25 10 月, 2025

Buying a Company in Spain: Key Steps, Benefits, and Legal Nuances

1. Why Choose Spain for Business

Spain is one of Europe’s most attractive destinations for entrepreneurs — offering a strategic location, EU access, and a favorable business environment for both residents and foreigners.
Buying an existing SL (Sociedad Limitada) company can help you start operations quickly, without waiting for weeks of new registration procedures.

The process is transparent, legally protected, and suitable for international investors.

2. What Is an SL Company

The SL (Sociedad Limitada) is Spain’s equivalent of the German GmbH — a limited liability company.
It’s the most popular business structure for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Key characteristics:

  • Minimum share capital: €3,000
  • Shareholders’ liability is limited to their investment
  • Can have one or more owners (including foreigners)
  • Requires a registered Spanish address
  • Can be used for trade, logistics, import/export, or services

✅ Advantage:
An SL company gives you immediate access to EU markets, tax numbers, and Spanish banking systems.

3. Why Buy a Ready-Made Company Instead of Registering a New One

Setting up a new SL from scratch in Spain can take 4–8 weeks, depending on bank verification and tax activation.
Buying an existing ready-made company allows you to start within days.

Main advantages:

  • Already registered and verified by notary
  • Has tax and VAT numbers (CIF/NIF)
  • Can have a working bank account
  • No debts or liabilities
  • Immediate transfer of ownership

For investors and importers, this approach saves time and reduces bureaucratic complexity.

4. Legal Procedure: Step-by-Step

The process of acquiring an SL company in Spain follows clear legal steps:

1️⃣ Due Diligence
Check company documents — ensure there are no debts, lawsuits, or unpaid taxes.

2️⃣ Prepare Power of Attorney (if remote)
If you are abroad, you can authorize a representative to sign at the notary on your behalf.

3️⃣ Notarial Sale and Transfer
The notary (notario) drafts the share transfer agreement (Escritura de Compraventa de Participaciones Sociales).
Both seller and buyer (or representatives) sign it.

4️⃣ Registry Update
The notary files the ownership change to the Mercantile Registry (Registro Mercantil).

5️⃣ Bank and Tax Updates
You’ll update the company’s tax data, bank signatories, and registered address if necessary.

⏱ Timeline: 5–10 days for ready-made companies.

5. Taxes and Obligations

Spanish companies are subject to the following taxes:

  • Corporate tax (Impuesto de Sociedades): 25% (15% for new companies in first 2 years)
  • VAT (IVA): 21%
  • Withholding tax: 19–24% (depending on recipient’s residency)

Companies must also submit annual financial statements and pay social contributions if they employ staff.

However, for holding or import/export structures, obligations are minimal and easy to manage with local accountants.

6. Required Documents

To purchase a Spanish company, you’ll need:

  • Passport or national ID
  • NIE number (foreign tax ID, can be arranged remotely)
  • Power of attorney (if not attending personally)
  • Buyer’s address and contact details

The seller provides:

  • Certificate of incorporation
  • Notarial deed (Escritura)
  • CIF/NIF number
  • Confirmation of clean status (no debts)

7. Bank Account and Payments

Most ready-made companies already have a bank account in BBVA, Santander, CaixaBank, or Sabadell.
After transfer, the new owner must undergo bank verification (KYC).

If you buy remotely, your consultant can assist with this — most banks accept notarized and apostilled copies of documents.

💡 Tip:
Foreign owners often prefer BBVA or CaixaBank due to English support and flexible online banking.

8. Cost of Buying a Company in Spain

Typical market price:

  • Clean SL company: €3,000–4,000
  • Notarial and registration costs: €2,000–2,500
  • Optional legal & accounting service: from €500/month

Total investment: around €5,000–6,000, which is much faster and easier than registering from zero.

9. Benefits of Working Through Consultants

Professional agencies simplify the entire process — they handle:

  • legal verification,
  • notarial coordination,
  • tax and accounting setup,
  • communication with banks and registries.

This saves you from paperwork and ensures everything is done according to Spanish and EU law.

10. Conclusion

Buying a company in Spain is a safe, transparent, and fast way to start your European business.
Whether you plan to trade electronics, manage logistics, or enter the EU market, a ready-made SL company offers all the tools to begin immediately.

With professional assistance, you can own a legal Spanish entity in just a few days — with bank account, VAT number, and documents fully ready for business.

📞 Need a ready-made Spanish company?
We offer clean SL companies with tax numbers and notarial transfer — ready for international use.