Twelve years ago, when we moved our own family of five to Valencia, half the conversations in our first six months were people using Spanish acronyms we didn’t recognise. The notary said escritura. The bank said NIE. The town hall said padrón. The agent said arras penitenciales. The lawyer said Modelo 720. The school said adminova. Nothing in our previous lives — European, professional, reasonably well-educated — had prepared us for the volume of Spanish-specific terminology a relocation actually involves.

This article is the reference we wish someone had given us then. It’s the complete 2026 glossary of the legal, administrative, tax, real estate, healthcare, and education terms foreigners encounter when moving to Spain — explained in plain English, organised by what you’re actually trying to do, and updated to reflect the 2025-2026 legal changes (RD 1155/2024, the new ITP rates from June 2026, the Ley de Vivienda enforcement, and the Animal Welfare Law).

Bookmark this page. Send it to your spouse. Reference it before every meeting with a lawyer, notary, agent or town hall. The single highest-return habit we recommend to relocating families is knowing the name of what you’re looking at — because the term itself is a search key into the legal protection or right that applies to your situation.

How to use this glossary

Terms are grouped by functional category — identity & residency, taxes, buying property, renting property, healthcare, education, professionals, and key Spanish laws. Each term is given in Spanish bold, followed by its English meaning, then a plain explanation with 2026 context where relevant. Cross-references link to the deeper articles in our cluster.

Quick navigation:

• Identity, Residency & Visas
• Tax & Fiscal Terms
• Buying Property
• Renting Property
• Healthcare
• Education & Schools
• Pets & Animal Welfare
• Key Spanish Laws
• The Professionals You’ll Work With

Identity, Residency & Visas

NIE — Número de Identificación de Extranjero (Foreigner Identification Number). A unique tax and administrative identifier issued to non-Spanish citizens. It’s the single most essential document you’ll obtain — without an NIE, you cannot buy property, open a bank account, pay taxes, or work legally. The NIE is issued either at a Spanish consulate abroad or, more commonly, at a Comisaría de Policía Nacional in Spain. Allow 4-8 weeks. The NIE itself is a number; the TIE is the physical card.

TIE — Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (Foreigner Identity Card). The physical residency card that non-EU residents carry once they’ve moved to Spain on a national visa. The TIE displays your NIE, photograph, fingerprints, residency type, and expiry. It must be applied for within 30 days of entering Spain on a national visa, at the Oficina de Extranjería or police station. The TIE replaces what used to be a paper “green NIE” residency certificate.

DNI — Documento Nacional de Identidad. The Spanish national identity card, equivalent to a passport for Spanish citizens. Foreigners don’t get one (you get the TIE instead), but you’ll see DNI mentioned constantly in contracts and forms as the identifier the other party needs to provide.

NIF — Número de Identificación Fiscal (Tax Identification Number). For Spanish citizens, the NIF is the same number as the DNI. For foreigners, the NIF is the same number as the NIE — and the term NIF is used specifically in tax contexts. In practice, you don’t have a separate NIF: your NIE is your NIF.

Pasaporte — Passport. Standard travel document. The Spanish consulate will return your passport with a national visa sticker after a successful NLV or DNV application.

Visado — Visa. The entry permit issued by a Spanish consulate abroad. For non-EU foreigners, the most common categories in 2026 are:

• Visado No Lucrativo (NLV) — the Non-Lucrative Visa for retirees and financially independent applicants with passive income, prohibiting all work. Covered in depth in our 2026 NLV guide.
• Visado para Trabajo a Distancia (Digital Nomad Visa, DNV) — for remote workers earning from non-Spanish employers/clients.
• Visado de Trabajo — work visa, requires a Spanish job offer.
• Visado de Estudios — student visa, for enrolled study.
• Reagrupación Familiar — family reunification, for joining a Spanish resident family member.

The Golden Visa (residency by investment) was discontinued on 3 April 2025 under Organic Law 1/2025. Existing holders can renew; no new applications are accepted.

Empadronamiento — Town hall registration. The act of registering at your local town hall (ayuntamiento) as a resident of a specific address. The certificate is called the Certificado de Empadronamiento or simply the Padrón. Without it, you cannot enrol children in public school, apply for the SIP healthcare card, apply for and renew your TIE, or complete most subsequent steps. It’s free, requires a passport and rental contract or property deed, and you book a cita previa online. The contract or deed must explicitly permit registering at the address — see our renting pitfalls article for why this clause matters.

