Doing business in Spain without boarding a plane: a legal roadmap for UK companies (and for Spanish companies in the UK)
Buying property in Spain: what every international buyer should know
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Buying a boat in Spain: taxes, flags and registration rules
Spain registered 4,371 leisure boats between January and August 2026, 7% more than a year earlier, according to the industry association ANEN. Large boats lead the growth. Registrations of boats over 16 metres rose by 66%.
The Valencia Boat Show opens on 28 October at Marina Port Valencia with 95% of its space booked. Many contracts will be signed there in five days. These are the legal points to settle before you sign.
The Spanish maritime authority has published a draft Royal Decree on flagging and registration. Public consultation runs until 20 October 2026. Two changes matter for buyers:
- Boats up to 8 metres, for private use and with CE marking: registration by simple declaration, with the certificate issued automatically.
- Boats over 8 metres: the owner may sail provisionally once the application is filed online, instead of leaving the boat idle for weeks.
The text can still change. Until it is approved, a newly bought boat may not sail before registration is complete. Plan the handover date with that in mind.
Which tax applies to your purchase
The registration tax surprises most foreign owners. It is not only due on Spanish-flagged boats. A Spanish tax resident who uses a foreign-flagged boat in Spain is also liable.
The charter exemption is lost if the owner uses the boat privately. The tax office checks this.
British owners after Brexit
A boat that was in the UK when the transition period ended no longer counts as VAT-paid in the EU. Owners who live outside the EU may keep a non-EU boat in EU waters for up to 18 months under temporary admission.
That relief ends if the owner becomes resident in Spain. VAT and registration tax can then fall due together. Take advice before you move, not after.
What to check before you buy
- Title and charges: Ask for a registry extract. Mortgages and maritime liens follow the boat, not the seller.
- VAT status: Ask for the original invoice or proof of VAT payment in the EU.
- CE documents: Declaration of conformity and owner's manual. Without them, registration in Spain is slow and costly.
- The berth: A berth in a Spanish marina is usually a concession with an end date, not property. Check how many years remain.
- Survey and sea trial: Make the contract conditional on both.
- Payment: Use an escrow account or pay against delivery of title documents.
Ahuir Law advises buyers, sellers and charter operators on yacht transactions in Valencia and the Balearics.
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