The question mixes identity with price
Someone searching for a free nota simple with a digital certificate may be combining two different functions. The certificate establishes who is using a service. The nota simple is registry information requested about a property. Having the first does not mean the second is included without charge.
The College of Registrars publishes an online platform price of 9.02 euros plus VAT. The e-office page specifies billing per property, with taxes and withholdings excluded from the published figure. Those sources do not advertise general free access to the document for electronic-certificate holders. Do not plan an online request on the assumption that identification removes the charge.
What we can and cannot establish
The verified claim is limited to the online service described on those pages. We do not automatically apply the figure to every in-person route or claim there can never be an exception, assistance scheme or individual arrangement. If you are offered an exemption, ask for its basis and check that it applies to your circumstances.
The word free also does not, by itself, prove that a website is fraudulent. It might refer to a different enquiry, a cost paid by someone else or a commercial condition that needs checking. What matters is knowing what you receive, who issues it, the total price and whether any later obligation arises. You can check those points without making accusations.
What the certificate does at the e-office
The e-office expressly states that an owner-based search requires identification with an electronic certificate. This establishes the applicant's identity, but replaces neither property details nor the reason for the enquiry. Do not confuse the ability to identify yourself with a right to obtain any information without conditions.
The same page says that subscription is not necessary to request information: an occasional-user option exists. Being an occasional user does not mean the service is free. Separate registration or subscription, authentication and the document price. These are different matters that sometimes appear together on a screen and can lead to misunderstanding.
For the process, see requesting a nota simple online. If your question concerns who may request it and for what purpose, our guide to legitimate interest and applicants treats that separately.
Which document are you comparing?
A nota simple contains property identification, holders of registered rights and their extent, nature and limitations. The e-office distinguishes it from a registry certificate, which formally attests to entries and has the status of a public document. Do not compare prices for different products as though they were interchangeable.
There is also a location note. Its purpose is instrumental: helping identify the Registry, province and municipality where a person has registered property or rights. It is not a full nota simple about a particular home. If an offer describes locating properties, check whether it includes subsequent information on each property or only that initial search.
What if the search finds nothing?
For owner-based searches, the e-office warns that a negative location note is billed even where no property or rights appear under the selected owner's name. That wording concerns that search type. We do not use it to claim that every negative result from every service has identical conditions.
For requests using other details, such as an address, the e-office warns of possible denial for insufficient information or negative results where details do not match. Before paying a service, check how it handles these cases. Do not assume that a negative result automatically brings a refund, or that paying once authorises every additional charge.
A cadastral reference is not a nota simple
Another possible confusion is finding Catastro information and believing that registry information has already been obtained. The e-office itself describes the cadastral parcel as a search criterion in certain cases, not as a universal substitute for the registry document.
If you have a cadastral reference, keep it as useful information, but check its relationship to the registered property you want to consult. For the identifiers, read finca registral, CRU and IDUFIR. A correct number in one system does not establish every right and charge recorded in another.
How to review an offer advertising free access
First find the exact document name. Then check whether the offer includes registry issuance or only completing a form, finding a Registry or receiving an explanation. Review taxes, optional services and any subscription. Do not enter payment details merely to discover later what the offer meant.
For example, a service might advertise an initial enquiry at no charge and then offer to handle a nota simple request. Those are separate services. The first can be free without the second being free. If someone gives you a nota they already obtained, ask about its date and scope. Access to that copy does not demonstrate a general zero price for new requests.
Budget before confirming
Note how many properties you want to consult and whether you need translation or another document. The e-office offers translation into English at a separate price of 30 euros, taxes excluded. Translating a website is not the same as translating the issued registry document.
Review the total shown by your chosen channel and any applicable conditions before confirming. Our pricing article separates the official online charge from intermediary handling. This guide promises neither a service price of our own nor a refund: it explains why digital identity and free documents are not equivalent.
After issuance
The e-office emails a link to a PDF once the information is issued. Keep the document and request receipt. Before using it, check the property, date and purpose. If you need formal proof, establish whether the recipient requires a nota simple or a registry certificate.
A copy received from someone else may help with an initial reading, but should not be presented as proof that nothing has changed since issuance. The information has a date. Whether you need another enquiry depends on your transaction and the recipient's requirements, not on whether an old file can be opened without payment.