Spain's national postal service is Correos, which handles letters and parcels; private couriers handle most parcel deliveries from online shopping. For everyday post it works much like anywhere, though it can be slower and less reliable, so anything important is best sent signed-for (certificado) or, for legal certainty, by burofax — a Correos service that provides legal proof of the content and delivery of a communication, used for formal notices, terminations and disputes. The thing that matters most for expats is official correspondence: letters from the tax office (Hacienda), town hall or courts carry legal weight and start deadlines that run whether or not you open the letter — missing one can mean a penalty, surcharge or losing the chance to appeal. Non-resident owners are especially exposed. We help clients receive, understand and act on official mail, and can act as a point of contact so nothing is missed.
Correos & How Post Works
Correos is Spain's national postal operator, delivering letters and parcels, running post offices (oficinas de Correos) for sending mail and paying for services, and offering tracked, signed-for and express options. For ordinary incoming mail you simply receive it at your address; for sending, you use a post office or Correos point. The service is generally reliable for routine post, but expats often find it slower and a little less predictable than they're used to — delivery times can vary, and rural or hard-to-find addresses sometimes cause delays.
A few practical points: make sure your letterbox is clearly labelled with your name (mail is often left even if the name doesn't match, but a clear label helps); addresses follow the Spanish format with the postcode (código postal) before the town; and for anything you can't afford to lose, don't rely on ordinary post. Most everyday correspondence is fine, but the cases where post really matters — official notices and legal communications — are where the care goes. We help clients set up to receive mail reliably and handle the important pieces.
Parcels & Couriers
Most parcel deliveries — especially from online shopping — come via private couriers rather than Correos, and the experience is much like elsewhere: tracking, delivery slots, and pickup points (puntos de recogida) or lockers where you collect if you're not home. Online shopping is well established in Spain, and delivery to most addresses is straightforward.
The things to watch are practical: rural and complex addresses (urbanisations, villas without obvious numbering) can confuse couriers, so clear directions help; missed deliveries usually go to a pickup point or are re-attempted, with a card or notification telling you where; and for imports from outside the EU, parcels may incur customs duty and IVA, collected before delivery, which surprises people ordering from non-EU sites. Within the EU, deliveries arrive without customs formalities. For most day-to-day deliveries, Spain's courier network works smoothly. We can advise clients on receiving deliveries reliably, particularly at rural or hard-to-find properties.
Signed-For Mail (Certificado)
For anything important you're sending, or that's being sent to you, certificado (signed-for/registered) post gives proof of sending and a record of delivery — the recipient signs for it. It's the standard step up from ordinary post for documents that matter, and many official communications are sent this way, with the sender retaining proof that delivery was attempted.
This last point is crucial for expats: when an official letter is sent certificado and you're not in to sign, Correos typically leaves a notice (aviso) and holds the item at the post office for a period for you to collect. If you don't collect it, the authority may treat the communication as validly served after the holding period — meaning the deadline runs even though you never read it. So a Correos collection card from an official sender should never be ignored: collect the item promptly and find out what it says. We help clients deal with these, including translating and explaining official items.
Never ignore a Correos collection notice from an official sender
If you find an aviso saying Correos is holding a certificado letter for you — especially from the tax office, town hall or a court — collect it promptly. If you don't, the authority can treat it as validly delivered after the holding period, and any deadline runs whether or not you read it. We help clients collect, translate and act on official mail.
The Burofax
The burofax is a Correos service that provides legal proof of both the content and the delivery of a written communication. Because it certifies exactly what was sent and that it was delivered (or that delivery was attempted), it's the standard tool in Spain for formal legal notices: terminating a contract, giving notice to a tenant or landlord, formally demanding payment, sending a pre-litigation letter, or any communication where you may later need to prove in court what you said and when.
For expats, the burofax comes up in two ways. You may receive one — a burofax from a landlord, neighbour, community, or opponent in a dispute is a serious, formal communication that usually needs a considered (often legal) response, so don't ignore it. Or you may need to send one — for example to formally notify or demand something in a dispute, give contractual notice, or protect your position before legal action. Because a burofax carries legal weight, getting the wording right matters. We draft and send burofaxes for clients and advise on how to respond to one received.
Official Letters & Why They Matter
The single most important thing about post in Spain, for an expat, is official correspondence. Letters from the tax office (Agencia Tributaria / Hacienda), the town hall (ayuntamiento), the traffic authority, the social security office or the courts are not just information — they often carry legal effect and deadlines:
- Tax notices — assessments, requests for information, or demands, with deadlines to pay or respond; missing them leads to surcharges and enforcement.
- Town hall notices — about local taxes, fines or property matters.
- Traffic fines (multas) — with deadlines and discounts for prompt payment.
- Court documents — with strict deadlines to respond or appeal.
The danger is that these deadlines run from delivery (or attempted delivery), not from when you read the letter — so a notice left at a post office you didn't collect, or a letter in a language you don't read, can quietly cost you the chance to pay at a discount, respond, or appeal. Many residents and businesses use the digital certificate to receive official notifications electronically, which can be more reliable than paper. The safe approach is to take any official-looking letter seriously, get it translated and understood quickly, and act within the deadline. We do exactly this for clients — receiving, translating, explaining and responding to official mail so nothing is missed.
