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Duquesa Chambers
Spanish wills

A Spanish will for your Manilva property.

A separate Spanish will covering only your Spanish assets is the single most useful thing you can do for your family after buying a property in Manilva. €250 today saves them €3,000-€8,000 and roughly a year of paperwork later.

Why it matters

The two-year probate problem.

When a British owner of a Spanish property dies without a Spanish will, their heirs face a complex process. The UK will must be located, obtained in official form, translated by a sworn translator, apostilled at the Foreign Office, then submitted with the Spanish inheritance file. Each step adds weeks and cost.

With a Spanish will already on file at the Central Wills Registry in Madrid (Registro General de Actos de Última Voluntad), the process is dramatically simpler: heirs obtain a certificate from the Registry showing the last valid will, present it with the death certificate and NIE numbers, and the inheritance proceeds through a Spanish notary directly.

Typical timeline saved: 12-24 months

Typical cost saved: €3,000-€8,000

What we do

The whole process in one visit or fully remote.

  1. Instructions taken by video or email. We prepare a plain-English draft.
  2. You review, confirm heirs and preferred inheritance-law election (typically UK law under EU Reg. 650/2012).
  3. Bilingual Spanish/English will drafted in the format required by the Spanish notary.
  4. You sign at a Spanish notary (30-minute appointment, we attend with you) or by Power of Attorney if outside Spain.
  5. Notary sends the will to the Central Wills Registry, Madrid. Registration typically within 8 days.
  6. You receive a certified copy plus the registration reference. Store both copies with your UK executor.
Frequently asked

Common questions on Spanish wills.

I have a UK will. Do I really need a Spanish one?
Legally, no. A UK will is recognised in Spain under EU Regulation 650/2012. Practically, yes. Without a Spanish will your family will need the UK will translated, apostilled, and processed through the Spanish inheritance system — which typically takes 12-24 months and adds €3,000-€8,000 in professional fees. A Spanish will covering only your Spanish assets keeps the two processes separate and cuts inheritance time to 3-6 months.
Will my UK will and Spanish will conflict?
Not if drafted correctly. The Spanish will covers only Spanish assets and explicitly does not revoke the UK one. Under Regulation 650/2012 you can also state that UK inheritance law applies to your Spanish estate — which for most British clients is preferable, as it avoids Spanish forced heirship rules.
How much inheritance tax will my heirs pay?
In Andalucía (where Manilva sits), inheritance tax between spouses and to direct-line descendants (children, parents) is effectively zero up to €1,000,000 per heir since 2019, thanks to a 99% bonification. Above that, and for other heirs (siblings, unrelated), rates from 7.65% to 34%. A Spanish will lets us structure the estate to sit within the exempt bracket.
Ready when you are

A Spanish will takes 45 minutes now — and saves your family a year later.

From €250 + VAT + notary (~€60). Couples: €400 + VAT for mirror wills.

Book a free consultation +34 951 870 569 Email us