Law 8/2026, of 2 July, on the eradication of asbestos, introduces the certificate of presence or absence of asbestos, which must be provided when selling or renting properties built before 2002. Pending approval of the implementing regulations, the Catalan Waste Agency has published a basic certificate template, which may be issued by architects, technical architects, engineers and technical engineers.

The certificate must state, at a minimum, whether visible asbestos is present or absent, the condition of any materials containing asbestos, and the risk they may pose to people. Where the transaction concerns a specific unit within a building (a dwelling, office or commercial premises), the certificate only needs to cover that unit and not the common areas of the building.

The scope of the certification is limited to a visual inspection and therefore does not imply the detection of asbestos-containing materials that are not visible, nor does it require testing or sampling.

According to the frequently asked questions published by the Catalan Waste Agency, obtaining the certificate is a right of the buyer or tenant (Article 5(d) of the Law) and, as with any right, the interested party may choose to exercise it or waive it. Furthermore, until the Law is implemented by regulation, it is sufficient to have the certificate before the contract is formally executed; it is not necessary to obtain it before the property is placed on the market.

You can consult the notice and download the template from the Agència de Residus de Catalunya.