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.

Tenerife Probate Timeline: How Long Does Inheritance Take?

One of the first questions families ask is:

“How long is this going to take?”

The honest answer is… it depends.

Most Tenerife inheritances follow the same legal stages. Some move quite quickly, others take longer, especially when heirs live abroad or documents need translating.

But in general, the timeline tends to look something like this.

Weeks 1–4: Gathering the Paperwork

The first stage is simply collecting the necessary documents.

That usually includes:

Death certificate
Certificate of Last Wills
A copy of the will
Passports and NIE numbers for the heirs
Property deeds or a recent Nota Simple

If the death occurred outside Spain, the documents will normally need apostilles and official translations, which can add a little extra time.

Months 1–3: Preparing the Inheritance Deed

Once the paperwork is ready, the notary prepares the inheritance deed.

At this stage:

The heirs are confirmed
Property values are checked
Any mortgages or debts attached to the property are verified

It’s mostly administrative work, but it needs to be done properly before anything can be signed.

Months 3–4: Signing at the Notary

Next comes the key step.

The heirs sign the inheritance deed in front of a Spanish notary. If they live abroad, they can give Power of Attorney so a lawyer signs on their behalf.

Once this document is signed, ownership of the property legally transfers to the heirs.

Months 4–5: Filing the Taxes

Even though inheritance tax in the Canary Islands is often very small, the declaration still has to be filed.

At this stage:

Inheritance tax (Modelo 650) is submitted
Plusvalía Municipal is paid to the town hall

Without these filings, the process can’t move forward.

Months 5–6: Updating the Land Registry

The final step is registering the property in the heirs’ names at the Land Registry.

Once that’s done:

The property officially appears in the new owners’ names
Banks can release inherited funds if accounts were frozen

Typical Total Timeline

For most Tenerife inheritances, the whole process takes somewhere between two and six months.

Delays usually happen when:

Documents are missing
Foreign paperwork needs legalisation or translation
Heirs live in different countries and signatures take time

With the paperwork organised from the start, things tend to move along fairly smoothly.