Catastro vs Registro de la Propiedad — what's the difference?
The Catastro is Spain's tax-and-physical record of a property (its surface, location and cadastral value), while the Registro de la Propiedad is the legal record of who owns it and what debts it carries — and when they disagree, the Registro governs ownership.
| Catastro | Registro de la Propiedad | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Tax + physical description | Legal ownership + charges |
| Run by | Ministerio de Hacienda (tax) | Ministerio de Justicia |
| Tells you | Surface, use, location, year, cadastral value | Owner, mortgages, liens, easements |
| Used for | IBI property tax; the cadastral reference | Proving ownership; due diligence |
| Key document | Cadastral certificate | Nota simple |
| If they conflict | Describes — can be out of date | Governs who legally owns it |
For a buyer the practical rule is simple: read the nota simple (Registro) to confirm the seller really owns the home free of undisclosed debt, and cross-check the Catastro to confirm the surface and use match the listing.
A mismatch between the two — most often in built surface — is a red flag worth resolving before you pay, because it can signal an unregistered extension.
Checking a specific property?
VeoTrust verifies a listing against the cadastre, the registry, rent-control rules and the real taxes — an honest verdict in minutes.
Related
Sources: Dirección General del Catastro — sede.catastro.gob.es; Colegio de Registradores de España — registradores.org.
Last reviewed June 2026.