised templates and technical documents will be used from 30 September 2026. Separate labels will be introduced for projects, completed construction and existing buildings, together with changes to the certificate and its electronic XML file. Buyers may therefore encounter a revised layout or document structure around that date.

5. European energy rules for 2030 and 2035: what is true and what is not?

It is often claimed online that every existing Spanish home must have at least a C energy rating from 2030 and a D rating from 2033 in order to be sold or rented. This is not an accurate description of the final European Directive 2024/1275.

Residential targets apply to the national average

Member states must establish a national pathway for renovating the residential building stock. Compared with 2020, the average primary energy use of the entire residential stock must fall by at least 16% by 2030 and by 20% to 22% by 2035. At least 55% of this reduction must come from renovating the 43% worst-performing homes.

Spain may use a range of instruments, including grants, technical support, financing and potentially national minimum standards. The European directive itself does not, however, contain a general rule requiring every existing Spanish property to have an individual C rating before it can be sold in 2030.

The binding 2030 and 2033 thresholds concern non-residential property

The directive does introduce minimum standards for non-residential buildings. The worst-performing 16% must be brought below a national energy-use threshold by 2030, and the worst-performing 26% by 2033. This system is not the same as imposing a fixed European energy-label letter on every home.

6. Checklist for international property buyers

1. Request the complete registered energy performance certificate.Check not only the rating, but also the registration number, expiry date, energy consumption, CO₂ emissions and recommended improvements.
2. Provide the certificate before the valuation.Do not wait until the notary appointment; a missing document may delay the mortgage process.
3. Ask the bank in advance which valuer it will accept.The buyer normally pays for the valuation and may choose an authorised valuer, but practical acceptance requirements should be clarified beforehand.
4. Prepare a renovation budget for a low-rated property.Consider insulation, glazing, solar shading, a heat pump, air conditioning, hot water, ventilation and any work required by the owners’ association.
5. Review the owners’ association.Request minutes, budgets, debts, planned façade or roof work and decisions concerning solar panels or shared installations.
6. Investigate climate and insurance risks.Consider flooding, wildfire, heat, drought, coastal exposure and the terms of the building insurance.
7. Include financing and valuation conditions.Have these conditions legally incorporated before signing a reservation or arras agreement.
8. Compare the FEIN documents from several banks.Review the interest rate, annual percentage rate, compulsory or discount-linked products, early-repayment conditions and the terms of any variable rate.

7. Summary: what should a buyer remember?

The best protection is straightforward: have the financing, valuation, energy performance, structural condition and legal documents assessed as one complete file before making an unconditional payment.