Inheriting property in Spain from abroad: how to locate a deceased relative’s property
Every month someone writes to us in the same situation. They live outside Spain. A relative has passed away — a parent, a grandparent, an uncle — and they know, or suspect, that this person owned property in Spain. They don’t know which property, where it is, or where to start. Sometimes they don’t even know if the property still exists or was sold years ago.
This isn’t unusual. It’s actually one of the most common cases we handle. And there’s a clear path forward, even if it doesn’t look that way at first.
It doesn’t matter which country your relative died in. The only thing that matters is that they owned, or still own, property in Spain.
By Lucía Orden — over 25 years helping individuals and businesses with Spanish Property Registry and DGT paperwork. Last reviewed: October 30, 2026.
A “nota de localización” (property locator certificate, also called “certificado de índices”) is the document that searches every Property Registry in Spain for land or buildings registered, now or in the past, under a specific person’s name. It’s the required starting point when you don’t know what your relative owned, or in which province.
With the deceased relative’s full name and ID/passport number (or whatever details you do have), this search can be requested from anywhere, without a Spanish digital certificate and without setting foot in Spain.
Request your property locator certificate
You can pay by card, PayPal, or bank transfer — an option designed especially for people living outside Spain who often run into trouble paying with international credit cards.
Once the properties are located, the next step is a “nota simple” for each one. A nota simple is the document that shows the current owner, any charges on the property (mortgages, liens), and its full registry description.
If the property is still in the deceased relative’s name, the nota simple confirms it forms part of the estate and provides everything needed for the following steps.
Request your nota simple online
This happens more often than you’d think: the relative sold the property while alive, or inherited it themselves and later sold it, and nobody in the current family knew. The nota simple still makes it clear: it shows who the current owner is, the date of the sale, and which notary authorized it.
With those three facts — new owner, date, and notary — you know exactly what happened to the property, and can decide whether it’s worth investigating further.
If you want the full detail of that sale (price, terms, signatories), the next step is requesting a copy of the deed from the notary who authorized it. That requires a power of attorney from the heir to us, so we can request it on their behalf without them having to travel to Spain or deal with the notary’s office directly.
We handle this case by case, so the best approach is to get in touch and talk it through: by phone or WhatsApp at +34 935259833, or by email. We’ll help you set up the power of attorney and request the deed.
If your case also needs a lawyer — for example, when there are several heirs and the estate needs to be divided, or something needs resolving legally — just get in touch: we’ll put you in touch with collaborating professionals who specialize in international inheritance cases.
Can I do all of this while living outside Spain? Yes. The whole process — locating properties, requesting a nota simple, and getting a copy of the deed via power of attorney — is handled online, with no need to travel to Spain or hold a Spanish digital certificate.
Do I need to know which province the property was in? No. The property locator search covers every Property Registry in Spain at once, so you don’t need to know the province in advance.
How long does the whole process take? The locator certificate and the nota simple usually arrive within a few hours or 1-3 business days, depending on the registry. Getting a copy of the deed via power of attorney takes a bit longer, since it depends on the specific notary; we give you an estimated timeframe once we review your case.
What exactly is a power of attorney for this process? It’s a document authorizing TraceDat to request the deed copy on the heir’s behalf, without them needing to appear at the notary’s office in person. It can usually be signed from abroad, typically before a notary or the Spanish consulate in your country of residence; we explain the options for your specific country when you contact us.
What if I don’t have my relative’s full details? With just the name you have, even without an ID number, we can attempt the search. The more details you can provide (date of birth, place of origin), the more precise the result will be.
Does it matter where my relative died? No. They could have passed away in any country. The only thing that matters for this process is that they owned, or still own, registered property in Spain.
Can I pay without an international credit card? Yes. Besides card payment, we accept PayPal and bank transfer, since many cards issued outside Spain run into problems with online payments.
What if I need a lawyer for my inheritance case? If your situation calls for it, get in touch and we’ll connect you with collaborating professionals who specialize in this, so you don’t have to search for one on your own.
We’re available by phone or WhatsApp at +34 935259833, or by email, to help you through every step — reach us here.
