Coordination between the Cadastre and the Property Registry

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The law seeks to have the Cadastre and the Property Registry exchange information securely and in both directions, so that property descriptions match and there is more legal certainty.
2. Registered properties must include a georeferenced graphic representation, normally the descriptive and graphic cadastral certification, and the record will state whether the property is graphically coordinated with the Cadastre.
3. Several procedures that previously went to the courts will now be handled by a notary or registrar, such as the dominio expediente to register a property for the first time, boundary proceedings, description corrections and resuming the broken chain of title. Court action remains available if there is opposition.
4. The special procedure that allowed the Catholic Church to register properties is eliminated, as it is now considered unnecessary.
5. A new procedure is created to release encumbrances extinguished by prescription, expiry or non-use, and certain entries can be canceled directly: indefinite censos and foros after 60 years, mortgages with no payment date after 20 or 40 years, and options and rights of first refusal after 5 years.
6. Developable land without detailed planning is classified as rural property and valued according to its location, with a faster simplified collective valuation procedure to update cadastral values.
7. Updating cadastral data is simplified: the notification procedure is expanded for public administrations and public notaries, and anyone listed as a cadastral holder can request removal from the Cadastre if they no longer hold the right.
8. The law enters into force on November 1, 2015, although the Mortgage Law reform on registration by public administrations and the Cadastre reform enter into force the day after publication.

Who it affects

• Owners of properties or apartments: They can add the graphic representation of their property to the Registry, correct descriptions and report changes to the Cadastre with fewer steps.
• People who want to register a property for the first time: They can use a notarial proceeding without going to court, with notifications to neighbors and public notices.
• Public administrations: They can register and operate on their properties through administrative certificates, and must provide planning and farming information to the Cadastre.
• Municipalities: They must make urban plans available to property registrars and supply data to the Cadastre.
• Holders of old encumbrances on properties: Their extinguished encumbrances can be removed from the Registry through the new procedure or directly once the set periods have passed.

Words worth knowing

Catastro (Cadastre)

An administrative register describing properties (size, use, cadastral value), used mainly for tax purposes.

Registro de la Propiedad (Property Registry)

The official register showing who owns each property and what charges or mortgages it has.

Inmatriculación

Registering a property in the Property Registry for the first time in someone's name.

Deslinde

A proceeding to precisely fix the boundaries between a property and its neighbors.

Tracto sucesivo interrumpido

A situation where the Registry does not show the complete chain of ownership transfers of a property.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries