Aside from Capital Gains, Wealth and Inheritance Taxes, non residents must pay tax on any income that arises in Spain. Income tax for non-residents is charged at a fixed rate of 19% if you are a resident in an EU or EEA country, and for non-residents from the rest of the world the rate is 24%.
Non-Residents Property Tax on No Income
If you own a property in Spain and earn rental income from it, then this has to be declared. What many non-resident owners of property in Spain are not aware of, is that they are also required to pay tax, regardless of whether the property is let out or not!
This tax is often referred to as an imputed income tax. Spanish tax legislation for some reason assumes that a non-resident owner derives some sort of benefit from owning property, whether true or not, and provides a system to tax it.
How Is'Imputed' Non-Resident Property Tax Calculated?
The tax is calculated using the cadastral value of the property. The tax base is either 2% or 1.1% if the cadastral value has been revised since 1st January 1994.
Example:
Cadastral value of property (pre 1994) = €300,000
Base = €6,000
Tax (EU/EEA resident = 19% x €6,000 = €1,140
For tax purposes couples or joint owners will be treated as separate taxpayers and be required to file separate tax returns. Property tax can therefore be split among co-owners.
How And When Do I Declare Property Income And Pay Tax
If you are non-resident in Spain, but own a holiday home or a property that you don’t rent out, you have until the last working day of the month of December to file your tax return – or Modelo 210, as it’s known. This tax payable will cover the full fiscal year from 1st January to 31st December, unless you acquired the property part way through the year, in which case the tax will be prorated.
If you do receive rent from the property, then you are required to complete the Modelo 210 quarterly to declare the income.
Resident or Non-Resident for Tax in Spain?
You are considered to be tax resident in Spain if any of the following apply:
- You have spent more than 183 days in Spain within a single calendar year
- Your main economic activity is in Spain, e.g. you are employed or self employed, run a business or company in Spain
- Your spouse or dependent children live in Spain
It is important to understand whether you are classed as resident for tax purposes in Spain, as Spanish tax residents are required to pay income tax on their worldwide income. Non-residents on the other hand are only required to pay tax on income arising in Spain, e.g. rental income from a Spanish holiday home.
If you are unsure about your situation regarding Non-Resident Property Tax in Spain, get in touch. You can call us on (+34) 951 77 55 44 / (+44) 033 0001 0777. We’ll be more than happy to answer your questions and offer you some free guidance.