Cancel the mortgage in the Registro de la Propiedad (remove the charge)

What you need to have to hand

1. Mortgage paid and the bank willing to issue the certificado de deuda cero (carta de pago).
2. Land registry details of the property (finca, tomo, libro, folio and Registro). You get them with a nota simple.
3. A trusted notary to prepare the escritura de cancelación.
4. Access to the sede tributaria de tu comunidad to file the Modelo 600 (AJD) with exemption (cuota 0€). You will need Cl@ve/ certificado and Autofirma.
5. Time to go to the notary to sign (the rest is usually telematic).

Documentation

1. DNI/NIE (and certificado digital/Cl@ve if you file the 600 online).
2. Escritura del préstamo (if you can't find it, the notary can locate the matrix).
3. Certificado de deuda cero from the bank.
4. Registry details (a prior nota simple is recommended: https://sede.registradores.org/site/propiedad/nota-simple).
5. Modelo 600 filed with exemption for mortgage cancellation (proof showing cuota 0€; without this the Registro will stop the entry).
6. Power of attorney if you act on behalf of someone else.

Step by step

1. Ask the bank for the certificado de deuda cero. It usually takes 3–10 days. Make sure it shows the loan number and the finca.
2. With the certificate, go to the notary. Bring your DNI and the loan deed. The notary prepares the escritura de cancelación and, if the bank uses powers in the notarial network, you won't have to chase bank representatives.
3. File the Modelo 600 (AJD) with the Hacienda de tu comunidad marking exemption for cancellation. Example Madrid: https://www.comunidad.madrid/servicios/tributos/modelo-600. Download the receipt (CSV) showing cuota 0€.
4. Submission to the Registro: the easiest is to have the notary send it electronically to the Registro de la Propiedad (they will give you a receipt). If you prefer, you can present it yourself with the escritura and the 600 at your Registro.
5. Pay the registro fee when requested. In 5–15 working days the cancellation is usually registered. Order a nota simple to check the mortgage no longer appears.

Time-saving tips

1. Get the notary to submit electronically. You avoid trips and paperwork problems.
2. File the 600 online: it’s exempt but mandatory. Have Autofirma ready (https://firmaelectronica.gob.es/Home/Descargas.html).
3. Don't accept the bank’s gestoría unless you want it. Ask for quotes: notary + registro is often enough.
4. If the bank drags its feet, request the certificate in writing (creates a paper trail) and consider complaining to the Servicio de Atención al Cliente of the bank.
5. If ~20 years have passed since the registered maturity, ask about cancelación por caducidad (art. 82 Ley Hipotecaria): it may let you skip a fight with the bank.

Common mistakes that can mess up the process

1. Thinking that paying is enough: it isn't. Without the escritura + 600 exento + inscription, the charge remains on the Registro.
2. Forgetting the Modelo 600: even if it's 0€, it's mandatory. Without the receipt there is no inscription.
3. Confusing Catastro with the Registro: Catastro doesn't record mortgages. Don't queue there.
4. Accepting an expensive gestoría without checking: it's not compulsory. Control costs and ask for itemised invoices.
5. Not checking the inscription: request the nota simple at the end and verify the mortgage is cancelled.