New asbestos certificate in Catalonia: what you need to sell or rent a property

Since 3 October 2026, Law 8/2026 of 2 July on the eradication of asbestos has introduced the Certificate of Presence or Absence of Asbestos in Catalonia for certain property transactions.

The measure particularly affects properties built before 2002, when the marketing of asbestos-containing materials was prohibited.

What is the certificate of presence or absence of asbestos?

It is a technical document intended to inform buyers or tenants about the possible presence of asbestos-containing materials in a property.

Until the implementing regulations for Law 8/2026 are approved, the Waste Agency of Catalonia (Agència de Residus de Catalunya) has published a basic model for the “Certificate of Presence or Absence of Visible Asbestos”.

At present, the certificate must provide, at a minimum, information on the presence or absence of visible asbestos, the condition of any materials detected and the potential risk they may pose to people.

Which properties require the certificate?

The requirement applies to properties built before 2002 that are subject to a sale or rental transaction.

Furthermore, the fact that a home or commercial property has been completely renovated does not, in itself, remove this requirement: the determining criterion remains the original age of the property.

Is asbestos sampling and analysis necessary?

Not necessarily. Under the current transitional arrangements, the basic certificate is issued following an on-site visual inspection of accessible spaces and building elements. The inspection is visual and does not require opening up building elements, taking samples or carrying out laboratory tests in order to issue the certificate.

If potentially asbestos-containing materials are identified during the inspection and their composition cannot be confirmed visually, the technician may record this circumstance and recommend specific testing where necessary.

What happens if some areas cannot be inspected?

The certificate may still be issued even if certain areas are inaccessible. In such cases, the scope of the inspection must be clearly defined. The certificate applies exclusively to the areas inspected and to visible and accessible materials, without ruling out the possible existence of concealed materials..

Do I need to inspect the entire building if I am selling an apartment or commercial property?

No. When the transaction concerns only an individual unit —for example, an apartment, office or commercial premises— the certificate applies only to that unit and does not need to cover all of the building’s common elements.

This is particularly relevant in older buildings in Barcelona, where communal elements such as fibre-cement drainage pipes or roofing may be present.

What happens if asbestos is found?

At present, and until the implementing regulations are introduced, the certificate may be issued by the professionals covered by Spain’s Building Regulation Act (Ley de Ordenación de la Edificación): architects, technical architects, engineers and technical engineers, within their respective professional competencies.

What happens if asbestos is found?

The detection of an element suspected of containing asbestos does not, in itself, prevent the property from being sold or rented.

The certificate primarily has an informative purpose: to report its presence, its state of conservation and the potential risk to people.

Furthermore, the presence of asbestos does not necessarily mean that there is an immediate danger. Asbestos-containing materials can pose a risk particularly when they are deteriorated or handled improperly.

Asbestos certificate in Barcelona

Do you need an asbestos certificate to sell or rent your property?

At ANAPAEZ, we carry out on-site inspections and issue Certificates of Presence or Absence of Visible Asbestos in Barcelona and the surrounding metropolitan area.

Contact us to request a quote or arrange an inspection visit.

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