Padrón — Roll/register. Common shorthand for the empadronamiento certificate. Spanish bureaucracy frequently asks for a padrón actualizado (recent certificate, typically less than 3 months old).

Cita Previa — Prior appointment. The mandatory online appointment booking system used by almost every Spanish administrative office — town halls, foreigners’ police, tax agency, social security, consulates. Cita previa slots open and close in hours for popular offices, particularly in Valencia. Many failed first-attempt administrative steps come down to not booking a cita previa far enough in advance.

Oficina de Extranjería — Foreigners’ Office. The administrative body (under the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration) handling residency applications, TIE applications, NIE issuance, family reunification, and similar processes for foreigners.

Comisaría de Policía — National Police Station. The location where TIE appointments are typically held and fingerprints taken.

Permiso de Residencia — Residence Permit. The legal authorisation to live in Spain, evidenced by the TIE. Initial NLV permits are valid for 1 year, then renewable 2+2; DNV permits are typically 3 years initially.

Residencia de Larga Duración — Long-term Residence (EU). The permanent residency status obtained after 5 years of continuous legal residence in Spain. Removes most financial-proof renewal requirements and grants broader rights including the right to work.

Autorización de Regreso — Return Authorisation. A short-term travel document issued by the foreigners’ office allowing TIE-renewal applicants to travel abroad and return to Spain while their renewal is being processed. Costs ~€11 and is essential if you plan to travel during a renewal window.

Reagrupación Familiar — Family Reunification. The legal process by which a Spanish resident brings family members (spouse, minor children, ascendants in some cases) into Spain. Since 20 May 2025 (under RD 1155/2024), the rules for who counts as a “dependent” were tightened — adult dependent children can now only be included if they have a recognised health condition.

Cl@ve — Spain’s national digital identity system for accessing public administration online. Three levels exist: Cl@ve PIN (one-off SMS code), Cl@ve Permanente (username/password for ongoing access), and Cl@ve Móvil (mobile authentication). Required for online filing of tax returns, accessing your padrón, requesting residency certificates, and dozens of other services. Foreigners can register with their NIE and TIE.

Certificado Digital — Digital Certificate. An electronic signature certificate issued by the FNMT (Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre) that allows you to sign documents and access government services online with full legal effect. Often used in parallel with Cl@ve.

FNMT — Fábrica Nacional de Moneda y Timbre. The state agency responsible for issuing digital certificates and minting coins. You’ll interact with FNMT only to obtain your Certificado Digital.

Apostilla de La Haya — Hague Apostille. The international authentication stamp required on foreign public documents (birth certificates, criminal records, marriage certificates) before they can be used in Spain. For US documents, federal documents (like FBI background checks) must be apostilled by the US Department of State in Washington, DC — not by a state Secretary of State. State documents are apostilled by the state. UK documents by the FCDO. Canadian documents by Global Affairs Canada (since Canada joined the Convention in 2024).

Compulsa — Certified copy. A copy of an original document, stamped by an authorised body (notary, consulate, town hall) to certify it matches the original. Often required when you don’t want to submit originals.

Poder Notarial — Power of Attorney. A notarised document authorising someone (typically your lawyer) to act on your behalf. Essential for foreign buyers who want to complete a Spanish property purchase remotely. Must be notarised, and if granted abroad, apostilled and sworn-translated.

Tax & Fiscal Terms

Hacienda — Common name for the Agencia Tributaria (Spanish Tax Agency, AEAT). The body that administers Spanish taxes. “Hacienda will check this” is the phrase you’ll hear most often from your accountant.

IRPF — Impuesto sobre la Renta de las Personas Físicas (Personal Income Tax). The Spanish equivalent of US federal income tax or UK income tax. Rates run progressively from 19% to 47% on general income in 2026, with regional variations on the upper bands. Spanish tax residents file annually via Modelo 100.

Declaración de la Renta — Income tax declaration. The annual personal income tax return for Spanish residents, filed via Modelo 100 between April and June each year, covering the previous calendar year. Worldwide income must be declared.

