Municipal capital gains tax (plusvalía) in 2026: the two calculation methods
How Spain's municipal plusvalía is calculated when selling a home: objective and real methods, cases with no gain and what happened to the 2026 coefficients.
1 min read
Data and events refer to: February 2026.
The municipal plusvalía taxes the rise in value of urban land when a property changes hands. The seller normally pays it, to the town hall.
Why there are two methods
Constitutional Court ruling 182/2021 struck down the previous compulsory system. Since Royal Decree-Law 26/2021, you can choose whichever is more favourable.
- Objective: cadastral land value multiplied by a coefficient based on years of ownership.
- Real: the difference between purchase and sale values, in the proportion belonging to the land.
If you made no gain
If you can prove the land did not gain value, the tax is not due. Keep the purchase and sale deeds.
The 2026 coefficients
An update was published at the end of 2025, but Royal Decree-Law 16/2025 was not validated. The Madrid regional gazette records that the update was left without effect. Check with your town hall which ones it applies.
Practical advice
- Calculate with both methods before filing.
- Check the local bylaw: each town hall sets its own rate.
- Mind the deadline: 30 working days for sales.
- This tax is separate from income tax on the sale.
