Rosa
Lawyer · Mallorca, Spain
- 1,612 cases handled · 64 in this service
- 17+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law, University of the Balearic Islands
-
4.98(162 reviews)
Make a Will (Last Will & Testament) in Spain
Making a will in Spain as a foreigner raises one main question: how a Spanish will and a will from your home country work together. Registered English-speaking lawyers explain the options.
About Make a Will (Last Will & Testament) in Spain
Making a will in Spain (also last will and testament, testamento, will for foreigners or will for property abroad) is about deciding who receives your assets and under which law. It is meant for residents, for non-resident owners of a home or bank account in Spain, and for anyone asking whether an English will is valid in Spain or whether a Spanish will is needed. Some older lists and lawyer pages call this service “Make a last Will & Testament”.
Spanish will and home-country will
A will made abroad can generally be valid in Spain, but using it for Spanish assets may require translation, an apostille and extra steps, which can slow things down for the heirs. Many foreign owners therefore sign a Spanish will for their Spanish assets, drafted so that it fits with the will from home and does not cancel it by accident.
Choosing the law and the form
Under EU succession rules, the law of the place of habitual residence applies by default, and a person can choose in the will the law of their nationality. This affects how Spanish forced heirship (legítima) applies. Regional civil laws can also differ. In Spain a will is usually made before a notary (testamento abierto) and the notary reports it to the central registry of last wills. See inheritance for what happens after a death.
Questions and answers
Is an English will valid in Spain?
It can be, as to form, but its use for Spanish assets may need translation and legalisation, and Spanish notaries and banks may ask for more. A lawyer can check the specific will.
Do I need two wills?
Not always. Many foreign owners sign a Spanish will for Spanish assets, drafted to fit with the home-country will. It depends on assets, nationality and residence.
Can I choose which law applies to my estate?
In many cases yes: EU rules allow a choice of the law of one's nationality, which has to be stated in the will. Details depend on the case.
What types of will exist in Spain?
The main ones are the open notarial will (testamento abierto), the closed will (cerrado) and the handwritten will (ológrafo), which needs court validation after death.
What happens if there is no will?
The heirs are set by law, through a declaration of heirs (declaración de herederos), and the process can take longer. See estate planning for wider planning.
Spain Inheritance Tax Calculator for Foreigners
Open the full tool →Estimate the Spanish inheritance tax on your share — by the region whose rules apply, your relationship to the deceased and what you already own.
How it works
Using the calculator
- Choose the region whose rules apply: where the deceased lived in Spain — or, if they lived abroad, the region where most of the Spanish assets are.
- Choose how you are related to the deceased (and your age if you are under 21).
- Enter the value of your share and what you already own; say whether you live in Spain.
The result shows the reduction, the tax on the base, the multiplier, the region’s bonus and the tax to pay.
Who pays Spanish inheritance tax
The tax is paid by each heir on their own share. An heir who lives in Spain pays on everything inherited, wherever it is; an heir who lives abroad pays only on what is in Spain — a home, money in Spanish banks, other Spanish assets.
The region decides
Spain's regions set their own reductions and bonuses, and the difference is huge. Since 2021 a non-resident heir can use them too: the rules of the region where the deceased lived, or — when the deceased lived abroad — of the region with the largest part of the Spanish assets. In Madrid, Andalusia, Valencia, the Balearic and Canary Islands, Murcia and Galicia a spouse, children and parents pay little or nothing; Catalonia's bonus falls as the share grows. Brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces pay much more — a reduction of only about €8,000, a multiplier of 1.5882 or more, and a bonus in only a few regions — and an unmarried partner or a friend pays the most.
How it is worked out
The share less the reduction of the heir's group is taxed by the scale (7.65% to 34% under the state rules), multiplied by a coefficient that grows with the kinship distance and with what the heir already owns, and then reduced by the region's bonus. The tax is due within 6 months of the death. A main home, a family business and a disability bring further reductions, so a Spanish lawyer checks the figures, the will and the deadlines.