Residencia Fiscal — Tax Residency. You become a Spanish tax resident if you spend more than 183 days in Spain in a calendar year, OR your main centre of economic interests is in Spain, OR your spouse and minor children habitually reside in Spain. Tax residency triggers obligations to declare worldwide income.

IPREM — Indicador Público de Renta de Efectos Múltiples (Public Income Indicator for Multiple Effects). A reference figure used to determine many financial thresholds in Spanish law — residency visa minimums, social benefits, legal aid eligibility. IPREM 2026 is €600/month, unchanged from 2025 because no national budget was approved. NLV financial thresholds are anchored to it (400% main applicant = €28,800/year).

Beckham Law — Régimen Especial para Trabajadores Desplazados. A special Spanish tax regime taxing Spanish-source income at a flat 24% (up to €600,000 per year) for six years, instead of the standard progressive rates. Available to foreigners who relocate to Spain to work — including DNV holders and employed expats. Not available to NLV holders, since the NLV prohibits work. The application window is six months from the date you register with Spanish Social Security. Miss it and you cannot apply retroactively.

Convenio de Doble Imposición — Double Taxation Treaty. The bilateral treaty between Spain and most major countries (US, UK, Canada, France, Germany, etc.) preventing the same income being taxed twice. You claim the treaty’s foreign tax credit on your home-country return to offset Spanish tax paid (or vice versa). The US-Spain treaty is particularly important because the US uniquely taxes citizens on worldwide income regardless of residence.

Modelo 100 — The annual personal income tax return form for Spanish tax residents.

Modelo 210 — The non-resident income tax form. Foreigners who own Spanish property but aren’t tax residents (e.g., they live elsewhere) file this annually to declare imputed income (a notional rental value) and pay tax on it.

Modelo 720 — Foreign assets declaration. Spanish tax residents with foreign assets exceeding €50,000 in any single category (bank accounts, securities/investments, foreign real estate) must declare them annually between 1 January and 31 March, covering assets held on 31 December of the previous year. Following a 2022 European Court of Justice ruling, the most extreme historical penalties were struck down, but the filing obligation itself remains and failure to file carries penalties starting at €300. The most common 2026 expat tax pitfall.

Impuesto sobre el Patrimonio — Wealth Tax. An annual tax on net worth above certain thresholds (typically €700,000 plus a €300,000 primary-residence exemption, with regional variations). The Comunidad Valenciana applies its own version. For tax residents, worldwide assets count; for non-residents, only Spanish assets.

Plusvalía Municipal — Municipal Capital Gains Tax. A tax levied by the municipality on the increase in cadastral land value during the seller’s ownership period, payable on sale or transfer of property. Owed by the seller but, if unpaid, becomes a recoverable charge against the property — meaning it can affect the buyer. Following a 2021 Constitutional Court ruling, the calculation method was reformed, and in some cases (where there’s no genuine capital gain) no tax is owed.

Plusvalía (general) — Capital gains. The general Spanish term for capital gains, both the municipal version above and the plusvalía declared on national income tax for the gain on sale of property.

ITP — Impuesto sobre Transmisiones Patrimoniales (Property Transfer Tax). The tax paid by the buyer on resale property purchases. The Valencian Community rate is 10% currently, dropping to 9% from 1 June 2026 under Ley 5/2025; properties above €1 million face 11%. Reduced rates of 6% or 3% are available for first-residence purchases by buyers under 35 or large families, subject to income and value limits. Paid via Modelo 600 within 30 days of signing.

IVA — Impuesto sobre el Valor Añadido (Value-Added Tax). VAT. Charged on new-build property purchases at 10% (versus the ITP on resales), and on most consumer goods at 21%. New-build buyers pay IVA plus AJD.

IGIC — Impuesto General Indirecto Canario. The Canary Islands equivalent of IVA. Not relevant for Valencia but mentioned in case you encounter it across regions.

AJD — Actos Jurídicos Documentados (Stamp Duty). A tax paid alongside IVA on new-build property purchases, and on mortgage deeds. The Valencian Community rate is 1.5% currently, dropping to 1.4% from 1 June 2026.

IBI — Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles (Annual Property Tax). The local municipal tax paid by property owners, calculated on the cadastral value. Roughly 0.4-1.1% of cadastral value annually, depending on the municipality. Crucially, unpaid IBI follows the property, not the seller — meaning a buyer can inherit IBI debt at signing. Always confirm IBI is current before completing a purchase.

