How much does an NIE number cost in Spain?

The government fee is €9.84 in 2026, paid with fee form 790 code 012 at a Spanish bank, or at the consulate when you apply from abroad. That is the only mandatory cost. If a lawyer obtains the NIE for you under power of attorney, expect a service fee on top, plus the notary cost of signing the power of attorney itself.

How long does it take to get an NIE number?

In Spain, from the same day to about three weeks after the appointment, though booking the cita previa can add several more weeks. Spanish consulates abroad usually take two to six weeks, longer at busy posts such as London or New York. A lawyer holding power of attorney typically has the number within one to three weeks of receiving the signed document.

Does an NIE number expire?

No. The number is assigned once and is yours for life. Only the paper ages: the non-resident certificate issued with a new NIE is valid for three months, and notaries and banks often want a certificate issued within the last three months. If yours is too old for completion, you request a duplicate and the number stays the same.

Does getting an NIE make me a tax resident in Spain?

No. The NIE is an identification number and nothing more. Spanish tax residency follows from facts such as spending 183 days or more in the country in a calendar year, not from holding a number. Non-resident owners do use their NIE to file Spanish taxes on the property, but the number itself changes nothing about your residency status.

Can I buy a property in Spain without an NIE?

You can search, view and negotiate without one, but the purchase cannot complete. The deed signed at the notary, the purchase taxes, the mortgage and the bank account all require an NIE for every buyer named on the title. Start the application as soon as you are serious about buying; it is cheap insurance against a delayed completion.

How to Get an NIE Number in Spain: The Buyer's Guide

By David Los · September 2026 · Buying in Spain

Every foreign buyer needs an NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) before a property purchase in Spain can complete. You apply with form EX-15, pay a €9.84 government fee with form 790 code 012, and receive the number the same day to three weeks later in Spain, or in roughly two to six weeks through a Spanish consulate abroad. Most of our buying clients skip the queues entirely by granting power of attorney to their Spanish lawyer. This guide covers each route, the documents, the timelines, and the certificate detail that catches buyers out at the notary.

What is an NIE number?

The NIE (Número de Identidad de Extranjero) is the identification number Spain assigns to every foreigner who deals with its administration: one letter (X, Y or Z), seven digits and a final check letter. The number is yours for life: it never expires and never changes. It is also nothing more than a number: holding an NIE does not make you a resident, does not affect your immigration status, and does not by itself make you a Spanish tax resident. It simply lets the Spanish state identify you on contracts and tax forms, which is exactly why a property purchase cannot happen without one.

Why property buyers need an NIE

Every legal and financial step of a Spanish property purchase records your NIE, so it is step one of the whole process. Our guide to buying property in Spain walks the full sequence; these are the moments that consume the number:

The arras (deposit) contract and the escritura, the deed signed at the notary, both identify you by NIE.
The purchase taxes cannot be filed without it: the ITP transfer tax on a resale, or VAT plus AJD stamp duty on a new build, are declared against your NIE.
Spanish banks ask for an NIE to open the account you will pay completion funds from, and no bank grants a non-resident mortgage without one.
After completion, utilities, community fees and the annual IBI property tax are all registered against your NIE.

The three ways to apply for an NIE

There are three routes to an NIE, and the right one depends on where you are and how soon a purchase is moving. All three end with the same certificate and the same number.

Route	Where	Typical time to the number	Best for
In person in Spain	National police station or immigration office, with a cita previa (prior appointment)	Same day to 3 weeks after the appointment; booking the appointment can add up to 4 weeks	Buyers already visiting the coast
Spanish consulate abroad	The consulate serving your home country	Typically 2 to 6 weeks from submission; busy consulates such as London or New York run longer	Buyers planning ahead, no travel needed
Power of attorney	Your Spanish lawyer applies in Spain on your behalf	1 to 3 weeks once the signed, apostilled power of attorney reaches Spain	Buyers who want it handled remotely, the route most of our clients take

NIE application routes and realistic timelines, September 2026.

