Folio 05 · a local guide
Buying a home in Marbella, and where the NIE fits
In a Marbella purchase the NIE comes first: the bank and the notary both ask for it before the deed is signed, and it appears at nearly every later stage. The rest follows Spanish conveyancing practice: an agreement to reserve, checks on the property, the deed before a notary, then the registration of the new owner.
Enquire about this
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The order of a purchase
A buyer who does not live in Spain requests the number on form EX-15, from a police office of the province or from a Spanish consulate before travelling.
- Reservation of the property, often with a deposit and a private agreement
- Checks by your lawyer, including the nota simple from the land registry
- The NIE for each buyer, if one has not been assigned already
- A Spanish bank account, and the mortgage offer if you borrow
- Signature of the escritura, the deed, before a notary
- Registration of the deed, then the change of name for the IBI property tax, the utilities and the community of owners
The areas, briefly
Marbella runs along the coast. The old town and the centre gather around Plaza de los Naranjos; the Golden Mile and Nagüeles lead towards Puerto Banús, with Nueva Andalucía behind the port; San Pedro Alcántara and Guadalmina lie to the west, Elviria, Las Chapas, Cabopino and Altos de los Monteros to the east. Benahavís, Ojén and Istán sit inland, Estepona and Mijas on either side, each with a town hall of its own.
With the keys in hand
If you will live in the property, the next step is the empadronamiento at a town hall office. For owners, Marbella’s portal for foreign residents lists the deed, a valid nota simple or the latest IBI bill as proof of the address. Residence at the police follows, for those who need it.
In Marbella
In Marbella, buyers sign with a notary in the town and, if they will live in the property, register on the padrón at the office for their area: the old town, San Pedro Alcántara, Nueva Andalucía or Las Chapas. The NIE request can be made at the Comisaría on Avenida Arias de Velasco, or at a consulate before you travel.
Policía Nacional · Marbella
Comisaría de Marbella
Avenida Arias de Velasco 25, 29600 Marbella (Málaga)
NIE certificates and assignment, EU registration (régimen comunitario), TIE issuance, return authorisations, letters of invitation, nationality reports.
- Telephone
- 952 867 241
policia.es gives 952 867 241 for its foreigners’ unit and 952 762 600 in the general police directory. It publishes no opening hours: the time on your cita previa confirmation is the one to follow.
Open in Maps (Comisaría de Marbella) Its entry on policia.es
Questions
Should I obtain the NIE before reserving?
If you can, yes. A reservation can sometimes be signed without it, the deed cannot, and having the number early keeps every later date in your hands.
Do you handle the purchase itself?
No. The purchase is the work of your lawyer, the notary and the bank. We look after the NIE and the residence steps around it.