Enter the gift details
📊 Calculation breakdown
Spain’s Inheritance and Gift Tax (Impuesto sobre Sucesiones y Donaciones — ISD), in its gift form, applies to transfers of assets or money between living persons without any compensation in return. Whether a parent transfers cash to an adult child, gifts real estate, or passes on a business, the recipient must file the tax with the Autonomous Community where they reside. Just as with inheritance, the regional dimension is decisive: Madrid applies a 99% bonus for direct family (making the tax essentially symbolic), while communities like Asturias and the Balearic Islands apply the full national tariff with no regional relief. A critical additional consideration: the donor may also owe income tax (IRPF) on any capital gain if the gifted asset is worth more now than when they originally acquired it.
🔍 How is Gift Tax calculated in Spain?
The calculation follows five steps:
- Market value of the gift: The higher of the agreed price and the Cadastral Reference Value (for real estate).
- National group reduction: The statutory reduction for the relationship group is applied.
- Gross quota: The taxable base is applied to the progressive tariff (7.65% to 34%).
- Multiplying coefficient: Applied based on the recipient’s pre-existing wealth.
- Regional bonus: If the community provides one, the final percentage reduction is applied.
👪 Relationship groups and national reductions
| Group | Relationship | National reduction |
|---|---|---|
| Group I | Descendants under 21 | €47,858.59 |
| Group II | Descendants ≥ 21, spouse, ascendants | €47,858.59 |
| Group III | Siblings, nephews, uncles, in-laws | €7,993.46 |
| Group IV | Cousins and beyond | None |
Unlike inheritance tax, Gift Tax does not apply the additional per-year age reduction for Group I minors. The base reduction is the same for both Group I and II.
🗺️ Regional bonuses 2026
| Autonomous Community | Groups I & II | Groups III & IV |
|---|---|---|
| Madrid | 99% bonus | No bonus |
| Andalusia | 99% bonus | No bonus |
| Galicia | 99% bonus | No bonus |
| Canary Islands | 99% bonus | No bonus |
| La Rioja | 99% bonus | No bonus |
| Murcia | 99% bonus | No bonus |
| Cantabria | 90% bonus | No bonus |
| Castile-La Mancha | 85% bonus | No bonus |
| Catalonia | 95% bonus | No bonus |
| Aragon | 65% bonus | No bonus |
| Valencia Region | 75% bonus | No bonus |
| Navarre (Foral) | 100% (own foral tariff) | Own foral tariff |
| Basque Country (Foral) | 100% (own foral tariff) | Own foral tariff |
| Asturias | No bonus | No bonus |
| Balearic Islands | No bonus | No bonus |
| Extremadura | No bonus | No bonus |
📝 Worked examples
Example 1: Parent gifts €50,000 cash to adult child in Madrid — Group II
Profile: Ana, 28, receives €50,000 from her father. Both live in Madrid. Ana’s pre-existing wealth: €0.
- Gift value: €50,000
- Group II national reduction: –€47,858.59
- Taxable base: €2,141.41
- National quota: €2,141.41 × 7.65% = €163.82
- Multiplying coefficient (Group II, €0 wealth): ×1.0000
- Madrid regional bonus (99%): –€162.18
- Total due: €1.64
Gifting €50,000 to a child in Madrid costs less than €2 in gift tax.
Example 2: Brother gifts apartment to sister in Asturias — Group III
Profile: Luis, 52, gifts a flat worth €120,000 to his sister Paula. Both live in Asturias. Paula’s pre-existing wealth: €30,000.
- Gift value: €120,000
- Group III national reduction: –€7,993.46
- Taxable base: €112,006.54
- National quota: €14,354.41 (progressive tariff applied)
- Multiplying coefficient (Group III, band 0): ×1.5882
- Full quota: €22,790.33
- Asturias regional bonus: 0%
- Total due: €22,790.33 (19% of the flat’s value)
Additionally, Luis (the donor) may owe IRPF on any gain since his original purchase price.
Example 3: Mother gifts €100,000 to son in Catalonia — Group II
Profile: Beatriz, 60, gifts €100,000 to her son Pablo, 35. Both live in Catalonia. Pablo’s pre-existing wealth: €0.
- Gift value: €100,000
- Group II national reduction: –€47,858.59
- Taxable base: €52,141.41
- National quota: €5,222.01
- Multiplying coefficient: ×1.0000
- Catalonia regional bonus (95%): –€4,960.91
- Total due: €261.10
⚠️ Common mistakes
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Forgetting the donor pays income tax: If a parent gifts a flat originally purchased for €80,000 that is now worth €200,000, the donation triggers a €120,000 capital gain in the parent’s IRPF, taxed at 19%–28%. This can cost the parent €22,800–€33,600 in income tax — often more than the recipient pays in gift tax.