The power of attorney route has a hidden bonus: the same document can authorise your lawyer to open the bank account, sign the arras contract and complete at the notary, so one signature at home can carry the entire purchase.

The documents you need: EX-15 and form 790

The application package for an NIE is short. Whichever route you use, prepare these:

Form EX-15, the official application for an NIE, completed in Spanish, in duplicate. The form must state a concrete reason for the request; for buyers, the intention to purchase a property in Spain.
Your passport, original plus a copy of the photo page. EU citizens can use a national identity card instead.
A document supporting your reason: a reservation or arras contract, a bank letter, or a short written statement in Spanish that you intend to buy a property.
Form 790 code 012 with proof the €9.84 fee is paid. Generate the form on the Policía Nacional's electronic office, then pay at a Spanish bank; at consulates you usually pay on the spot in local currency.

The fee for assignment of a Foreigner Identity Number (NIE) at the request of the interested party is €9.84, paid with fee form 790 code 012 alongside application form EX-15Source: Plataforma One, Government of Spain · September 2026 · View market data →

How long an NIE takes, route by route

In Spain, the number itself often arrives fast: many police stations issue the certificate the same day or within a few working days of the appointment, and slower offices take up to three weeks. The real bottleneck is the cita previa, the mandatory prior appointment, which can take from a few days to around four weeks to book depending on the province. Through a Spanish consulate abroad, plan on two to six weeks from submission, and more at high-demand consulates. Via power of attorney, the application runs about one to three weeks, plus two to four weeks up front to notarise and apostille the document. If your completion date is already fixed, work backwards and start the NIE at least two months before you need to sign anything binding.

Does an NIE expire? The three-month certificate rule

The NIE number never expires, but the paper that proves it ages. The certificate of non-residence that the Policía Nacional issues alongside a new NIE is valid for three months from issue, and Spanish notaries and banks routinely want a certificate less than three months old before completion. If the purchase outlasts the paper, you request a fresh certificate with the same EX-15 form and a small fee; the number stays identical.

The certificate of non-resident status issued through form EX-15 is valid for 3 months from issueSource: Policía Nacional, sede electrónica · September 2026 · View market data →

Keep the NIE distinct from residency documents. The TIE is the physical card non-EU residents receive after obtaining a visa or permit, and EU citizens who move to Spain register with form EX-18 for a separate certificate. A buyer who stays within the 90-in-180-day visitor limit needs neither: the NIE alone covers the purchase. If you plan to live here, our residency guide explains what actually grants the right to stay, because buying a home does not.

After the NIE: account, budget, property

With the NIE issued, open the Spanish bank account and firm up the budget while the paperwork is fresh. Purchase costs add 10 to 14% on top of the price in Andalucía, and current asking prices for every town on the coast are on our property price pages, updated from live inventory. Then browse homes for sale on the Costa del Sol knowing the paperwork is solved.

Median asking price for an apartment on the Costa del Sol: €490,000, across 3,587 active listingsSource: Hometailor market data · September 2026 · View market data →

Ask our buying team about the NIE

Written and reviewed by

David Los

Founder & Head of Research, Hometailor · Last reviewed: September 2026

Born and raised in Sweden, David has spent over a decade analysing property markets on the Costa del Sol and has guided hundreds of international buyers through Spanish purchases in English, Swedish and Polish. He writes and reviews all research content at Hometailor, and triangulates everything before it publishes: independent lawyers, agents inside and outside Hometailor, and the live market data behind this site.

All guides in Buying in Spain

How to Buy Property in Spain: The Complete 2026 Process

Every step from NIE to notary: real timelines, true costs, the arras contract, and the checks that protect you, from a team that buys with clients every week.

10 min read

8 Mistakes People Make Buying Property in Spain (2026)

The pitfalls we see foreign buyers repeat on the Costa del Sol: budget gaps, skipped legal checks, bait listings, community-fee surprises, and how to avoid each one.

8 min read

FAQ