Catastro — Cadastre. The administrative registry of all Spanish real estate, separate from the Land Registry. Records physical characteristics (surface area, plot, construction year, use) and the cadastral value used to calculate property taxes. The cadastral surface and registry surface don’t always match — the discrepancy is its own category of due diligence problem.

Referencia Catastral — Cadastral Reference. A 20-character alphanumeric code uniquely identifying every property in the cadastre. You’ll see it on utility bills, IBI notices, and any property document.

Buying Property

Nota Simple — Land Registry Extract. The single most important document in any Spanish property purchase. A €9 document from the Registro de la Propiedad showing the legal owner, registered surface area and boundaries, any mortgages registered against the property, embargos, liens, and cadastral reference. Should be requested before any serious offer, certainly before any deposit. A current Nota Simple (less than 30 days old) is non-negotiable due diligence.

Registro de la Propiedad — Land Registry. The administrative office where Spanish property ownership and charges are publicly registered. Each property has a finca registral (registered estate) with a unique number.

Escritura / Escritura Pública — Public Deed. The notarised contract that transfers property ownership. Signed at the notaría on completion day. Once signed and registered with the Registro de la Propiedad, you are the legal owner.

Notario / Notaría — Notary / Notary’s Office. A Spanish notary is a public official, not a lawyer representing either party. The notary verifies identities, ensures the deed complies with Spanish law, certifies the signing, and notifies the registry. The notary does not check for unpaid community fees, illegal renovations, hidden mortgages, or cadastral discrepancies — that’s Livin’Valencia’s or your lawyer’s job. See our buying pitfalls article for why this distinction matters.

Contrato de Reserva — Reservation Contract. An optional preliminary agreement, typically with a small deposit (€3,000-€6,000), that takes a property off the market for a short period (commonly 2-4 weeks) while the buyer completes due diligence and prepares the arras. Useful but not legally required.

Arras — Earnest money deposit. The deposit contract that locks in a property purchase. Spanish law recognises three types, and the difference matters enormously:

• Arras Penitenciales — The classic 10% deposit most Valencia transactions use. Either party can withdraw: the buyer forfeits the deposit, the seller returns double. Maximum flexibility for both sides.
• Arras Confirmatorias — Confirms the contract but does not allow withdrawal. If either party fails to complete, the other can sue for specific performance (forcing the sale through). Most restrictive.
• Arras Penales — Function as a pre-agreed penalty for breach, separate from the right to sue for performance.

Many foreign buyers assume they have penitenciales when they’ve signed confirmatorias. Always have a lawyer review the arras clause before signing.

ITE — Inspección Técnica de Edificios (Technical Building Inspection). A mandatory structural inspection that buildings over a certain age must undergo periodically (typically every 10 years). The report identifies structural deficiencies that the community of owners must address. A pending or unfavourable ITE can mean tens or hundreds of thousands of euros of upcoming community levies.

IEE — Informe de Evaluación de Edificios (Building Evaluation Report). A broader report than the ITE, covering structural state, accessibility, and energy efficiency. Required for older buildings in many municipalities. Both ITE and IEE are public documents your lawyer should pull during due diligence.

CEE — Certificado de Eficiencia Energética (Energy Efficiency Certificate). A mandatory rating (A through G) of a property’s energy efficiency, valid for 10 years. Required to sell or rent a property, included in the listing, and presented at the notary on signing. Buildings with poor ratings (E, F, G) often need significant investment to upgrade.

Cédula de Habitabilidad / Licencia de Primera Ocupación (LPO) — Certificate of Habitability / First Occupancy Licence. Documents confirming the property meets the minimum habitability standards required to be occupied. New-builds need an LPO from the developer; existing properties may need a cédula depending on the autonomous community. Required to set up utilities.

Licencia de Obra — Building Permit. Municipal authorisation for construction or renovation. Licencia de Obra Mayor covers structural work; Licencia de Obra Menor covers minor work. Work done without the required licence creates urbanistic illegality that transfers to the buyer.

Suelo Urbano / Suelo Rústico / Suelo Urbanizable — Urban / Rural / Developable Land. Land classification under Spanish urban planning law. Only urban or urbanizable land can be built on for residential use. Buying a house built on rustic land is one of Spain’s most catastrophic foreign-buyer pitfalls, particularly in coastal and rural areas.

