What is Modelo 210?
Modelo 210 is the return for Spain's Non-Resident Income Tax (IRNR — Impuesto sobre la Renta de no Residentes), required by the AEAT from foreign owners of Spanish real estate — both for actual rental income and for the imputed income covering periods when the property sits empty.
Its legal basis is Royal Legislative Decree 5/2004 of 5 March, the consolidated IRNR law. The actual form was approved by Order EHA/3316/2010 of 17 December and is filed exclusively online through the Spanish Tax Agency's electronic office (sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es).
Unlike IRPF — the income tax paid by Spanish tax residents — IRNR is a separate tax for those who are not Spanish tax residents. The obligation arises from the mere fact of obtaining income from Spanish-located real estate, regardless of the owner's nationality or country of residence.
Who must file Modelo 210?
Any natural or legal person who is not a Spanish tax resident and owns property located in Spain. The obligation applies whether the property is rented out or empty.
Non-resident status is determined by art. 9 of the Spanish Income Tax Law: less than 183 days per year in Spain, no economic centre in Spain, and no resident spouse / minor children based in Spain. Any Dutch, German, British or French owner of a second home in Spain is, by default, not a Spanish tax resident.
An important nuance: residency is determined per person, not per marriage. It is possible for one spouse to be a Spanish tax resident and the other not — in that case each files according to their own status.
- European owners with a second home (Costa Blanca, Costa Brava, Costa del Sol, Mallorca and the Balearics).
- Private non-resident investors who let to tourists or by season.
- Foreign companies owning real estate in Spain (with additional company-specific rules).
- Non-resident heirs who have acquired a property in Spain.
EU vs. non-EU: the most important distinction
Residents of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway pay 19% on NET income (deductions allowed). Residents of non-EU countries — including the United Kingdom since Brexit — pay 24% on GROSS income with no deductions whatsoever.
This asymmetry is the cornerstone of IRNR planning. A German owner with €15,000 gross annual income and €5,000 of expenses pays 19% on €10,000 = €1,900. A British owner in the same situation pays 24% on €15,000 = €3,600 — nearly double.
Brexit reclassified the UK as a third country for IRNR purposes. British owners who previously paid 19% with deductions were moved, as of 1 January 2021, into the non-EU regime: 24% on gross, no deductions. It is one of the least-discussed fiscal consequences of Brexit for Spanish real estate.
| Residency | Rate | Tax base | Deductible expenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU / EEA (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway) | 19% | Net income | Yes (interest, IBI, community fees, insurance, 3% depreciation, repairs) |
| Rest of the world (UK, USA, Switzerland etc.) | 24% | Gross income | No — flat rate on income with no deduction allowed |
Which expenses can I deduct as an EU resident?
Expenses directly linked to obtaining rental income, prorated by the number of rented days within the quarter. The 3% depreciation on building value (excluding land) is the most under-used deduction.
The list is not open-ended. Each expense must be supported by a named invoice, bank transfer, and time-proportional allocation. If the property was rented 60 days during the quarter and you have an annual community fee invoice, only 60/365 of that fee is deductible.
Since Order HAC/623/2026, the Modelo 210 itself also requires deductible expenses to be itemised per property: if you declare several properties, each one carries its own expense breakdown in the return.
- Mortgage interest on the property (not principal repayment).
- IBI (Spanish property tax) — for the current year.
- Municipal waste collection fee.
- Community of owners fees (including extraordinary levies).
- Repair and maintenance — paint, plumbing, replacement of broken appliances. NOT improvements (new air conditioning, full renovation).
- Utilities (electricity, water, gas, internet) prorated by rented days.
- Home and rental insurance.
- Gestor or rental agency fees.
- Platform commissions (Airbnb, Booking).
- Depreciation: 3% per year on the higher of (a) construction cost or (b) cadastral value excluding land.
When is Modelo 210 filed?
For rental income accrued from 1 January 2024, quarterly filing has been abolished: you either group all the year's rental income into one return — for income from 2026 onwards filed between 1 and 20 April of the following year (Order HAC/623/2026); up to income year 2025 the window was 1-20 January — or file one return per individual rent payment received. Imputed income on empty property remains annual, due by 31 December of the following year.
Order HFP/1338/2023 of 13 December amended Order EHA/3316/2010 and eliminated the quarterly grouping of Modelo 210 for rental income accrued from 1 January 2024. Since then, a non-resident landlord has two modalities: group all rental income for the calendar year into a single self-assessment filed between 1 and 20 January of the following year (the window that applied up to income year 2025), or file a separate self-assessment for each accrual (each rent payment). In practice, virtually every gestor uses annual grouping.
Order HAC/623/2026 of 17 June (BOE of 23 June 2026) amends forms 210, 211 and 213 again, with three key changes: (a) deductible expenses must now be itemised per property within the return itself, (b) the filing window for rental-income returns with tax due moves to 1-20 April of the following year — already applicable to income accrued in 2026, so the next return is filed in April 2027 — and (c) the new forms apply from 1 January 2027. With direct debit the window closes a few days earlier (under HFP/1338/2023 that was the 15th).