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Not filing within 30 days: Gift Tax must be filed with Form 651 within 30 working days of the gift being formalised. There is no automatic extension (unlike inheritance tax). Late filing triggers surcharges of 5%–20%.
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Confusing which region’s law applies: For cash gifts, the law of the recipient’s region of residence applies. For real estate gifts, it is the region where the property is located. Getting this wrong can mean filing in the wrong region.
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Ignoring the 3-year accumulation rule: Gifts from the same donor to the same recipient in the previous 3 years are added together to determine the applicable tax bracket. Splitting a large gift over two years does not always reduce the tax if the three-year window overlaps.
💼 Special cases
Gifting a family business
Transfers of family business shareholdings qualify for a 95% national reduction on the business value, provided the company meets the conditions for the family business regime (the donor’s primary income source, recipient is a spouse, descendant, or adoptee). This reduction can effectively eliminate gift tax on business succession in all communities.
Gift versus loan between family members
Hacienda scrutinises supposed interest-free family loans. To avoid reclassification as a gift, the loan must be in writing, carry at least the statutory interest rate, and show documented repayments via bank transfer. An undocumented transfer of funds between relatives is presumed to be a gift unless proven otherwise.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Madrid applies a **99% bonus** for Group II (parents to children). On a €50,000 gift, the tax due is under **€2**. On a €200,000 gift, the tax due is under **€20**. Madrid consistently has the lowest gift tax burden for direct family transfers among Spanish regions that apply the common regime. The Basque Country and Navarre have their own foral systems, which are also very favourable for direct family.
Yes, when the asset has increased in value since the donor acquired it. The donor declares the difference between the gift value and their original acquisition cost as a capital gain in their **IRPF**. This gain is taxed at the savings rate: **19%** on the first €6,000, **21%** up to €50,000, and up to **28%** above €300,000. Gifting cash does not trigger this, since cash carries no capital gain. Gifting shares, property, or other appreciated assets nearly always does.
In Madrid, both options carry a 99% bonus for direct family, so the recipient pays similarly little in either case. The decisive difference is the **donor's IRPF**: inheriting property avoids the parent paying income tax on the capital gain (heirs acquire assets at the declared death value with no gain for the deceased). Gifting appreciated real estate while alive typically triggers a significant IRPF bill for the donor. For cash or recently purchased assets, the difference is minimal.
Gifts from the same donor to the same recipient within the **previous 3 years** are combined when calculating the tax on the new gift. For example, if your mother gave you €60,000 in 2023 and now gives you €60,000 in 2026, the second gift is taxed as if it were the top slice of a **€120,000 donation**. This prevents tax savings from splitting large gifts into smaller annual amounts. The rule applies to the net cumulative value, not the individual gift.
The property is valued at the higher of the agreed price in the deed and the **Cadastral Reference Value** set by the Land Registry. If the Catastro values the flat at €180,000 but the deed states €150,000, Hacienda uses €180,000 as the base. The calculation then follows the standard steps: group reduction, progressive tariff, multiplying coefficient, and regional bonus. Additionally, you may owe Municipal Capital Gains Tax (Plusvalía Municipal) in the local municipality.
The deadline is **30 working days** from the date the gift is formalised (the date of the public deed or the private document). Unlike inheritance tax, there is no standard 6-month period or automatic extension. Missing the 30-day deadline triggers a surcharge of 5% (up to 3 months), 10% (3–6 months), 15% (6–12 months), or 20% (over 12 months), plus interest on the outstanding amount.
Yes. Gifts to qualifying non-profit entities under Law 49/2002 (recognised foundations and associations declared of public utility) are **exempt from Gift Tax**. The donor can also deduct **25%–40%** (up to 45% for recurring donors) of the donated amount from their IRPF. The organisation must issue a donation certificate to support the deduction. This makes charitable giving fiscally very efficient compared to gifts to private individuals in high-tax communities.
Significantly more in most communities. Siblings fall in **Group III**, which carries a base multiplying coefficient of **×1.5882** and typically no regional bonus. On a €50,000 gift from sibling to sibling in Asturias, the tax could exceed **€6,000**, compared to less than €2 for the same gift from parent to child in Madrid. In communities without regional bonuses (Asturias, Balearics, Extremadura), the difference between Group II and Group III is particularly stark.