An escritura copy after purchase: which type to request and from whom

Neutral editorial AI illustration of a closed turquoise folder, two blank sheets and a tablet with a dark screen on a desk; not a photograph of a real property, an escritura or a notarised copy.

After buying an apartment on the Costa Blanca, the owner has a PDF from an email exchange. Months later, another organisation asks for “a copy of the escritura”, while the former representative says all documents have already been handed over. Is a new copy needed, is the existing file sufficient, and where should the owner turn if the notary who handled the purchase no longer works at the same address? Start not by paying again for an unspecified “copy”, but by clarifying which document the recipient needs and who is entitled to request it.

Below is a way to prepare a request for a copy of a notarial document after purchase. It does not replace checking rights over the property or decide requirements on behalf of a bank, court or administration. Spanish terms are retained so the owner can describe the request accurately to the notary’s office. The relevant notary confirms an individual’s entitlement, a representative’s authority, the permitted format and conditions of issue.

First clarify exactly what the recipient is requesting

“We need the escritura” leaves several questions open. Ask for the document, its intended purpose and the required copy type: copia simple or copia autorizada, on paper or electronically. Establish separately whether a full copy is needed or a partial one is acceptable. Do not choose a partial version yourself just to shorten the file: the recipient may need material absent from the extract.

A useful question is: “Do you need a copy of the notarial document for my purchase, or current information from the Registro de la Propiedad?” These are different tasks. An escritura copy reproduces the notarial document; receiving it today does not turn it into a current registry extract. If the organisation is checking the present state of registry entries, clarify exactly which registry document it requires. Do not order a notarial copy as an automatic substitute.

Record the recipient’s answer before making the request. For example: “A full authorised electronic copy is needed for the specified procedure; delivery arrangements must be agreed.” This describes the need, not a conclusion that issue to you is already authorised. If the recipient does not distinguish copy types, ask its relevant staff member to clarify the requirements; the notary’s office should not have to guess the document’s purpose from a general phrase in an email.

Distinguish the original, a simple copy and an authorised copy

Under the Notarial Law, the matriz is the original notarial document kept within the notarial protocol. An owner’s request to “give me back the original sale document” therefore often needs clarification: it may concern a copy issued to them, not removal of the original from the protocol. Losing the copy kept at home is not the same as the notarial document itself being absent.

The Reglamento Notarial distinguishes authorised and simple copies: a simple copy does not have the effects of an authorised one. Electronic format alone does not establish that status. The Notarial Law expressly separates a simple electronic copy for information from an authorised electronic copy bearing the notary’s qualified electronic signature. The Consejo General del Notariado explains that authorised electronic copies have the same legal force and effects as the corresponding authorised paper copies.

The practical conclusion is limited: do not call every PDF “notarised” simply because a signature or seal is visible inside it. A scan of a paper copy, a simple electronic copy and an authorised electronic copy are not interchangeable descriptions. If the file’s type is unclear, ask the office that issued it rather than try to infer legal status from the pages’ appearance.

Find the document’s details, not just the apartment’s address

For an initial enquiry, collect the known details: notary’s name, place and date of signing, protocol number, parties’ names and description of the transaction. These may appear in an existing copy or the material supplied by a representative. Mark which details are exact and which are approximate. Do not fill a missing number from a neighbouring document: purchase, mortgage and power of attorney can be separate notarial documents.

If only the property’s address is known, tell the office directly. The address alone does not identify which document you seek. Prepare information about your involvement and why you are requesting a copy. Do not attach the entire family archive to a first email: first clarify the official channel and the documents needed for identification and searching.

Ask the former representative separately which copy they received and where it is. “Sent by the notary” does not yet show whether the copy reached you, a bank or another participant. Request the document’s name and delivery method without demanding access to someone else’s accounts. If the required copy already exists, first establish whether it serves the current purpose, then decide about a new request.

Approach the protocol’s custodian, not simply any notary you know

Under the Reglamento Notarial, the copy is issued by the notary holding the protocol, including in the prescribed circumstances of substitution or archival custody. The former office sign and today’s custodian therefore need not coincide. If an office has moved, the notary has ceased practising or contact details are outdated, the first enquiry should establish who holds that protocol and accepts requests relating to it.

Start with a verified contact for the office where the document was signed. If it does not hold the relevant protocol, ask how to identify the custodian through the appropriate Colegio Notarial. An old advertising directory does not prove a current address or the recipient’s authority to receive your documents. Finding the custodian should not be confused with ordering a copy from an unidentified intermediary.

