Energy performance
When is an Energy Performance Certificate required in Spain?
Subject to the exemptions in Royal Decree 390/2021, an EPC is required for new buildings and when an existing building or unit is sold or let to a new tenant. It is also required for certain renovations, extensions, public buildings and buildings over 500 m² used for specified purposes. The rating must appear in advertising and the certificate must be registered.
Sale, rental and advertising
For a sale, the registered certificate and label are attached to the contract. For a rental, the label is attached and the user recommendations are delivered. Advertising must show the rating in the prescribed form.
Further cases
The regulation also covers new buildings, specified renovations or extensions, certain floor areas by use and public-authority buildings. Current thresholds and exemptions must be applied to the actual property.
How long is a Spanish EPC valid?
The general maximum validity is ten years. A G-rated certificate is valid for no more than five years. The owner may update it earlier when refurbishment changes the property’s energy performance.
For the next part of the decision, see the guides to EPC cost and Improving an EPC rating.
Common questions before selling or letting in Spain
A small apartment is not exempt from an EPC simply because it is under 50 m². The exception in Royal Decree 390/2021 concerns independent buildings with a total useful floor area below 50 m², not every small flat in a larger building. Protected status also requires checking the specific exemption conditions; age alone is insufficient.
An empty property is not automatically exempt when advertised for sale or rent within the regulation’s scope. Before listing, check whether a valid registered certificate exists and covers the exact unit offered. A label for another apartment or a previous configuration should not be reused without establishing that it applies.
The energy rating records the assessment result; it does not establish planning legality or replace a Spanish habitability certificate (cédula de habitabilidad). A property transaction in Menorca may need several documents serving different purposes. Checking them early avoids discovering missing records shortly before completion.
What an owner needs before advertising a property
If you are selling or letting to a new tenant, first check whether an exemption applies. Where an Energy Performance Certificate is required, the rating must appear in advertising; it should not be left until a buyer has already been found. Have the cadastral reference, floor-area details and access to the home or premises ready for the assessor's survey of fabric and building services.
Under Article 13 of Royal Decree 390/2021, maximum validity is ten years, or five for a G rating. Significant energy-related changes can justify an earlier update. The signed assessment and the registered energy label are separate steps: in the Balearics the regional registration must be completed to obtain the relevant label.
Frequently asked questions
Does a seasonal rental need one?
The contract label alone does not decide. Intended use, duration, expected consumption and the exemption conditions need review.
Is a detached house exempt?
Not simply because it is detached. Any floor-area or use exemption must be demonstrated.
Regulatory basis and official sources
- Spanish energy performance certification procedure — BOE
- Balearic Energy Performance Certificate register — CAIB
Always check the current version of the rule and the administrative procedure that applies to the specific case.