Order a sworn translation (traducción jurada) of your will, prepared by a translator authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ready for use with Spanish notaries, courts, and inheritance authorities.
No quotes, no delays — just a fixed £49 per page.
When a person dies leaving assets, property, or beneficiaries connected to Spain, the Spanish inheritance process (herencia) must follow Spanish legal procedure. At the centre of that process is the Spanish notary (notario) — the legally qualified official who oversees the administration of the estate, the transfer of assets, and the formal execution of the will’s instructions. Before a Spanish notary can proceed, the will must be formally presented in Spanish. That requires a sworn translation (traducción jurada) prepared by a translator officially authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores). A standard certified translation will not be accepted.
The Spanish inheritance process is one of the most demanding contexts in which a sworn translation is used — because the notary, the beneficiaries, and any other parties involved in the estate administration are all relying on the translation as a legally valid representation of the original will. The specific provisions of the will — who the beneficiaries are, what assets are being distributed, who the executor is, and under what conditions distributions are made — all need to be translated precisely and without ambiguity, because any uncertainty in how those provisions are rendered can create disputes or delays in an already complex process.
Common situations where a sworn translation of a will is required include:
Spanish inheritance proceedings — where a UK will needs to be formally presented to a Spanish notary as part of the herencia process, so that assets can be legally transferred to beneficiaries in Spain.
Property transactions following a death — where property in Spain forms part of an estate and the will needs to be formally reviewed before the property can be transferred or sold.
Civil Registry and court processes — where the will needs to be submitted to a Spanish court or civil authority as part of a formal legal process relating to the estate.
Financial and banking processes — where a Spanish bank or financial institution requires the will to be formally presented before releasing assets or closing accounts held in Spain.
At Spanish Sworn Translators UK, we translate wills with particular attention to the identity of beneficiaries, the definition of assets, the role and powers of the executor, and the specific conditions and provisions of the will — the elements that Spanish notaries and legal authorities examine most closely during the inheritance process.
There’s nothing to quote and nothing to wait for. You know exactly what you’ll pay before you order, and that price doesn’t change. Wills often run to multiple pages — pricing is per page across the whole order, with no additional charges for legal complexity or specialist terminology.
Wills vary significantly in length — from a straightforward short will to a detailed multi-page document with schedules, codicils, and appendices. Turnaround is confirmed when we receive your document, based on the actual page count and complexity.
As a general guide, most standard wills are completed within 5 to 7 working days. If you have a notarial appointment, a court deadline, or an inheritance process that is time-sensitive, let us know when you order and we will do everything we can to accommodate it.
Submit a clear scan or copy of your document securely online. We’ll review it, confirm the page count and turnaround, and get started straight away.
Your will is translated by a sworn translator authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with careful attention to beneficiaries, asset definitions, executor powers, conditions, and all legal provisions. If you need physical copies with wet-ink signature and stamp, or a UK Hague Apostille, we can arrange both — all handled in-house.
Your sworn translation is delivered by email as a signed, stamped PDF, ready for use with Spanish notaries, courts, and inheritance authorities. Physical copies are sent via tracked courier if required.
Every translation includes:
This service is for you if you need to use a will in Spain as part of the Spanish inheritance process (herencia), a property transaction following a death, a civil registry or court process, or a financial or banking process where the terms of a will need to be formally presented to Spanish authorities or institutions.
If you are unsure whether a sworn translation is sufficient for your specific situation, or whether an apostille is also required alongside the will, get in touch at info@spanishsworntranslators.co.uk before you order — we’re happy to help you work out exactly what’s needed.
Translating a will is one of the most significant things we do — because the document being translated contains a person’s final instructions, and the people relying on the translation are often dealing with grief alongside a complex legal process in a foreign country.
Spanish notaries are thorough in how they review wills. Every beneficiary needs to be clearly identified, every asset precisely defined, every condition and provision rendered exactly as the testator intended. Ambiguity in a will translation doesn’t just cause administrative delays — it can lead to disputes between beneficiaries that are difficult and costly to resolve.
We translate every will with that responsibility in mind. If you have any questions before or after ordering, you’re welcome to get in touch directly at info@spanishsworntranslators.co.uk.
Ana Martínez, Lead Translator at Spanish Sworn Translators
Yes. If a will is being used in Spain as part of the inheritance process (herencia), a sworn translation (traducción jurada) is required before Spanish authorities can formally review and rely upon it. Spanish notaries (notarios) — who oversee the administration of estates and the transfer of assets in Spain — cannot proceed with inheritance administration until the will has been formally presented in Spanish. The translation must be completed by a sworn translator (traductor jurado) officially authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores). A standard certified translation will not be accepted.