Non-Resident Owners & Mail
Non-resident owners are the most exposed to the official-mail problem: a letter arrives at the Spanish property while you're in your home country, sits unopened (or is collected by no one), and a tax or town-hall deadline passes — turning a routine notice into a surcharge or enforcement action you only discover much later. This is one of the commonest ways absent owners end up with avoidable penalties.
The solutions are: appoint a fiscal representative or gestoría as your point of contact for the authorities (often advisable, and in some cases required, for non-residents); set up the digital certificate so official notifications can be received and monitored electronically; and have someone reliable check post at the property. With a representative in place, official correspondence is received, understood and acted on whether or not you're in the country. We act as this point of contact for non-resident owners and monitor for official notices so deadlines aren't missed.
How We Help
We make sure expats don't miss what matters in the post. We help you set up to receive mail reliably, deal with official correspondence from the tax office, town hall and courts — translating, explaining and responding within deadline — draft and send burofaxes for formal notices and disputes, and advise on how to respond to one received. For non-resident owners, we act as a point of contact and monitor for official notices, often alongside the digital certificate and gestoría support. In English, on a clear quote. Book a consultation if official mail is a concern.
Related Guides
Litigation & Disputes
When a burofax or court letter needs a response.
Litigation →Frequently Asked Questions
Correos is the national postal service, handling letters and parcels and running post offices; private couriers handle most parcel deliveries from online shopping. For everyday post it works much like anywhere, though it can be slower and less predictable, and rural or hard-to-find addresses sometimes cause delays. Make sure your letterbox is clearly labelled, and don't rely on ordinary post for anything you can't afford to lose — use signed-for (certificado) post or, for legal certainty, a burofax. The cases that really matter are official notices, which carry legal weight. We help clients receive mail reliably and handle the important pieces.
A burofax is a Correos service that provides legal proof of both the content and the delivery of a written communication. Because it certifies exactly what was sent and that it was delivered (or that delivery was attempted), it's the standard tool in Spain for formal legal notices — terminating a contract, giving notice to a tenant or landlord, demanding payment, or any communication you may later need to prove in court. You might receive one (a serious, formal communication needing a considered response) or need to send one. Getting the wording right matters because it carries legal weight. We draft and send burofaxes and advise on responding to one received.
Letters from the tax office, town hall, traffic authority, social security or courts often carry legal effect and deadlines — to pay, respond or appeal. Crucially, those deadlines run from delivery or attempted delivery, not from when you read the letter, so a notice left at a post office you didn't collect, or one in a language you don't read, can cost you the chance to pay at a discount, respond, or appeal. Missing a tax notice leads to surcharges and enforcement; missing a court deadline can lose a case. Take any official letter seriously and act quickly. We receive, translate, explain and respond to official mail for clients.
When an official letter is sent certificado (signed-for) and you're not in to sign, Correos leaves a collection notice (aviso) and holds the item at the post office for a period. If you don't collect it, the authority may treat the communication as validly served after the holding period — meaning the deadline runs even though you never read it. So a Correos collection card from an official sender should never be ignored: collect it promptly and find out what it says. This is a common way expats and non-resident owners miss important deadlines. We help clients collect, translate and act on official mail.
Most parcels — especially from online shopping — come via private couriers, with tracking, delivery slots and pickup points or lockers if you're not home, much like elsewhere. Rural and complex addresses (urbanisations, villas without clear numbering) can confuse couriers, so clear directions help; missed deliveries usually go to a pickup point or are re-attempted. For imports from outside the EU, parcels may incur customs duty and IVA collected before delivery, which surprises people ordering from non-EU sites — within the EU there are no customs formalities. For most day-to-day deliveries the network works smoothly. We can advise on receiving deliveries reliably at rural properties.
Non-resident owners are the most exposed: a letter arrives at the Spanish property while you're abroad, sits unopened, and a tax or town-hall deadline passes — becoming a surcharge or enforcement action you discover later. The solutions are to appoint a fiscal representative or gestoría as your point of contact for the authorities (often advisable, sometimes required, for non-residents), set up the digital certificate so official notifications can be received and monitored electronically, and have someone reliable check post at the property. We act as this point of contact and monitor for official notices so deadlines aren't missed.
Yes — many residents and businesses use the digital certificate (or Cl@ve) to receive official notifications from the tax office and other authorities electronically, which can be more reliable than paper post because you (or your representative) can monitor for notifications online. For non-resident owners especially, electronic notification combined with a fiscal representative or gestoría monitoring it is a robust way to avoid missing deadlines. Setting up the digital certificate is straightforward and useful for much more than mail. We help clients obtain the digital certificate and set up monitoring of official notifications.
Take it seriously. A burofax is a formal communication with legal weight — from a landlord, neighbour, community, opponent in a dispute or a creditor — and is usually a step before, or part of, a legal process. It often sets out a demand, a notice, or a deadline. Don't ignore it: read it carefully, understand exactly what is being claimed or required, and get advice before responding, because what you say (or fail to say) within any deadline can affect your legal position. We advise clients on burofaxes received, explain what they mean, and draft an appropriate response. Book a consultation if you've received one.