Valencia Province, Spain - decree for agent registration

Estate agents must comply with Valencian Decree requirements 98/2022 by October 2023 or risk being forced out of business.

In summary, this means agents who are based in the province of Valencia are likely to require some training, pass an exam, be officially registered and have insurance in place to protect clients. You can read the PDF of the decree here in both Spanish and English. The Decree is not a particularly clear and easy read, but for those who want to get into further detail, you can.

AIPP has been collaborating with API in Spain since June of this year to work-through details of what is happening and how we may support you. Many details were unclear when Decree 98/2022 was made in July and AIPP has been working to find as many answers as possible for members.

One of the key considerations is language. Many agents working in Spain come from another country, typically northern Europe, and promote Spanish property back to their fellow countrymen. Whilst many such agents will speak Spanish, it is not their first language and some technical aspects of the proposed training may be difficult in Spanish.

Here is what we know now (we will give you updates as we are able to attain them for you):

• By October 2023 all agents in the province of Valencia must comply with Decree 98/2022 (a separate but similar law has been in place in Catalunya for some time).
• The precise date in October 2023 we do not have, nor all the training elements required, this will be updated when we get details.
• AIPP has secured with API the availability in English of training materials, teachers and exams to assist all agents who would prefer to undertake this process in English. It is assessed that a combination of both English and Spanish language options will give the widest opportunity for all agents to study effectively. These English course materials should be available directly from API in mid-January.
• The total anticipated time the training will take is estimated at between 200 – 250 hours. The total time will depend on what level of knowledge individual agents already have.
• The value that API put on the cost of training through API in Spanish is €750 but can be discounted to €295, with conditions. The cost for the course in English directly through API has yet to be published by API
• Each agent office will need to have a registered professional compliant with the Valencian Decree. Multiple offices require an individual in each office to have the registration.
• Each agent will also need to have:
  • Surety insurance of 60,000 euros per establishment open to the public and year of coverage to protect customers against the inability of real estate brokers to transfer the amounts they receive in the exercise of their brokerage activity.
  • Professional civil liability insurance of 600,000 euros per claim.
  • API can offer an insurance policy for both of these items directly to agents
• Training for AIPP members is available directly through API, AIPP cannot deliver this training.
• Members do not need to exclusively work with API to conduct their training, pass their exams and become registered – other training providers are available. We thought it appropriate to consolidate one relationship, with API, as we had positive reports back from AIPP members who have already been through the API training process in Spanish language. We also hope that a consolidated approach with one provider might lower the cost for providing English language training options to members.

The following two points should be discussed directly with API to establish individual eligibility:

• If you possess a university degree belonging to the branch of Social and Legal Sciences, Engineering or Architecture.
• Holders of certificates of attendance and achievement in academic training courses of at least 200 teaching hours in real estate, related to mediation, advice and management services, either in person, at a distance or virtual, issued by public teaching institutions, private universities or centres in concert with public administrations.

We are aware that API is hosting several briefing events on the Valencian Decree in Spanish, but not English. For those not yet engaged with API we would suggest making your connection with API as soon as possible and they can explain the training and exams etc to you. Contact API directly at info@apiprofesional.com.

We appreciate this is a stressful and confusing period for many agents in this situation. Firm facts and hard details are hard to come-by and we can share only what we think is factual but some aspects on what is happening might change. Please bear with us. AIPP is staying very close to the situation and will update and support our members as and when we have the information to do so.