Compraventa de Sociedades

What is the sale of companies and how does it work?

The sale of companies (often called "shelf companies") means buying a Spanish limited company that is already incorporated and registered, so you can begin operating sooner than if you started a brand-new incorporation from zero. In practice, you acquire an SL (Sociedad Limitada) that has been created and kept ready for transfer. In many cases, these companies are inactive (no invoicing and no day-to-day operations), and they are formed specifically with the intention of being transferred to a new owner when needed.

We specialize in the purchase and sale of commercial companies, mainly SL and SA, prepared for transfer. The transaction is formalized by public deed before a notary. When appropriate, the deed includes corporate resolutions to reflect the changes required by the buyer, such as appointing a new administrator/director, changing the registered office, and adapting the corporate purpose (business activity). This structured approach helps ensure the transfer is properly documented and aligned with the company’s new reality.

Buying an already formed company can be useful when time is critical, for example when you want to start contracting quickly, open operational relationships, or present a company structure to suppliers and partners. However, it should never be treated as a shortcut that ignores checks. Even an "inactive" company must be transferred carefully and consistently. The goal is clarity: who becomes the shareholder(s), who manages the company, what address is declared as the registered office, and what the company is allowed to do under its corporate purpose.

A typical, well-organized transfer process usually includes:

1. Selecting the company that fits your needs (type, capital, age, province/registered office, and intended business purpose).
2. Preparing the notary documentation and drafting the resolutions needed for changes (administrator, registered office, corporate purpose, etc.).
3. Signing the public deed before a notary, ensuring all parties are correctly identified and the agreement is consistent.
4. Completing any follow-up steps required so that the company’s official details match what was signed.

If you want to review available options and start with the right structure for your project, you can check the catalog and process here: sale of companies.

If you already know you want to proceed and prefer to move straight into reserving and organizing the notarial transfer, start here: buy your company.