Finance, property and other regulated careers

It is for anyone considering, planning or carrying out a move to Spain. After reading, you will know whether your career is regulated and which registry or regulator decides.

Start with "Auditors, accountants and tax advisers in Spain". It shows which finance roles are regulated and how foreign qualifications count. From there, move to the page for your own career.

Sworn translation of documents, and the health, law, teaching and trades professions, are covered elsewhere.

Key rules

• Statutory audit: Statutory audit of accounts can only be carried out by auditors and audit firms entered in the ROAC, while bookkeeping, general accounting and tax advice need no registry or colegio.
• Estate agents: Estate agency is not regulated at national level, so no title or college membership is needed, but a few regions such as Catalonia keep their own register.
• Veterinarians: Practising as a veterinarian requires a recognised veterinary degree and membership of the provincial veterinary college.
• Separate registers: Investment, insurance and mortgage work each have their own supervisor, and one registration does not cover the others.
• Competence proof: You need a recognised qualification and, for investment staff, experience, as well as authorisation or registration.
• Anti-money-laundering: Estate agents must register with SEPBLAC before they start work.

Documents you may need

• Identity and nationality documents — Auditors, accountants and tax advisers in Spain

• Proof that you are approved as an auditor in your home EU or EEA state — Auditors, accountants and tax advisers in Spain

• Evidence of good repute and of your qualifications — Auditors, accountants and tax advisers in Spain

• Proof that you have paid any fees the ICAC requires for your request — Auditors, accountants and tax advisers in Spain

• A power of attorney — Auditors, accountants and tax advisers in Spain

Finance, property and other regulated careers: questions that cross several articles

Can an auditor qualified abroad sign statutory audits in Spain?

Yes, but only after entering the ROAC, the official register of auditors. An auditor approved in another EU state must pass an aptitude test set by the ICAC, the audit regulator. An auditor from outside the EU must also pass it, and Spanish auditors must get the same treatment in that country. Read "Auditors, accountants and tax advisers in Spain" next.

Do I need authorisation if I want to give investment advice in Spain?

Yes, a firm that gives investment advice or manages portfolios needs authorisation from the CNMV, Spain's securities regulator. The staff who advise clients must also hold a recognised qualification and have experience. Read "Becoming a financial adviser or insurance intermediary" next.

Is registering as an insurance agent the same as registering as a financial adviser?

No, insurance intermediaries register with a different regulator, the DGSFP, which is Spain's insurance supervisor. Agents and brokers go in its public register, while investment advice goes through the CNMV. Read "Becoming a financial adviser or insurance intermediary" for both routes.

Do I need to register in the ROAC to work as an accountant or tax adviser?

No, bookkeeping, general accounting and tax advice need no registry or colegio. Only statutory audit of accounts is reserved to ROAC auditors. Read "Auditors, accountants and tax advisers in Spain" to see where the line falls.