Property purchase and military authorizations in the Canary Islands

Filed under : Property, Tenerife Office

Vera Liprandi, Partner at the Tenerife office of De Cotta Law

Since 1st January 2021 British citizens who wish to buy or inherit rustic land in the Canary Islands must obtain a military authorization, in accordance with an old law applicable to non-EU citizens and companies. This regulation affects more than 1,500 municipal areas in Spain, and due to Brexit, the law became applicable to British citizens as well. Initially, it also affected some urban properties, but the authorities later clarified that urban properties not located in border aareas or areas with special military planning are exempt from this outdated requirement.

  • A criminal record certificate with The Hague Apostille and sworn translation
  • A notarized copy of the buyer’s passport
  • A location map and property plan
    This regulation originally applied to all foreign individuals and companies, including
    Spanish companies with over 50% foreign ownership. However, EU and Schengen
    citizens/companies were later exempted. We hope that Spain and the UK will reach a
    similar agreement in the future, as this is an outdated and burdensome regulation for many
    buyers.
    At De Cotta Law, we are fully equipped to assist you with this process, we offer in-person
    legal support and can guide you through the military authorization process and all aspects
    of property acquisition. For assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us by email at [email protected] or [email protected] or call us on +34 922 719520.