1Your details
Where the deceased lived in Spain; if they lived abroad, where most of the Spanish assets are
After the debts and the funeral; a non-resident counts only what is in Spain
Your wealth before the inheritance — it raises the tax above about €400,000
2Your result
| Reduction for kinship group IITaxable base €284,000 | -€16,000 |
| Tax on the baseThe scale 7.65–34% | €51,387 |
| Madrid bonus 99% | -€50,873 |
| Inheritance tax | €514 |
- A non-resident heir pays only on what is in Spain; the rules of the region apply to everyone since 2021, wherever the heir lives.
- The deceased’s main home can be reduced by 95% or more for the spouse, children and parents (conditions differ by region); not included here.
- Declare and pay within 6 months of the death (an extension of 6 more months can be asked for in the first 5). You need an NIE, the death certificate, the Spanish certificate of last wills and usually a notary.
- Spain also checks your country: a tax treaty or a credit for the tax paid abroad may apply.
An estimate for planning, not legal or tax advice. Figures checked 26 Oct 2026. Sources: Ley 29/1987 — the state rules and DA 2ª (BOE), Ministerio de Hacienda — regional taxes 2026, ch. IV (every region’s rules), Ministerio de Hacienda — what changed in 2026, ch. II, Comunitat Valenciana — Ley 5/2026 (DOGV).
Ask a lawyer about your case25 lawyers who provide Make a Will (Last Will & Testament) in Spain
Sorted by experience in this service. Write to any of them — the reply comes from the lawyer, without obligation.
-
-
Alvaro
Lawyer · Fuengirola, Spain
- 1,584 cases handled · 41 in this service
- 14+ years in practice
- Speaks: English
- Law, Jaén
-
4.97(146 reviews)
-
José
Lawyer · Alicante City, Spain
- 786 cases handled · 34 in this service
- 22+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law, Alicante University
-
4.99(97 reviews)
-
Oscar
Lawyer · Barcelona, Spain
- 677 cases handled · 24 in this service
- 20+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law, University of Barcelona
-
4.97(57 reviews)
-
Angela
Lawyer · Fuengirola, Spain
- 381 cases handled · 20 in this service
- 27+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law, Business and Company Administration, Universidad Pontificia de Comillas (ICADE)
-
5.00(30 reviews)
-
Inma
Lawyer · Valencia, Spain
- 716 cases handled · 17 in this service
- 18+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law, University of Valencia
-
4.99(56 reviews)
-
Federico
Lawyer · Madrid, Spain
- 440 cases handled · 15 in this service
- 25+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, German, French, Spanish
- Law, Complutense University Madrid (San Pablo)
-
4.82(14 reviews)
-
Inma
Lawyer · Murcia City, Spain
- 910 cases handled · 14 in this service
- 11+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law
-
4.95(59 reviews)
-
Francisca
Lawyer · Gandia, Spain
- 469 cases handled · 14 in this service
- 21+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- University of Valencia
-
4.83(35 reviews)
-
María-José
Lawyer · Murcia City, Spain
- 691 cases handled · 13 in this service
- 22+ years in practice
- Speaks: English
- Law, Universidad CEU Cardenal Herrera - Campus Elche
-
4.98(53 reviews)
-
Esther
Lawyer · Maspalomas, Spain
- 229 cases handled · 12 in this service
- 23+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, German
- Law, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
-
4.99(17 reviews)
-
María
Lawyer · Estepona, Spain
- 184 cases handled · 10 in this service
- 8+ years in practice
- Speaks: Spanish, English
- Law, University Granada
-
4.60(5 reviews)
-
Domingo
Lawyer · Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
- 372 cases handled · 8 in this service
- 19+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law, Salamanca
-
4.94(28 reviews)
-
Sabela
Lawyer · Vigo, Spain
- 250 cases handled · 6 in this service
- 17+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law, Santiago de Compostela
-
4.96(29 reviews)
-
Juan Ignacio
Lawyer · Vera, Spain
- 117 cases handled · 6 in this service
- 15+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law, University of Almeria
-
4.93(21 reviews)
-
Raffaele
Lawyer · Barcelona, Spain
- 1,553 cases handled · 5 in this service
- 15+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish
- Spanish Law; Italian Law, Universitat Pompeu Fabra - Università degli Studi di Milano
-
4.90(38 reviews)
-
Miguel
Lawyer · Oviedo, Spain
- 254 cases handled · 5 in this service