Spanish notaries, courts, and legal authorities are required to process and rely upon documents in Spanish. When a UK will is being used in the Spanish inheritance process (herencia), the notary needs to be able to formally review every provision of the will — who the beneficiaries are, what assets are being distributed, who the executor is, and under what conditions distributions are to be made — before they can proceed with estate administration or the transfer of assets. A sworn translation is what makes that formal review possible. Without it, the inheritance process cannot proceed.
A will is used in several official contexts in the Spanish inheritance process. It is the primary document used to establish how assets, property, and other estate matters are to be distributed following a death. In inheritance proceedings (herencia), it is formally presented to a Spanish notary who oversees the administration of the estate and the transfer of assets to beneficiaries. Where property in Spain forms part of the estate, the will is required before the property can be formally transferred or sold. Where the estate involves Spanish bank accounts or financial assets, the will is required before institutions can release those assets. Where court or civil registry processes are involved, the will may need to be submitted as part of a formal legal procedure.
A will contains a person’s final legal instructions — and any ambiguity or imprecision in how those instructions are translated can have serious consequences. If the identity of a beneficiary is unclear, if an asset is not precisely defined, or if a condition or provision is ambiguously rendered, the Spanish notary may be unable to proceed without clarification — causing delays in a process that is already emotionally and practically demanding. In more serious cases, an imprecise translation can create disputes between beneficiaries that are difficult and costly to resolve. We translate every will with the precision that a document of this significance requires.
The entire document is translated in full — including all clauses, provisions, conditions, and legal instructions, the identity and details of all beneficiaries, the definition of all assets being distributed, the role and powers of the executor, and any specific conditions attached to distributions. Nothing is summarised or omitted. The legal structure and clause order of the original document are preserved in the translation so the notary can follow and rely upon it without needing to refer back to the English version.
Yes — and we back that with a money-back guarantee. Every translation is completed by a sworn translator officially authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which is the standard required for legal recognition across Spain. Our translations are accepted by Spanish notaries, courts, civil registries, and official bodies. If your translation is rejected on the basis of its sworn status or certification, we will refund you in full.
In most cases yes — a UK Hague Apostille is commonly required for a will being used in the Spanish inheritance process (herencia). The apostille legalises the original document for international use, confirming it is genuine and has been executed by a recognised UK authority. Spanish notaries typically require both the apostille on the original document and a sworn translation before they can formally incorporate the will into the inheritance proceedings. If you are unsure whether an apostille is required for your specific situation, get in touch before ordering and we will help you work out exactly what is needed. We handle both in-house so everything can be managed together.
Turnaround depends on the length and complexity of the document. Wills vary significantly — from a short straightforward will to a detailed multi-page document with codicils, schedules, and appendices. Most standard wills are completed within 5 to 7 working days of your order being placed. Turnaround is confirmed when we receive your document. If you have a notarial appointment or an inheritance deadline approaching, let us know when you order and we will do everything we can to accommodate it.
Yes. All documents submitted to us are handled with strict confidentiality and processed securely in line with UK GDPR and our internal data handling standards. We understand that wills contain sensitive personal, financial, and family information — including details of assets, beneficiaries, and the private wishes of the deceased. Documents are processed solely for the purpose of translation and are never used for any other purpose.
If your translation is rejected on the basis of its sworn status or certification — meaning the issue is with the translation itself rather than the underlying document — we will resolve it or refund you in full in line with our money-back guarantee. Every translation is prepared by a sworn translator officially authorised by the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and meets the standard required for official use in Spain. If a notary or authority raises a specific concern about the translation, get in touch straight away and we will address it promptly.
Wills are often needed alongside other legal documents as part of the same inheritance or estate process in Spain. Here are the documents we most commonly translate alongside wills.
A power of attorney is commonly required where a representative needs to act on behalf of a beneficiary or estate administrator in Spain — often needed alongside a will where the beneficiary cannot be present in person for notarial or legal proceedings.
Required when a contract is being formally executed or relied upon as part of a legal or property process in Spain. May be needed alongside a will where contractual arrangements form part of the estate being administered.
Required where rental property forms part of an estate being administered in Spain. May be needed alongside a will where the terms of a tenancy need to be formally established as part of the inheritance process.