How to Get a Spanish Energy Performance Certificate (Certificado Energetico)

What Is the Certificado de Eficiencia Energética?

The Certificado de Eficiencia Energética (CEE) — commonly known as the certificado energético — is Spain's energy performance certificate, equivalent to the UK's EPC. It rates a property's energy efficiency on a scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and has been a legal requirement for all property sales and rentals since June 2013, under Royal Decree 235/2013.

If you're buying a property in Spain, the seller is legally obligated to provide you with a valid energy certificate before completion. The certificate must be included in all property advertising (online listings and estate agent brochures must display the energy rating), and the notary will require its reference number before signing the escritura.

For UK buyers familiar with the EPC system, the Spanish version works in a very similar way — but there are some important differences in how ratings are calculated and what they mean in practice.

The Rating Scale: A to G

Spanish energy certificates use the same A-to-G colour-coded scale as UK EPCs:

• A (dark green): Extremely efficient — near-zero energy consumption. Virtually no existing properties achieve this; it's mainly for new Passivhaus-standard builds
• B (green): Very efficient. Modern new builds with high-quality insulation, double/triple glazing, and efficient heating/cooling systems
• C (yellow-green): Good efficiency. Well-insulated modern properties or comprehensively renovated older buildings
• D (yellow): Average efficiency. Reasonably modern construction (post-2006 building code) with standard insulation
• E (orange): Below average. Very common for properties built between 1980-2006
• F (dark orange): Poor efficiency. Typical of older properties (1960s-1980s) with no insulation and single glazing
• G (red): Very poor efficiency. Oldest properties, no insulation, no improvements. The most common rating for traditional village houses and older coastal apartments

The reality in Spain: The vast majority of resale properties in Spain are rated E, F, or G. Spain's building code (Código Técnico de Edificación) only introduced meaningful energy efficiency requirements in 2006, and most of the housing stock was built before then. Don't be alarmed by an E or F rating — it's typical. A G rating on an older property is common and simply reflects the era it was built in.

By contrast, most new-build properties in Spain achieve a B or C rating thanks to updated building regulations requiring better insulation, efficient HVAC systems, and renewable energy integration.

What the Certificate Contains

A Spanish energy certificate includes more than just the letter rating. The full document contains:

• Overall energy rating: The A-G grade for both energy consumption (kWh/m²/year) and CO₂ emissions (kgCO₂/m²/year). These can be different — a property might be E for consumption but F for emissions
• Building description: Built area, year of construction, orientation, number of floors, type of construction
• Envelope analysis: Assessment of walls, roof, floors, and windows — their insulation values and thermal performance
• Heating and cooling systems: Type and efficiency of any heating, air conditioning, and hot water systems installed
• Recommended improvements: Specific suggestions for improving the property's energy efficiency, with estimated costs and the potential improvement in rating. For example: "Install cavity wall insulation — estimated cost €3,000-€5,000 — would improve rating from G to E"

The recommendations section is particularly useful for UK buyers planning renovations. It gives you a roadmap of the most cost-effective energy improvements and helps you budget for upgrades.

Who Can Issue One

Energy certificates in Spain can only be issued by qualified professionals registered with the relevant autonomous community. Specifically:

• Architects (arquitectos)
• Technical architects (arquitectos técnicos / aparejadores)
• Engineers (ingenieros) and technical engineers (ingenieros técnicos) in relevant specialisations (civil, industrial, mechanical, etc.)

The professional must be a member of their colegio profesional (professional college) and must register the certificate with the regional government's official registry. An unregistered certificate is not legally valid.

To issue a certificate, the professional visits the property (a remote assessment is not valid), measures rooms, inspects the building envelope (walls, windows, roof), examines heating and cooling systems, and inputs the data into approved software (CE3X or CERMA are the most common). The visit typically takes 30-60 minutes for an apartment and 60-120 minutes for a villa.

How Much It Costs

Energy certificate costs in Spain are not regulated — professionals set their own fees, and there's significant variation. Typical costs in 2026:

• 1-bedroom apartment: €100-€150
• 2-3 bedroom apartment: €120-€180
• 3-bedroom villa: €150-€220
• Large villa or finca: €200-€300
• Commercial premises: €200-€400 (more complex calculation)

These prices include the site visit, certificate preparation, and registration with the regional authority. Be wary of very cheap offers (under €80) — they may involve a desktop assessment without a proper site visit, which is not legally valid and can be challenged.

