ITP in Cantabria 2026: rates, reductions and rebates

Anyone buying a resale (second-hand) home in Cantabria pays the Impuesto sobre Transmisiones Patrimoniales Onerosas (ITP, in its TPO form — the Spanish property transfer tax). It is paid by the buyer and calculated on the value of the home. The general rate is 9%, but hardly any main-residence buyer pays it in full: there is a 7% rate for a main residence and 4% and 3% rates for specific groups.

Very important: Cantabria has just reformed the tax. Ley de Cantabria 5/2026, de 28 de abril, on Tax and Administrative Measures for 2026 (in force since 1 May 2026), introduced two improvements for main-residence buyers: the 7% now applies to the first €300,000 of value (previously it only applied if the home was worth less than €200,000, and exceeding that meant paying 9% on the whole amount — the so-called “cliff-edge” effect), and the 4% rate for young buyers raises the age limit from under 36 to under 40.

Guides published before May 2026 will be out of date on those two points. This article sets out the regime in force today, checked against the consolidated text of Decreto Legislativo 62/2008 in the BOE.

The essentials at a glance

Item	Rule in force in 2026 (since 1-5-2026)
General rate (real estate)	9% (art. 9.1 TR, D. Leg. 62/2008)
Main residence	7% up to €300,000 of value; 9% on the excess (art. 9.2, as worded by Ley 5/2026)
Under-40s, large or single-parent family, disability 33-65%, non-exempt VPO, municipalities at risk of depopulation (main residence)	4% (art. 9.3)
Disability ≥ 65% (main residence)	3% (art. 9.6)
Home for immediate refurbishment	5% (art. 9.4)
Common limit	Reduced rates apply only to the first €300,000 of value; the excess is taxed at 9% (art. 9.7)
Taxable base	The higher of the price and the Catastro reference value (art. 10 TRLITPAJD)
Form and deadline	Modelo 601; 30 working days from the act or contract (ACAT)

When ITP is due (and when it is not)

ITP-TPO applies to purchases of resale homes (for example, between private individuals), as the ACAT (Agencia Cántabra de Administración Tributaria, the Cantabrian tax agency) itself states; new homes are taxed under IVA (Spanish VAT) at 10% plus AJD (stamp duty). The buyer pays. If you buy from a business a property exempt from IVA without a waiver of the exemption, the rate is 4% (art. 9.5 TR), a mainly business scenario. Cantabria has no special rate for purchases of homes by real estate companies for resale.

The taxable base: the Catastro reference value

Since 2022 the taxable base has been the Catastro reference value (valor de referencia) at the accrual date; if the price or the declared value is higher, the highest amount is used. Where there is no reference value, the base is the highest of the declared value, the price and the market value (art. 10 TRLITPAJD, RDLeg. 1/1993, as worded by Ley 11/2021). Check it before signing: if it exceeds the price, you will be taxed on it.

The general rate: 9%

The general rate for transfers of real estate is 9% (art. 9.1 of the consolidated text approved by D. Leg. 62/2008, as worded by Ley 3/2023, in force since 2024). It applies to second homes, stand-alone garages and, in general, any purchase that does not fit a reduced rate.

Reduced rates in force in 2026

Common rules (arts. 9.7, 9.9 and 14 TR): the reduced rates — except that of art. 9.5 — apply only to the first €300,000 of the property’s value; the excess is taxed at 9%. They must be expressly claimed in the deed (or in a correction within 3 months of the end of the self-assessment period), with certification proving the circumstances. If the requirements are later breached, the tax must be regularised within one month with late-payment interest. Registered unmarried couples are treated as spouses (disposición adicional segunda TR).

Main residence (any buyer): 7% up to €300,000

(art. 9.2 TR, as worded by Ley 5/2026, in force since 1-5-2026)

• Transfers of homes (and purchase promises or options) that will be the buyer’s main residence.
• Schedule: 7% up to €300,000 of value and 9% on the bracket above. Example: a €350,000 main residence → 300,000 × 7% + 50,000 × 9% = €25,500.