Requirements for annual grouping: income must come from the same taxpayer, same payer, same tax rate, and same property. If you have different tenants or multiple properties, you file one grouped return per property + payer combination.
| Income type | Frequency | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Rental — annual grouping (standard since 2024) | Annual | Income from 2026 onwards: 1-20 April of the following year (with direct debit the window closes a few days earlier); up to income year 2025: 1-20 January |
| Rental — per-accrual filing (exceptional) | Per payment | 20 calendar days from each rent received |
| Imputed income (empty property) | Annual | Calendar year following accrual — until 31 December |
| Mixed: part rented, part empty | Annual rental + annual imputed | Two separate Modelo 210 in the same year |
| Sale of the property (capital gain) | One-off | Three months counted from the month following the transfer date |
How do you file in practice?
Only electronically, via the AEAT's electronic office. You need a digital certificate (FNMT) or Cl@ve PIN. Without either, you must engage a Spanish gestor with power of attorney.
The process is entirely digital. The AEAT has not accepted paper filings since 2018. For foreigners who don't want — or can't — obtain a digital certificate, the standard route is to engage a Spanish gestor: grant them power of attorney for Modelo 210 via the Modelo 030 form and they file on your behalf.
If you have a NIE, you can request Cl@ve PIN online in five minutes: it links to your AEAT-registered mobile number and lets you file without a certificate. This is the most practical option for owners who don't want to depend on a gestor each quarter.
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1Gather annual documentationSum the gross rental income for the calendar year. Collect invoices for deductible expenses: IBI, community fees, utilities, mortgage interest, repairs, platform commissions, 3% depreciation on building value. Apply the rented-days proration (with imputed income for empty days).
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2Access the AEAT electronic officeGo to sede.agenciatributaria.gob.es and select "Modelo 210". Identify with digital certificate, electronic DNI or Cl@ve PIN.
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3Create a new returnSelect "Income type: 01 — Rendimientos de inmuebles arrendados con agrupación anual" (default option since 2024). The assistant asks for the full tax year instead of a specific quarter. For per-accrual filing, choose "02" instead.
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4Taxpayer and representative detailsFill in your NIE, fiscal residence address and country. If you have a gestor, list their NIF as representative.
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5Property detailsEnter the cadastral reference, full address, and ownership percentage (50% if shared with a spouse).
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6Calculation: annual income and expensesEnter the year's gross income. If you are an EU/EEA resident: add deductible expenses with their proration. The system automatically calculates the base and applies 19% (EU) or 24% (non-EU).
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7Direct debit or paymentFor tax due: direct-debit from a Spanish account (the window then closes a few days earlier), or generate the NRC for manual transfer payment (filing deadline 20 April for income from 2026 onwards; up to income year 2025 it was 20 January). For refund: provide a Spanish IBAN for the refund.
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8Sign and submitReview the summary, sign with certificate/Cl@ve and submit within the window — for income from 2026 onwards before 20 April of the following year (up to income year 2025: 20 January). Save the submission receipt PDF — the AEAT does not send a postal copy.
What happens if I file late?
Without prior tax-authority notice: automatic late-filing surcharges from 1% to 15% depending on delay. After a tax-authority notice: tax penalty of 50% to 150% of the unpaid amount.
In practice, filing voluntarily one day late costs you a 1% surcharge on the amount due — genuinely minor. The serious mistake is to ignore the obligation: once the tax authority detects the omission (cross-references with SES.Hospedajes, cadastral records, Airbnb/Booking data submitted under RD 933) the penalties move into the punitive bracket.
| Situation | Surcharge / penalty | Late-payment interest |
|---|---|---|
| Voluntary — up to 12 months late | 1% per month (max. 12%) | No during first 12 months |
| Voluntary — more than 12 months late | 15% fixed | Yes, from day 1 |
| After tax-authority notice, no economic damage | Penalty 50%-150% of amount | Yes |
| After inspection with concealment | Penalty 50%-150% + possible tax crime if >€120,000 | Yes |
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to file if the property is empty all year?
I only rent through Airbnb. Doesn't Airbnb withhold tax?
What about VAT on vacation rentals?
Can I credit the Spanish IRNR I pay against my home-country tax?
I'm British since Brexit. Do I lose all deductions?
When do I declare capital gains on selling the property?
Sources
- RDL 5/2004 Real Decreto Legislativo 5/2004, de 5 de marzo, por el que se aprueba el texto refundido de la Ley del Impuesto sobre la Renta de no Residentes (BOE-A-2004-4527)
- AEAT Modelo 210 Agencia Tributaria — Modelo 210: información, instrucciones y presentación
- Orden EHA/3316/2010 Orden EHA/3316/2010, de 17 de diciembre, por la que se aprueban los modelos de autoliquidación 210, 211 y 213 del Impuesto sobre la Renta de no Residentes (BOE-A-2010-19707)
- LGT 58/2003 Ley 58/2003, de 17 de diciembre, General Tributaria — recargos, intereses y régimen sancionador (BOE-A-2003-23186)
- AEAT CDI Agencia Tributaria — Convenios para evitar la doble imposición suscritos por España
- Orden HFP/1338/2023 Orden HFP/1338/2023, de 13 de diciembre, por la que se modifica la Orden EHA/3316/2010 — elimina la agrupación trimestral y establece la agrupación anual como única alternativa para las rentas del arrendamiento desde 2024
- Orden HAC/623/2026 Orden HAC/623/2026, de 17 de junio, por la que se modifican los modelos 210, 211 y 213 — BOE 23-06-2026
Key terms used in this article
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