Buying property in Formentera: how it works

The NIE

Non-Spanish buyers need an NIE, the foreigner’s identity number, before they can buy. It is issued by the Policía Nacional and Spanish consulates.

The notary and the Land Registry

The deed of sale (escritura) is signed before a Spanish notary, who checks the identities and the title; the sale is then recorded in the Land Registry. Take independent legal advice before you sign anything.

Taxes

In the Balearic Islands, the transfer tax on resale property and other taxes are administered by the Agència Tributària de les Illes Balears (atib.es). Rates change, so we don’t quote them: confirm the current figures with ATIB and your lawyer.

Where people live

See our property guide for Sant Francesc, Sant Ferran and the countryside, Es Pujols, Migjorn and Es Caló, and La Mola, and the estate agencies we could check. The north of the island lies in the Ses Salines natural park, and rural building is tightly regulated, so ask your lawyer to check the planning status of any property. We don’t publish prices.

Life on a small island has its own logistics: the ferry is the only link, and in summer a car needs an authorisation from the Consell (formentera.eco).

Questions and answers