Servidumbre — Easement. A registered right limiting how property can be used (right of way for neighbours, drainage, access). Servitudes appear on the Nota Simple and should be carefully checked.

Comunidad de Propietarios — Community of Owners. The legal association of all owners in a building or development, governed by the Ley de Propiedad Horizontal (LPH). The community handles shared maintenance, lifts, swimming pools, gardens, and security.

Cuotas de Comunidad — Community Fees. The monthly or quarterly contribution each owner pays to the community of owners. Crucially: unpaid community fees from the previous 3 years plus the current year can be claimed against the property under LPH Article 9 — meaning a buyer can inherit thousands in community debt at signing. Always request a certificado de estar al corriente de pagos before completing.

Coeficiente de Participación — Participation Coefficient. Each owner’s percentage share of the community, determining how community costs are allocated. Usually proportional to the surface area of each unit.

Estatutos de la Comunidad — Community Statutes. The community’s own rules — restrictions on short-term rentals, pet policies, façade modifications, use of common areas. Read before buying.

Acta de la Junta — Meeting Minutes. Written record of decisions taken at community general assemblies. Pulling the last 3 years of minutes is essential due diligence — they reveal upcoming extraordinary levies (major works), legal disputes, and recurring issues.

Hipoteca — Mortgage. Standard Spanish mortgages run 20-30 years, with rates around 2.8% in early 2026. Non-resident buyers typically obtain 60-70% LTV (versus 80-90% for residents). The 2019 Mortgage Law shifted most setup costs to the bank.

Tasación — Property Valuation. The bank-appointed appraisal required for a Spanish mortgage. Conducted by an independent licensed appraiser (around €400 cost, paid by the buyer). The appraised value sets the maximum loan amount.

Aval Bancario (mortgage context) — Bank Guarantee. A guarantee from a bank backing a buyer’s mortgage obligations. Distinct from the aval bancario in rental contexts.

Seguro Decenal — Ten-Year Decennial Insurance. Mandatory insurance covering structural defects in new-build housing for 10 years from delivery, under Ley 38/1999 (LOE). Without it, a developer cannot obtain the Licencia de Primera Ocupación. A critical proxy for new-build project legitimacy.

LOE — Ley 38/1999, Ley de Ordenación de la Edificación. Spain’s building regulation law, which establishes the 10/3/1 year insurance framework for new-builds (10-year structural, 3-year systems, 1-year finishings) and the off-plan deposit protection requirements.

Aval Bancario / Seguro Off-Plan — Bank guarantee or insurance covering off-plan property payments. Under Ley 38/1999 (reinforced by Ley 20/2015), developers receiving advance payments must protect them via a bank guarantee or licensed insurance. If the project fails, buyers recover 100% of payments plus interest. Verifying that the guarantee actually exists in your name for the correct amount is critical.

VPO — Vivienda de Protección Oficial (Officially Protected Housing). Government-subsidised housing with price and ownership restrictions. Generally not available to foreigners or for international buyers.

Renting Property

LAU — Ley de Arrendamientos Urbanos. Spain’s Urban Leases Law, the foundational legislation governing residential and commercial leases. Reformed substantially by Ley 12/2023 (Ley de Vivienda) in May 2023, with implementation extending through 2025-2026.

Vivienda Habitual — Primary Residence Lease. A long-term residential lease where the property is the tenant’s main home. Five-year mandatory minimum term when the landlord is an individual; seven-year minimum when the landlord is a company/entity. Strongest tenant protections.

Contrato de Temporada — Seasonal Contract. A lease for temporary, non-residential purposes (study placement, temporary work, holiday rental). Explicitly escapes the five/seven-year LAU protection. The notorious “eleven-month seasonal contract” is the version many landlords offer foreign tenants to bypass tenant rights — see our renting pitfalls article.

Fianza — Legal Security Deposit. The legal deposit a landlord can require on a long-term residential lease, capped at one month’s rent under LAU Article 36. The landlord must deposit it with the regional housing authority within 30 days and return it within 30 days of key handover. After 30 days, the landlord owes legal interest.

Garantía Adicional — Additional Guarantee. The extra security a landlord may request beyond the fianza, capped at two further months’ rent under LAU (post-Ley de Vivienda). Total upfront security maximum: three months’ rent. Anything more is illegal.

