How long does it take for each regional government to register a change of ownership?

The honest answer: there is no single timeframe or official comparison table — each transport authority operates according to its own timetable, which also varies depending on the current workload. Anyone who promises you ‘in Madrid it takes exactly X days’ is selling you a certainty that doesn’t exist. What does exist, however, is a very consistent pattern of how time works, and there is data to back that up.

What makes up the actual processing time for a transfer:

• What you (or your team) control: the quality of the application. Most administrative delays aren’t caused by the authorities taking their time — they’re caused by the application being sent back for rectification due to missing documents or incorrectly granted powers of attorney. A complete application submitted correctly the first time shortens the timeline more than any subsequent steps. The checklist can be found at what documentation is required for the change.
• What you cannot control: the decision. Weeks, as a rule of thumb, though this varies in practice between regions and at different times of the year.
• What kills deals: the limbo between the parties. In private property transfers, between the deposit and the signing, nobody trusts anybody and the days just tick by. With the money held in escrow, that limbo disappears: the authorities take as long as they take, but nobody holds anyone up in the meantime.

VTC360’s own data puts figures on the whole picture: the public register of transactions shows recent completions with 43–63 days between publication and completion — including negotiation and full verification —, whilst the escrow process aims for 7–15 days from the offer to the signing. Actual transactions, with their price ranges and days on the market, can be found under sold.

As for the status of each jurisdiction — competent authority, specific features and regulatory climate — we publish this information, complete with source and date, on the regulatory map. The practical conclusion is simple: don’t choose where to buy based on the supposed speed of the application process; choose based on the market and regulatory environment, and ensure that your application is submitted only once — that’s what custodial closing is all about.