AMJASA Water, IBI and Waste in Jávea: Costs and Registration

When you complete on a property in Jávea, two things need setting up quickly: your water contract with AMJASA, and your IBI and waste charge with the Ayuntamiento. It takes a morning, and getting it right from the start means no missed bills and no awkward gaps.

There is one important difference from most Costa Blanca towns that surprises many buyers: Jávea manages its own local taxes. SUMA Gestión Tributaria — the Diputación de Alicante's tax body that handles IBI for 139 municipalities across the province — is not involved in Jávea. Xàbia is one of only two Alicante municipalities, alongside the city of Alicante, that collects its IBI directly. You will deal with the Ayuntamiento de Xàbia, not with SUMA.

Who Handles What

Registering with AMJASA at Handover

AMJASA (Aguas Municipals de Xàbia, S.A.) is the municipal water company. For a resale property — which is almost every purchase on the Costa Blanca — the supply is already connected under the previous owner's name, and you simply transfer the contract.

The form you need is the Solicitud de cambio de titular, available as a PDF from amjasa.com/formularios. Bring it, along with:

• Your signed title deed (escritura notarial — or a copy)
• Your NIE and passport
• IBAN for direct debit

You can submit in person at AMJASA's public-facing OAC (Oficina de Atención al Ciudadano) at Avda. Amanecer, 2 (Mon–Fri 8:15–14:00), or at the main office at Camí Cabanes, 88 (Mon–Fri 9:00–14:00). There is also an electronic office at amjasa.sedelectronica.es if you prefer to handle this remotely, which is useful for buyers who are not yet living full-time in Spain.

For a brand-new property with no existing connection, use the Instancia General form instead to request a new supply (alta).

Your gestor or buyer's agent will usually handle this as part of the handover process. The transfer normally takes one to two working days once documentation is submitted.

AMJASA 2026 Water Tariffs

AMJASA bills every two months (bimestral). Your bill covers three separate charges, all at the 10% IVA rate:

Fixed service charge (based on meter calibre):

Most residential villas and apartments have 13 mm or 15 mm meters.

Consumption charge (block rate per m³):

Sewage charge (alcantarillado, Ayuntamiento): €0.92–1.83 fixed + €0.05–0.07 per m³ per bimestre, depending on zone (Pueblo/Puerto versus the rest of town).

Valencian Community canon: €7.30 fixed + €0.412/m³ per bimestre.

Worked example: A small villa with a 15 mm meter using 20 m³ per bimestre would pay approximately €35 for AMJASA supply, €3.50 in sewage charges, and €15.50 in regional canon — around €60 per bimestre (€360/year) inclusive of IVA. High summer usage can push bills into the top consumption block quickly if monthly use exceeds 35 m³.

AMJASA also runs an online customer portal (ofvirtual.amjasa.com) where you can view your account, track meter readings and report supply issues.

IBI: How Property Tax Works in Jávea

IBI is calculated each year as a percentage (tipo impositivo) of your property's valor catastral — the rateable value set by the national Catastro, typically well below market price. In 2022, Jávea's council reduced its IBI tipo impositivo from 1.028% to approximately 0.85%, a saving of around €80 per average property. The council confirmed the reduction was retained in subsequent years. A property with a catastral value of €120,000 would pay roughly €1,020 in IBI annually at this rate — verify the exact current rate from the Xàbia ordinance or your gestor, as the council may make small annual adjustments.

When it is charged: The voluntary payment window typically runs from August to October. If you have direct debit set up, the charge is debited automatically; if not, pay online at xabia.tributoslocales.es or at the Ayuntamiento's tax office.

Setting up as a new owner: After completion, your notario files the deed with the Catastro, which eventually updates the ownership record. Separately, notify the Ayuntamiento's Hacienda department of the ownership change and register your bank account for direct debit. Your gestor can handle this; you will need your escritura, NIE, passport, and IBAN. The referencia catastral (cadastral reference) is printed on your title deed and is the key identifier.

Tasa de Basures: Jávea's Waste Charge

The annual waste collection charge is billed by the Ayuntamiento de Xàbia separately from IBI, though it is also managed through the xabia.tributoslocales.es platform. The fee for a standard residential property is typically in the range of €100–150 per year; the exact amount depends on property type and location under Xàbia's Ordenança Fiscal de la Taxa de Residus. Properties registered for tourist rental also pay an additional €20 per bed (hospedaje) per year, introduced to reflect the higher volumes of waste in the rental season.

Checklist for the Day of Handover

Work through this with your buyer's agent or lawyer before you collect the keys:

• Meter reading agreed and recorded with the seller
• AMJASA cambio de titular form completed and submitted
• IBAN registered with AMJASA for direct debit
• Catastral reference confirmed in the escritura
• IBI ownership notified to Ayuntamiento de Xàbia, direct debit set up
• Tasa de basures transferred to new owner's name

Non-residents who will not be living in Spain can authorise a gestor or fiscal representative to handle all of this remotely — AMJASA's electronic office and the online tax portal make that straightforward.

Frequently asked questions

Does SUMA handle IBI in Jávea? No. Xàbia is one of only two municipalities in Alicante province — the other being Alicante city — that collects its own IBI directly. You deal with the Ayuntamiento de Xàbia, not SUMA.

How do I transfer the AMJASA water contract when I buy a property? Complete the Solicitud de cambio de titular form (available at amjasa.com/formularios) and submit it in person at AMJASA's OAC office (Avda. Amanecer, 2, Mon–Fri 8:15–14:00) or via the electronic office at amjasa.sedelectronica.es. Bring your escritura, NIE, passport and IBAN.

What is the typical AMJASA bill for a holiday home in Jávea? At 2026 tariffs, a property with a 15 mm meter using around 20 m³ per bimestre pays roughly €60 per bimestre (around €360/year) including IVA. Bills are issued every two months and include AMJASA supply, sewage and the Valencian Community canon.

What is the IBI rate in Jávea? The tipo impositivo was reduced to approximately 0.85% of catastral value from 2022 and has been maintained since. The exact rate for the current year is published in Xàbia's annual fiscal ordinance — your gestor can confirm the figure.

Can I set up IBI direct debit as a non-resident? Yes. Register your IBAN at xabia.tributoslocales.es or authorise a gestor to do so on your behalf. Direct debit is the recommended method for non-residents who may not be in Spain during the August–October payment window.

Where do I pay IBI if I miss the voluntary window? After the voluntary period closes, the debt enters the executive phase and penalties apply. Pay as soon as possible at xabia.tributoslocales.es or contact the Ayuntamiento's Hacienda department directly.