Aval Bancario (rental context) — Bank Guarantee. A bank guarantee that freezes 6-12 months of rent in a Spanish account, sometimes accepted by landlords in lieu of an avalista. Cash-flow-heavy but a common solvency proof for foreign tenants without Spanish work history.

Seguro de Impago — Non-Payment Insurance. An insurance policy (€200-400/year typically) that protects landlords against tenant default. Increasingly used as an alternative to aval bancario for foreign tenants. Specialised providers like Finaer verify foreign income and pre-approve tenants within days.

Avalista — Guarantor. A Spanish-resident third party with stable income who co-signs the lease and is jointly liable. The traditional Spanish solvency model — increasingly replaced by seguro de impago for foreign tenants.

IRAV — Índice de Referencia de Arrendamientos de Vivienda. The rent reference index published monthly by Spain’s national statistics office (INE), used to cap annual rent increases on contracts signed after 26 May 2023. As of January 2026, the IRAV cap is 2.14%. Replaces the previous CPI-linked formula and is specifically designed to grow more slowly than CPI.

IPC — Índice de Precios al Consumo (Consumer Price Index). Spain’s headline inflation measure. For contracts signed before 26 May 2023, rent increases were often pegged to IPC. For contracts after that date, IRAV is the legal cap.

Burofax — Certified Postal Service with Content. Spain’s legally-robust method of sending official notices. Records what was sent, when, and to whom. Used for exit notices, complaints about defects, demands for fianza return, and any communication that may need to stand up in court. Email and WhatsApp are not legally equivalent — use burofax for anything that matters.

Inventario (de Entrada / de Salida) — Move-in / Move-out Inventory. The written record of the property’s condition at the start and end of a tenancy, ideally counter-signed by both parties and accompanied by photographs/video. The single most effective tool a tenant has for protecting the fianza at exit.

Suministros — Utilities. Electricity, water, gas, and fibre internet. Tenants typically transfer utility contracts into their name at move-in.

PVPC — Precio Voluntario para el Pequeño Consumidor (Voluntary Price for the Small Consumer). The regulated Spanish electricity tariff, set by the government, often cheaper than free-market (mercado libre) contracts for households with moderate consumption.

Potencia Contratada — Contracted Power. The maximum simultaneous power draw your electricity contract allows, measured in kW. Setting it correctly saves money on standing charges; setting it too low causes breaker trips.

Healthcare

SNS — Sistema Nacional de Salud (National Health System). Spain’s public healthcare system, consistently ranked in the global top ten by the WHO. Universal coverage for those entitled.

SIP — Sistema de Información Poblacional (Population Information System). The public healthcare card used in the Comunidad Valenciana. Each family member has their own SIP card. Issued by the regional health department to those entitled to public healthcare.

Convenio Especial — Special Healthcare Agreement. A voluntary public-healthcare subscription available to legal residents not otherwise entitled (typically NLV holders). Monthly fee of approximately €60/month per adult under 65 and €157/month per adult over 65, with each family member requiring separate enrolment. Available only after 12 continuous months of empadronamiento.

Mutua — Private health insurer. Common Spanish private insurers include Sanitas, Adeslas, DKV, ASISA, Caser, Mapfre. Comprehensive family policies run €1,000-€2,500/year. Required for NLV applicants (no co-pays, no deductibles, no waiting periods, full coverage in Spain).

Tarjeta Sanitaria Europea (TSE) — European Health Insurance Card. Allows EU/EEA citizens temporary access to public healthcare in other EU states. Not a long-term substitute for SIP card registration if you’re a Spanish resident.

Education & Schools

adminova.gva.es — The Comunidad Valenciana’s centralised online portal for public and concertado school admissions. Family applications run through this site during the official admission windows. Cl@ve or Certificado Digital required for submission.

Zona de Influencia — Catchment Area. The geographic area surrounding each public/concertado school. Living within a school’s catchment is the highest-weighted scoring category in the points system — making your address and your school the same decision.

Fase Ordinaria — Ordinary Phase. The main school admissions window, held annually in May for September enrolment. For the 2026-2027 cycle, this ran 7-18 May 2026 for Infantil and Primaria, and 21 May – 1 June 2026 for ESO.