Under-40s: 4%

(art. 9.3.c TR, as worded by Ley 5/2026)

• Being under 40 on the purchase date (until 30-4-2026 the limit was 36).
• Main residence. If several people buy and only some meet the age requirement, the 4% applies to the proportional share of those who do.

Large families and single-parent families: 4%

(art. 9.3.a TR)

• Holding large-family status (or being the holder’s spouse) or single-parent family status recognised under Decreto 26/2019 of Cantabria.
• Main residence.

People with a disability between 33% and 65%: 4%

(art. 9.3.b TR)

• Degree of disability of 33% or more and below 65%. In purchases of undivided shares it is enough for a buyer with a disability to acquire at least the percentage equivalent to a life usufruct (art. 26 de la Ley del ISD; 50% is sufficient if the usufruct exceeds that percentage) for the 4% to cover all buyers.

Publicly protected housing and municipalities at risk of depopulation: 4%

(art. 9.3.d and e TR)

• VPO (officially protected housing) not covered by the exemption of art. 45 del TRLITPAJD.
• Homes located in municipalities included in the order delimiting Cantabria’s municipalities at risk of depopulation.

People with a disability of 65% or more: 3%

(art. 9.6 TR)

• Main residence; degree ≥ 65% under the Social Security scale. Same undivided-share rule as for the 4%.

Home for immediate refurbishment: 5%

(art. 9.4 TR, as worded by Ley 5/2026)

• The deed must record that the home will be refurbished immediately.
• Cost of the works of at least 25% of the purchase price (excluding deductible IVA); works completed within 18 months of accrual; residential use maintained for at least 3 years after the works.
• Within the month following those 18 months, the works licence or responsible declaration and the list of invoices must be filed; payments must be traceable (card, bank transfer, nominative cheque or deposit into account): cash does not count. Since the reform in force from 1-5-2026, tourist-use homes regulated by Decreto 50/2025 are excluded from this reduced rate.

Companies owned by young entrepreneurs: 3%

(art. 9.8 TR): purchase of property by companies wholly owned by people under 36 with their tax domicile in Cantabria, for a registered office or workplace kept for 5 years. This is a business incentive, not a housing one.

Rebates and deductions on the tax due

For a private home purchase there are no general rebates or deductions on the tax due: the advantages are structured as reduced rates. Two minor cases remain: the deduction of the prior-valuation fee where an asset valued by an official expert is bought declaring at least that value (art. 9.11 TR), and a 99% rebate reserved for the regional public sector. The 99% rebate on tenancies (art. 15 TR) relates to renting, not buying.

How to pay: form and deadline

In Cantabria the ITPAJD is self-assessed using modelo 601 (form 601 — not the modelo 600 used in other regions), either online through the ACAT’s Oficina Virtual or in person. The deadline is 30 working days from the act or contract, according to the ACAT; filing late incurs surcharges and interest. You must provide the deed, your tax ID (NIF) and, if you claim a reduced rate, the supporting documentation (large-family certificate, disability certificate referring to the Social Security scale, etc.).

Applicable legislation (official links)

• Consolidated text of the Law on Tax Measures concerning devolved taxes of Cantabria (D. Leg. 62/2008), consolidated: https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOCT-c-2008-90028 (arts. 9 and 14; amended by Ley de Cantabria 5/2026, de 28 de abril, BOE-A-2026-10431)
• State TRLITPAJD (taxable base and general rules): https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-1993-25359
• ACAT — Property transfers (modelo 601, deadline, documentation): https://www.agenciacantabratributaria.es/tributos/transmisiones-patrimoniales-y-actos-juridicos-documentados/transmisiones-patrimoniales
• Ministry of Finance, «Tributación Autonómica. Medidas 2026», Chapter IV: https://www.hacienda.gob.es/sgfal/financiacionterritorial/autonomica/capitulo-iv-tributacion-autonomica-2026.pdf