The energy certificate: when it is required
An energy performance certificate is compulsory before a property is marketed for sale or for a letting of more than four months, and the rating must be shown in the advertisement as well as handed to the buyer or tenant.
gelisted editorial team · Updated 15 August 2026
The short version
- The certificate is valid for 10 years, or 5 years for a G rating.
- It costs between 80 € and 250 € for a typical dwelling.
- The rating runs from A, most efficient, to G.
- It must be registered with the regional authority to be valid.
It is a small item on the selling checklist and one of the few that can stop a marketing campaign before it starts, because the rating has to appear in the advert.
When it is needed
Before a property is offered for sale, and before it is let for a period exceeding 4 months in a year. It is also needed for new buildings and for major renovations. It is not required for buildings used less than 4 months a year, for very small isolated buildings, or for certain protected structures where the works would unacceptably alter their character.
| Item | Detail | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Validity | 10 years | 5 years for a G rating |
| Cost | 80 to 250 € | typical dwelling |
| Issued by | qualified technician | architect or engineer |
| Registration | with the regional authority | required for validity |
| Rating scale | A to G | A is most efficient |
| Shown in adverts | compulsory | sale and letting |
| Handed over | to buyer or tenant | at signing |
| Penalty for absence | administrative fine | regional scale |
What the rating measures
Two indicators: primary energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions, both per square metre per year, calculated from the building envelope, the orientation, the glazing, the insulation and the heating, cooling and hot water systems. It is a calculation based on a standard use pattern, not a measurement of your bills, which is why a well insulated house occupied by a family can consume more than a poorly rated flat used 6 weeks a year.
What it means on this island
Much of the older housing stock in Mallorca was built without insulation and with single glazing, which places it in the lower grades. That is normal and does not deter buyers by itself, but the report also lists recommended improvements with their expected effect, and that list is genuinely useful: it usually points at the glazing and the shading before it points at anything expensive.
Adding external shading and improving glazing are the 2 measures that move a Mediterranean property most, and both cost far less than insulating a whole facade.
Getting one
A qualified technician visits, takes measurements, records the systems and produces the certificate, then registers it with the regional authority. Allow 3 to 10 working days from the visit to the registered document. An unregistered certificate has no legal effect, so the number that matters is the registration reference, not the PDF the technician emails on the day of the visit.
Frequently asked
+When do I need an energy certificate?
Before marketing a property for sale or for a letting of more than four months in a year.
+How long is it valid?
Ten years, reduced to five years where the rating is G.
+What does it cost?
Between 80 € and 250 € for a typical dwelling, depending on size and location.
+Does the rating have to appear in the advert?
Yes. The rating must be shown in the advertisement as well as handed over at signing.
+Is the PDF enough?
No. The certificate must be registered with the regional authority to have legal effect.
Sources
- 1Boletín Oficial del Estado, BOE (August 2026)
- 2Govern de les Illes Balears, Govern de les Illes Balears (August 2026)