- 26+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law, University of Oviedo
-
4.98(22 reviews)
-
Rafael
Lawyer · Seville, Spain
- 204 cases handled · 5 in this service
- 31+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law, University of Seville
-
4.81(27 reviews)
-
Daniel
Lawyer · Mallorca, Spain
- 137 cases handled · 2 in this service
- 11+ years in practice
- Speaks: Spanish, Italian, English, Portuguese, French
- Law, UIB
-
5.00(5 reviews)
-
Francisco
Lawyer · Cadiz, Spain
- 136 cases handled · 2 in this service
- Speaks: English
-
4.63(5 reviews)
-
Maria
Lawyer · Girona, Spain
- 60 cases handled · 2 in this service
- 23+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law, Universidad Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona
-
4.38(8 reviews)
-
Albert
Lawyer · Barcelona, Spain
- 294 cases handled · 1 in this service
- 28+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law, University of Barcelona, Glasgow University School of Law
-
4.95(4 reviews)
-
Jesus
Lawyer · Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- 16 cases handled
- 3+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French
- Law Degree, University of Santiago de Compostela
-
Pablo
Lawyer · Granada, Spain
- 11 cases handled
- 21+ years in practice
- Speaks: Spanish, English, French
- Degree in Law, Universidad de Granada
-
Ramon
Lawyer · Almeria, Spain
- 13+ years in practice
- Speaks: English, Spanish
- Law, Almeria University
Contact form · a chat with a lawyer
Talk to a lawyer about Make a Will (Last Will & Testament)
25 registered lawyers provide this service in Spain. Describe your situation in a short chat — what happened, where, and how to reach you. Your enquiry is reviewed and passed to a lawyer who handles exactly this kind of case, with no obligation.
We are not just a place to list a profile: we work with every lawyer individually. Each one is registered with a bar association, and their experience, languages and client reviews are shown openly on their card.
Enquiries are answered by lawyers of AdvocateAbroad. This site provides legal information, not legal advice.
What our clients say about our service in Spain
-
She was always very helpful, and I would recommend her.
— Jeffrey07 Jul 2026 -
Professional advice sorted out all my requests; I am very satisfied.
— Michael03 Jul 2026 -
She was very professional and knowledgeable about the law, and also kind and empathetic when we discussed my options on a very personal point. The assistance was excellent and I would recommend her without hesitation.
— Jennifer29 May 2025 -
The lawyer was extremely professional, remaining calm but friendly although the notary cancelled twice and the wait was long. I am very satisfied with the result.
— Suzanne04 Dec 2023 -
The lawyer was friendly, knowledgeable, professional and helpful. He responded very quickly to our questions and needs. After drawing up our wills, he met us at the notary's office to finalise the documents and translate for us, so his English was perfect. He provided an excellent service and we would definitely recommend him.
— Lesley30 Mar 2023 -
Everything was explained very well in perfect English, and he was friendly yet professional. Excellent value; I would definitely recommend him.
— Janet02 Sep 2022 -
The lawyer was amazing. She was so helpful, very detailed and informative, and very responsive. She made a challenging situation much easier to handle, and I am so glad I found her!
— Sian22 Nov 2021 -
We were given excellent, professional service at all times and are delighted with the help we received. Many thanks.
— Trevor08 Nov 2021 -
I can recommend this highly and was very impressed. Brilliant, very professional service.
— Trish16 Oct 2020 -
The lawyer provided us with excellent service as we relocated to Spain. He guided us through the NIE application and the subsequent switch to TIEs, assisted us through the purchase of our house and also helped us with our wills. We found his help invaluable. His approach was friendly and professional throughout, and his English was perfect. We would recommend him to anyone looking for English-speaking legal services.
— David21 Sep 2020 -
The lawyer was fantastic and really made a difficult job straightforward. I would recommend him to anyone.
— Robert21 Sep 2020 -
The service was excellent, the price very fair, the English fluent and the whole team utterly professional. I would readily recommend them.
— Nigel09 Apr 2018