Fase Extraordinària — Extraordinary Phase. The secondary admissions window in July and again in early September, filling places left vacant after the ordinary phase. The route most foreign families relocating mid-year actually use.

Centros Adscritos — Affiliated Centres. Feeder schools where pupils automatically progress between linked institutions. Confirmation for adscribed centres runs in March (9-23 March 2026 for the 2026-2027 cycle), before the ordinary phase.

Sorteo — Lottery. The random draw used to break ties between applicants with identical point totals. The 2026 sorteo was drawn on 21 April 2026 under Decree 48/2024.

Educación Infantil — Pre-school Education. Optional ages 0-6, divided into two cycles. The second cycle (ages 3-6) is free in public schools.

Educación Primaria — Primary Education. Compulsory, ages 6-12.

ESO — Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (Compulsory Secondary Education). Ages 12-16.

Bachillerato — Post-compulsory Secondary. Ages 16-18, leading to university entrance.

Concertado — State-subsidised Private School. Private school partly funded by the state, charging modest fees. Follows the public admissions calendar.

Colegio Privado / Internacional — Private / International School. Fully private schools admitting directly on their own waiting lists, with their own fees, calendars, and curricula.

Covered in depth in our 2026-2027 school year relocation guide and our navigating school admissions article.

Pets & Animal Welfare

Pasaporte para Mascotas — EU Pet Passport. The standardised EU document recording a pet’s identity, vaccinations, and health status. Required for pets travelling within and into the EU. Issued by an authorised veterinarian.

Microchip ISO — The 15-digit ISO-standard microchip required for all dogs and cats in Spain (and the EU). Must be implanted before the rabies vaccination for EU recognition.

Certificado de Salud para Mascotas — EU Health Certificate. Required for pets entering the EU from third countries (US, UK post-Brexit, Canada, etc.). Must be issued by a USDA-accredited (or equivalent) veterinarian within 10 days of travel.

Seguro de Responsabilidad Civil (Mascotas) — Pet Civil Liability Insurance. Mandatory for all dog owners in Spain under the Ley 7/2023 (Animal Welfare Law) in force since September 2023. Typically €60-€150 per year. Covers third-party damage caused by the dog.

Curso de Formación para Propietarios de Perros — Dog Owner Training Course. The free online course all Spanish dog owners must complete under Ley 7/2023. Confirms basic responsible-ownership knowledge.

Key Spanish Laws (2025-2026 Relevant)

Ley 12/2023 (Ley de Vivienda) — Spain’s Housing Law, in force since May 2023. Reformed the LAU substantially: agency fees moved to landlord responsibility, IRAV index replacing CPI for rent increases, fianza and additional-guarantee caps, mandatory five/seven-year minimum terms reaffirmed.

Ley 7/2023 (Animal Welfare Law) — In force September 2023. Requires civil liability insurance for dog owners, mandatory online training course, and stricter protections for pets.

Real Decreto 1155/2024 — Spain’s comprehensive immigration regulation, in force since 20 May 2025. Reinstated the 183-day minimum stay as an NLV renewal condition. Tightened family reunification rules.

Ley Orgánica 1/2025 — In force 3 April 2025. Discontinued the Spanish Golden Visa (residency by investment). Existing holders can renew; no new applications accepted.

Ley 5/2025 — Reformed Valencian Community property transfer taxes. ITP on resale homes drops from 10% to 9% from 1 June 2026. AJD drops from 1.5% to 1.4%.

Ley 10/2010 (Prevención del Blanqueo de Capitales) — Spain’s anti-money-laundering law. Banks, notaries, and lawyers must verify source of funds (AML / KYC) before completing significant transactions. Enforcement tightened significantly in 2025-2026 — funds arriving from abroad are often restricted until source verification is complete.

AML — Anti-Money Laundering. The international regulatory framework for preventing illicit funds entering the financial system. Spanish AML is governed by Ley 10/2010.

KYC — Know Your Customer. The customer-due-diligence process used by banks, notaries, and lawyers to verify identity and the source of funds. Foreign buyers typically need to provide bank statements, employment letters, prior property sale records, or other documentation showing where the purchase funds came from.

LPH — Ley de Propiedad Horizontal (Horizontal Property Law). The Spanish law governing communities of owners — building shared spaces, voting rights, fees, and the famous Article 9 (unpaid community fees follow the property).

