Getting set up: regional registers, training and status

In many countries this lesson would be about one exam and one licence. Spain is different. There is no national licence, but where you work and how you work decide what you must do. Here is the full picture, region by region.

Why there is no national licence

Royal Decree-law 4/2000 (article 3) opened real estate intermediation to anyone, with no title or college membership needed. According to Consumer, the last entry exam for the official Agente de la Propiedad Inmobiliaria (API) title took place on 9 April 2000.

The API title and the Colegios de APIs still exist. Joining is optional. Some agents use membership as a mark of quality, and in Valencia college members fall under their own rules rather than the regional register. Housing is a regional power, so some regions created their own registers. OCU listed Madrid, the Canary Islands and Navarre as regions with a voluntary register in January 2026.

The regions at a glance

Region	Register	Status in October 2026
Catalonia	AICAT register (Law 18/2007, Decree 12/2010)	Mandatory
Valencian Community	RAI register (Decree 98/2022)	Mandatory, some conditions annulled in 2025
Andalusia	Register of Specialised Agents (Law 5/2025)	Created by law, opening not confirmed
Balearic Islands	Official register (Law 3/2024)	Voluntary

Catalonia: AICAT

Anyone who brokers sales or rentals in Catalonia regularly and for pay must register. The Generalitat’s procedure page sets these conditions:

• Training: a related degree (such as law, economics, business, architecture or building engineering), or certificates from recognised courses on real estate subjects. In a company, the directors and the person in charge of each office must meet it.
• An office open to the public, with its licences, unless you work only online.
• Liability insurance of at least €100,000 per claim and €600,000 per year per office, or €150,000 and €1,000,000 online only.
• A guarantee of at least €60,000 per year per office, or €300,000 per agent online only.

You apply online, with the insurance policy, proof of the guarantee and proof of training. There is no fee. Registration is indefinite, so there is no renewal, but you must update your data when anything changes. You then show the official badge and number on your office plate, your stationery and all your advertising.

Valencian Community: Decree 98/2022

The Valencian register has been mandatory since 16 October 2022 for anyone who mediates, advises or manages property sales, rentals, swaps or transfers of rights. Key points from the Generalitat’s FAQ:

• Training: certificates for at least 200 teaching hours on real estate subjects, from public centres, universities or approved centres.
• Each office needs a responsible manager who meets the training rule. One person can supervise no more than three offices.
• Online-only agents need a physical address in the region.
• You apply online.

The 2025 ruling. In January 2025, the High Court of Valencia (TSJCV) partly upheld an appeal by the competition authority CNMC. It annulled the €60,000 guarantee, the €100,000 liability insurance and other requirements. The register itself stayed. The ruling could be appealed to the Supreme Court, so ask the Generalitat what applies on the day you register.

Andalusia: Law 5/2025

Andalusia’s Housing Law 5/2025 creates a Register of Specialised Real Estate Agents of the Residential Sector, which the preamble calls mandatory. Article 52 asks for:

• The API title, a relevant degree, four years of documented experience, or membership of an agents’ college.
• At least 100 hours of specific training in the previous four years, for the business owner and 50% of staff.
• A guarantee or insurance, and a clean record linked to the activity.

A final provision leaves the start of the register to a later step. We could not confirm it was open in October 2026. Keep proof of your experience and training now.

Balearic Islands: a voluntary register

Law 3/2024 created an official register that the Balearic government describes as voluntary. Registered agents must hold training, a guarantee of at least €60,000 per year and insurance of €100,000 per claim and €600,000 per year, and they display a badge and plate.

Step by step

1. Pick your region and model. Office, online only, employee or self-employed.
2. Get your NIE (form EX-15, fee €9.84, see lesson 2).
3. Choose your status.
   • Employee: the agency registers you with Social Security.
   • Autónomo: file the tax census form 036 or 037 with the Tax Agency, then join the self-employed scheme (RETA). New autónomos pay a flat €80 a month for the first 12 months (Billeo); after that, 2026 minimums run from €200 to €590 a month by income band (El Derecho).
4. Do the training your region needs: 200 hours in Valencia, 100 hours in Andalusia once the register opens, recognised courses in Catalonia.
5. Arrange insurance and a guarantee in Catalonia, or in the Balearics if you join.
6. Register online and wait for your number.
7. Show your number on the office, documents and every advert.
8. Keep records updated whenever your office, staff or insurer changes.

If you join an agency, its registration covers staff who only show homes for it. Ask for its number.

Regional rules move fast, so check the official source before you act. Practise in Spain rules training and read How to become a real estate agent in Spain.

This lesson is general information, not legal advice.