Do I have to pay inheritance tax in Tenerife?

Most close relatives receive a 99.9% inheritance tax reduction in Tenerife. This means spouses, children, parents, siblings and grandchildren usually pay almost no tax.

Do I need to travel to Tenerife to complete an inheritance?

No. Most heirs sign a Power of Attorney and the entire process can be completed without travelling to Tenerife.

How long does Tenerife inheritance take?

Most Tenerife inheritance cases take between 1 and 3 months if the death occurred in Spain, or 3 to 6 months if it occurred abroad.

Can I sell an inherited property in Tenerife?

Yes, but only after the inheritance deed has been signed and the property is registered in the heirs' names. All heirs must agree to the sale.

What documents do I need for a Tenerife inheritance?

You need a death certificate, Certificate of Last Wills, the will (if any), passports, NIE numbers, property deeds, and bank information where applicable.

Why Tenerife Is One of the Best Places in Europe for Estate Planning

Estate planning isn’t exciting. No one ever says it is.
But if you own property in Tenerife, or you’re thinking about buying here, it’s something you should understand properly rather than leave to chance.

The Canary Islands, and Tenerife in particular, offer one of the most favourable estate planning environments in Europe. In many cases, far better than people expect.

Below is a clear explanation of why.

1. A 99.9% reduction in inheritance tax

Let’s start with the headline fact.

In the Canary Islands, close family members benefit from a 99.9% reduction in inheritance tax. For most estates, that means inheritance tax is negligible.

This is a regional benefit and one of the key reasons Tenerife stands apart from mainland Spain and many other European countries, where inheritance tax can still be substantial.

It’s a quiet advantage, but a very real one.

2. A strong and clearly defined legal framework

Spanish inheritance law is established, regulated and clearly structured.

Property ownership, succession rules and estate administration are governed by formal legislation, not local interpretation. When estate planning is done correctly, the process is transparent and predictable.

Most problems arise not because the system is unclear, but because no planning has been done at all.

3. The ability to use your national inheritance law

If you are not Spanish, you are not automatically required to use Spanish inheritance law.

Under EU succession regulations, you can choose to apply the inheritance law of your home country to your Spanish assets. This includes UK, Irish, German and Scandinavian law.

This allows you to decide who inherits what, rather than relying on default rules. For blended families, second marriages or more complex estates, this flexibility is critical.

4. Tenerife is well established for international estates

Tenerife has a long history of international property ownership.

Many families from the UK, Ireland, Germany and Scandinavia already own property here and have long-term ties to the island. As a result, estate planning involving foreign owners is well understood and widely dealt with.

You are not navigating an unfamiliar system. The system is already used to you.

5. Experienced cross-border professionals

Local lawyers and estate planning professionals regularly handle international inheritance cases.

Cross-border estates involving assets in multiple countries are not unusual in Tenerife. They are routine.

This experience makes the estate planning and inheritance process far smoother than in regions where international cases are rare or poorly understood.

Why this matters

When these points are taken together, Tenerife offers a combination that is hard to match:

Almost no inheritance tax for close family members
A regulated and transparent legal system
The option to apply your own country’s inheritance law
Professionals experienced in international estates