Powers of attorney before the Spanish consul
The Spanish consul acts as a notary for residents of their district. Powers of attorney signed there carry the same validity as before a notary in Spain, and for many people it is the only way to have someone settle a matter there without flying over.
The four usual types
The general power lets your attorney do any legally valid act: buy, sell, manage, contract, mortgage, incorporate companies. It is the broadest and deserves careful thought.
The general power for litigation is granted to lawyers and court agents to represent you in any proceedings. The special power for litigation covers one specific case.
The special power covers one or several defined acts: a sale, accepting an inheritance, managing a property. It is what most people need and it carries the least risk.
Booking
By email to the consulate's notary section, giving your full name, attaching the completed form as a PDF and explaining clearly and in detail what the power is for. Without that description the document cannot be drafted.
If your attorney is a lawyer, give their bar association and membership number. And if your lawyer in Spain has drafted the wording, send it: it speeds things up considerably.
- Completed form as a PDF
- A clear description of what the power covers
- Original valid DNI or passport
- Your attorney’s full name and details
- Bar association and membership number, if a lawyer
- Wording drafted by your lawyer in Spain, if you have it
On signing day
You must attend in person, with your original valid DNI or passport. It is not signed by video call or through a representative.
Revoking a power
A power granted before a Spanish consul or notary can be revoked at any time by a deed of revocation, and that deed can be signed at the consular office regardless of where the original was granted.
It is not a step to leave for later: until it is revoked, your attorney can still act.
What honorary consulates do not do
An honorary consulate does not grant powers of attorney. Even with one half an hour from home, for this you go to the consulate general of your district, and sometimes that means crossing several states.
Until you revoke a power of attorney, your attorney can still act.Details verified on 8 September 2026.
consuladosespana.us is a private guide. We do not represent the Spanish State and take no part in any consular procedure.
The information comes from official sources that sometimes disagree with one another, and is reviewed regularly. Confirm before you travel.