What the asbestos presence or absence certificate is

What it is and what it is for

Law 8/2026 defines it as the specific document that reports the presence or absence of asbestos in a property at the time it is issued (art. 21.1). It is given to the buyer or tenant when a property is sold or rented (art. 21.2), and buyers and tenants have the right to obtain it (art. 5.d).

Its purpose is to inform. The Catalan Waste Agency (Agència de Residus de Catalunya) is clear: a certificate that finds elements that may contain asbestos does not, under any circumstances, prevent the sale or the rental.

The Agency requires it for properties built before 2002, because the sale of asbestos materials has been banned in Spain since then.

What it contains

Until the implementing regulation is approved, the Catalan Waste Agency has published a basic model that meets the law’s minimum content. It includes:

• Details of the applicant and the property: type (home, commercial unit, office…), address, cadastral reference and year of construction or renovation.
• Details of the professional who carries out the inspection.
• The result: whether building elements that may contain visible asbestos were found.
• If they were found, their condition: good (no visible damage) or poor (deteriorated, shedding).
• A warning about the risk they can pose when in poor condition or handled improperly.

The Agency’s model is not a mandatory “official form”: the law leaves that to a future regulation. But it meets the minimum in article 21.3, and the professional can add further information if they see fit.

What the inspection covers and what it does not

The professional must visit the property: the certificate is issued after a visual inspection of the accessible spaces and elements, so it cannot be done remotely or from photos.

• It is visual only: no openings, samples or laboratory tests.
• It covers what is visible and accessible. If an area cannot be accessed, the certificate is limited to what was inspected and warns that hidden materials may exist.
• If a single unit is sold or rented (a flat, a commercial unit, an office), it covers only that unit, not the building’s common elements such as the roof or the main downpipes.

When you need it

It has been mandatory for sales and rentals since 3 October 2026. According to the Catalan Waste Agency, for now it is enough to have it before the contract is signed: you do not need it to start advertising the property.

The Catalan census of asbestos-containing materials does not replace it either: even if the building appears in the census, you must provide the certificate.

Does it expire?

No validity period has been set. The certificate reflects the property on the day of the visit, and the Catalan Waste Agency confirms it can be used for successive rentals as long as the property has not been altered. If you carry out works that affect the materials, it is advisable to get a new one.

How to order it from AmiantoCheck

1. Call us, message us on WhatsApp or fill in the form, and we book a visit. We speak English.
2. An architect or building engineer visits the property, usually within 24-48 hours. The visit takes 30 to 45 minutes.
3. You receive the signed certificate by email, with photos and a PDF report.

For flats, commercial units and offices up to 150 m² in Barcelona and the metropolitan area it costs €190, VAT and travel included, and you pay when the certificate is ready.

Related questions