The seller pays for the energy certificate, not the buyer. If you're buying and the seller hasn't obtained one, they must get one before completion. If you're selling your Spanish property in the future, factor this cost into your budget.

Validity and Registration

Key facts about validity:

• Validity period: 10 years from the date of issue. After 10 years, a new certificate must be obtained if the property is sold or rented
• Registration: The certificate must be registered with the regional government's energy certificate registry. Each autonomous community maintains its own registry (e.g., the Junta de Andalucía in Andalusia, the Generalitat Valenciana in Valencia). The registration number must be displayed on property listings
• Renewal: If you make significant energy improvements (new windows, insulation, heating system), you can voluntarily get a new certificate to reflect the improved rating. This can help with resale value
• Exemptions: Some properties are exempt from needing an energy certificate — specifically buildings officially protected for architectural or historic value, places of worship, temporary buildings, industrial or agricultural buildings, and residential properties used for less than 4 months per year (though this exemption is rarely invoked and some regions don't recognise it)

What It Affects: Practical Implications for Buyers

While the energy rating doesn't directly affect the legal purchase process (you can buy a G-rated property without restrictions), it has practical implications:

Purchase Decision

A low energy rating (F or G) tells you the property will have higher running costs for heating and cooling. In southern Spain, air conditioning is the biggest energy expense — an inefficient property could cost €200-€400/month to cool in summer, versus €80-€150 for a well-insulated one. The certificate's recommendations section gives you a renovation budget estimate.

Renovation Planning

If you're planning to renovate, the energy certificate helps prioritise improvements by impact and cost. Common upgrades and their typical effect:

• Double glazing (replacing single-pane aluminium windows): €3,000-€8,000 for a typical apartment. Can improve rating by 1-2 grades
• External wall insulation (SATE/ETICS system): €40-€60/m² of façade. Most effective single improvement. Can improve by 2-3 grades
• Solar panels for hot water: €2,000-€4,000 installed. Often required on new builds anyway
• Efficient air conditioning (modern inverter system): €1,500-€4,000. Replacing old units with modern A+++ systems cuts consumption by 30-50%
• Roof insulation: €20-€40/m². Particularly effective on top-floor apartments and villas with flat roofs

Future Regulations

The EU's Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is pushing towards minimum energy standards for existing buildings. While Spain hasn't yet introduced mandatory minimum ratings for sales (as some countries are considering), this may come in the future. Buying a G-rated property today may mean mandatory upgrades within the next decade. Investing in energy improvements now protects your property's future value and saleability.

Rental Income

If you plan to rent your property (holiday lets or long-term), the energy certificate is required by law for all rental contracts. A better energy rating can be used as a selling point to attract eco-conscious tenants and may justify higher rental prices.

Common Questions from UK Buyers

• Can I buy without an energy certificate? No — the notary requires the certificate reference number to sign the escritura. Some notaries may allow completion without it in exceptional circumstances but this is increasingly rare
• What if the seller refuses to get one? This would be unusual. It's the seller's legal obligation. If they refuse, it suggests either laziness or a desire to hide the property's condition. Proceed with caution
• Can I get a better rating by doing works before I sell? Yes. If you've improved the property's insulation, windows, or heating systems, a new energy certificate will reflect the improvements. Worth doing if the upgrade takes you from G to E or higher
• Does the rating affect my mortgage? Not directly in Spain, though some banks offer slightly better mortgage rates for highly-rated properties (green mortgage products). This trend is growing

The energy certificate is one of the smaller costs in a Spanish property transaction, but the information it provides is genuinely useful for understanding your future running costs and planning any renovation work.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Failing to provide an energy certificate when selling or renting can result in fines. Under Spain's consumer protection regulations, the penalties for advertising or completing a property transaction without a valid energy certificate range from €300 to €6,000, depending on the severity and the autonomous community's enforcement stance. Light infractions (such as advertising without displaying the rating) carry fines of €300-€600. Serious infractions (such as completing a sale without any certificate) can reach €1,000-€6,000.

In practice, enforcement has been inconsistent across Spain, but it is tightening. Notaries increasingly refuse to proceed without a valid certificate registration number, and property portals like Idealista and Fotocasa require the energy rating to be displayed on all listings. As a buyer, you should insist on seeing the certificate before making an offer — it's your right, and it tells you important information about the property's running costs and renovation needs.