LOE — Ley de Ordenación de la Edificación (Building Regulation Law, Ley 38/1999). Establishes the 10/3/1 year insurance framework for new-builds and the off-plan deposit protection requirements.

The Professionals You’ll Work With

Notario — Notary. A public official who certifies signings, not a party representative. See above.

Abogado — Lawyer. A licensed legal professional. In a property purchase or lease, you hire an abogado (or abogada) to represent your interests — review contracts, conduct due diligence, advise on tax. Distinct from the notary.

Registrador — Land Registrar. The official in charge of the Registro de la Propiedad. Issues nota simple extracts and registers deeds.

Procurador — Court Representative. A specialised legal professional handling court filings and procedural representation. Required for most court proceedings in Spain. Works alongside, not instead of, your lawyer.

Gestor / Gestoría — Administrative Manager / Office. A professional or office that handles administrative paperwork — tax filings, vehicle registration, residency renewals. Less specialised than a lawyer, generally cheaper, suitable for straightforward bureaucratic tasks.

Asesor Fiscal — Tax Advisor. A licensed professional handling tax planning and filings. For US expats, a bilingual US-Spain cross-border tax advisor is essential — Spanish residents who are also US citizens have a uniquely complex filing burden.

API — Agente de la Propiedad Inmobiliaria. A licensed Spanish real estate agent. Note: real estate agency in Spain is not as tightly regulated as in some other countries — the API title is a voluntary professional qualification. Many agents operate without it. An API typically represents the seller, not the buyer.

Agente Inmobiliario — Real Estate Agent. General term for a real estate agent. By default, they work for the seller and earn commission on the sale. Buyer’s agents and tenant’s representatives are a distinct concept — and the one we are in our work, representing the buyer or tenant, not taking commission from the seller or landlord.

Relocation Consultant / Asesor de Mudanza — A coordinating professional who handles the full move on the client’s behalf: visa strategy, housing search, school strategy, administrative chain, and post-arrival settling-in. Less common in Spain than in northern Europe or North America, but the role we built Livin’Valencia around.

Arquitecto / Aparejador — Architect / Quantity Surveyor. Required for any new-build project, major renovation, or formal property survey. The aparejador (also called arquitecto técnico) handles the technical execution; the arquitecto handles design and overall responsibility.

Traductor Jurado — Sworn Translator. A translator officially registered with Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC), authorised to produce legally-valid translations of foreign documents into Spanish. Sworn translations are required for almost all foreign documents used in Spain — birth certificates, criminal records, school records, foreign contracts. The seal of a traductor jurado is what gives the translation legal force.

Corredor Hipotecario — Mortgage Broker. A professional who shops your mortgage application across multiple Spanish banks. Often the best path for foreign buyers, since direct bank applications from non-residents can be slow and inconsistent.

Tasador Homologado — Approved Appraiser. An independent licensed appraiser authorised by the Bank of Spain to conduct mortgage valuations.

A few things worth knowing

A relocation to Spain is genuinely one of the most administratively complex moves a Western family can undertake. The terminology in this glossary is the language of that complexity — and learning enough of it to navigate the conversations with confidence is, in our experience, one of the highest-return investments a relocating family can make in the months before arrival.

If you find yourself in a meeting with a notary, a lawyer, an agent, or a town hall clerk, and you don’t recognise a word, stop and ask. Spanish administrative culture is, contrary to its reputation, generally patient with foreigners who genuinely want to understand the process. The mistake is not asking. The right phrase is “¿Puede explicarme qué significa eso?” — and the person across the desk will almost always slow down and walk you through it.

For the architecture of how the terms in this glossary fit together in practice, see:

• Our 2026 relocation costs and process guide for the end-to-end relocation process
• Our 2026 buying property guide for the property purchase process
• Our 12 mistakes to avoid in relocation, buying, and renting articles for the specific landmines each part of the move involves
• Our 2026 NLV guide for the most-used non-EU residency route

Start the conversation

If you’re seriously planning a move to Valencia, the most useful next step is an honest, no-pressure conversation about your situation. We offer that conversation for free, fifteen minutes by video, no pitch.

Book your free 15-minute consultation here →

The glossary above is the vocabulary. The conversations are where it becomes useful. Let us help you navigate both.

Have a term we haven’t covered? Get in touch → — we read every message and add to this glossary as the legal landscape evolves.