Tax Guide for French Property Owners in Spain — Modelo 210 and the Franco-Spanish Treaty

France ranks among the top nationalities purchasing property in Spain, accounting for 6.5% of all foreign purchases. If you are French and own property in Spain, you have specific tax obligations in both countries.

Tax Obligations in Spain

As an EU citizen, French property owners benefit from favourable tax conditions:

• Reduced tax rate of 19% (instead of 24% for non-EU residents)
• Expense deductions on rental income (mortgage interest, community fees, insurance, IBI, repairs)
• Filing via Modelo 210

Imputed income

For empty properties: 1.1% of cadastral value (if revised after 2012) or 2%, taxed at 19%.

Rental income

Quarterly filing at 19% on net income (after deductible expenses).

Capital gains

The buyer withholds 3%. The seller pays 19% on the net gain.

The Franco-Spanish Double Taxation Agreement

The bilateral treaty signed on 10 October 1995 prevents double taxation. Key points:

• Spain has the primary right to tax property income from Spanish sources
• France grants a tax credit for Spanish taxes paid
• Spanish income must be declared in France using Form 2047

French Tax Return: Form 2047

French property owners must declare their Spanish property income on their French income tax return using Form 2047 (Revenus encaisses a l'etranger). The tax paid in Spain is deducted as a tax credit.

EU Advantages

• 19% rate (vs. 24% for non-EU residents)
• Ability to deduct expenses from rental income
• Benefits of the double taxation agreement
• Free movement of capital within the EU

At SpainTaxForm, we help French property owners manage their Modelo 210 filing 100% online and provide the documentation needed for your French tax return.

Sources

• 1AEAT — Non-Resident Income Tax (IRNR)
• 2Franco-Spanish Double Taxation Agreement (1995)
• 3Direction Generale des Finances Publiques — Form 2047
• 4General Council of Notaries — Statistics 2025