If using an electronic notarial service, an entry or a number found there helps identify the document but does not remove the separate decision on issue. Nor does the absence of a clear result in your account prove that the notarial document does not exist. Tell the office which information you have and ask about another permitted route.

Establish who will be the applicant

Notarial documents are not an open archive for anyone who is curious. The rules allow copies for parties to the document and others with the relevant entitlement or legitimate interest, which the notary assesses. A buyer, heir, representative and unrelated applicant should not be described as the same category in an enquiry.

If requesting a copy of your purchase, state your involvement and ask how to prove identity. Where a representative acts, clarify in advance the authority required for this particular request and receipt. Having once helped with the purchase or holding a passport scan does not replace that check. Do not give them your notarial portal password or login codes instead of arranging permitted representation.

If circumstances have changed, for example an heir is requesting the copy or a company has reorganised, do not infer entitlement by analogy with the earlier transaction. Explain the basis of the request and ask the notary which supporting documents are needed. If there is an objection or refusal, clarify the specific ground and possible next steps with a relevant professional; this article does not promise approval.

Agree the request and delivery before paying

It is useful to bring four things together in one enquiry: the document required, your capacity as applicant, the copy type and intended delivery method. Add search details and ask about necessary evidence. For example: “I was a party to the purchase and know the date and notary. The recipient needs this type of copy. Please confirm whether you hold the protocol, what you need from me and which issue method is possible.” This is a request structure, not a universal legal form.

Before ordering, clarify the cost calculation and service scope: copy type and extent, collection method, delivery if provided, and a representative’s actions if involved. Ask for an expected timescale for your request and what may affect it. There is no universal price here, guarantee of free issue or same-day delivery, or general validity period for every copy. Do not transfer another office’s conditions to your own request.

The Portal Notarial del Ciudadano publicly describes contact with notaries and access to electronic copies after requesting that they be made available. This does not promise that every old escritura will automatically appear in an account. Clarify availability of the document, identification, permitted copy type and onward delivery through the official service or office. This article did not inspect a private account or reproduce instructions for its current buttons.

Do not lose an electronic copy’s status in transmission

If the recipient has agreed to an authorised electronic copy, a screenshot photograph or home printout should not silently replace the agreed format. The law separately regulates a notary’s transfer of an electronic copy to paper while preserving the prescribed properties. Printing the file yourself is not that notarial procedure. Ask the office and recipient to agree how it should be transmitted, rather than choose solely for messaging convenience.

For an authorised electronic copy, the Notarial Law provides a CSV and verification through the notarial electronic sede. This is a separate notarial mechanism, not a Catastro service. If verification is needed, follow the official notarial source; do not publish the code or full copy in an open discussion. Authenticating the copy does not replace a separate check of current rights over the property.

On receipt, compare the order with the result: is it the correct document, the chosen copy type, the agreed extent and a clear means of delivery to the recipient? Refer questions about a missing annex or another document to the office. Do not combine pages from different copies into a supposedly single issued copy or alter the file to match the recipient’s request.

Which decision should emerge at the end?

First possibility: the existing copy suits the recipient, and its type and origin are clear. Then delivery remains to be agreed, rather than a repeat order being compulsory. Second: the document has been located but a different copy type is needed; the request goes to the custodian with proof of the applicant’s entitlement. Third: the custodian is unknown, authority is unclear or the recipient has not specified the format. Resolve that issue first rather than order a random copy “just in case”.

Obtaining a copy closes the task of access to a specific notarial document in the agreed form. It does not itself prove the present absence of encumbrances, fulfilment of tax obligations or completion of purchase registration. The useful outcome for an owner is knowing which copy they hold, which procedure it is requested for and which next step is actually agreed, without repeating the entire legal review of the transaction.

Sources and scope of verification

Primary sources were read on 31 October 2026. The Notarial Law, Articles 17, 17 bis, 23 and 31 was used to distinguish originals and copies, electronic requests and the authorised electronic format. The Reglamento Notarial, Articles 221–224 and 229–230 was used for copy types, custodianship, entitlement and representation. BOE consolidated texts are informative; annulled portions of Article 224 were not used to make claims about time limits or restrictions on recipients.

The following were also read: the Consejo General del Notariado’s explanation of electronic signatures and copies and the public description of the Portal Notarial del Ciudadano. The process for preparing questions and comparing options consists of Laverna editorial recommendations. No individual escritura, private account, service cost or applicant’s entitlement was checked. This is not individual legal advice.