How to register your holiday home in the Canary Islands and get a tourist licence

May 2025

In this article, we’ll explain how to register a holiday home in the Canary Islands with the local town hall (Ayuntamiento) and the General Tourism Registry of the Canary Islands in order to obtain a tourist licence. You’ll need this licence to legally rent out your holiday home. We’ll cover what documents you’ll need, as well as the requirements for getting your holiday house up and running.

Starting a holiday rental business isn’t complicated, but it does involve some hefty bureaucratic processes. At Holidu, we advise you to be patient, as obtaining a holiday home licence in the Canary Islands requires quite a bit of paperwork, similar to any other region in Spain.

However, by the time you finish reading this post, you’ll know how to navigate through all the steps of the process. From then on, you can start enjoying your business and planning your marketing strategies to start advertising your holiday rental.

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What regulations govern holiday homes in the Canary Islands?

Before you even apply for your tourist licence, your holiday rental must abide by the Spanish government’s regulations for holiday homes. The Decree 113/2015 of May 22 regulates holiday homes through the Holiday Home Regulations of the Canary Islands Autonomous Community. It defines a holiday home as a furnished and equipped property ready for immediate use, rented temporarily to individuals or groups in exchange for a fee.

However, this regulation also includes several prohibitions:

• The number of occupants cannot exceed the property’s capacity.
• The property cannot be used for purposes other than tourism.
• Activities that disrupt residents’ rest or public order within the building are prohibited.
• It must comply with the internal rules of the homeowners’ community.

This regulation also stipulates that holiday homes in the Canary Islands must display a distinctive plaque in a visible place at the entrance, unless expressly prohibited by the homeowners’ community. This plaque is provided by the General Tourist Registry of the Canary Islands after the holiday home is registered, and bears the registration number assigned by the Tourist Registry. Additionally, guests using the holiday home must have access to complaint forms.

What requirements must I meet to rent my holiday rental?

Before you rent your holiday rental in the Canary Islands, your property must meet several requirements. This is the first step to register your holiday home in the Canary Islands. Only then can you become a host.

Requirements for a holiday home in the Canary Islands:

• Habitable Certificate: a certificate confirming the property is fit for habitation.
• Rental Contract Template: to provide to guests.
• Basic Furnishings: the property must be furnished.
• Registering the holiday home: we’ll look at the documents you need to submit below.

Regarding the Habitable Certificate, you must obtain it through an authorised technician – an architect or technical architect who will come to assess your property. Once the technician has issued a report on your rental property, you need to submit it to the local City Council to request the Habitable Certificate.

Regarding the contract, it should be drafted in Spanish and English for easier understanding by foreign individuals.

How do I obtain a tourist licence in the Canary Islands?

The steps for obtaining a tourist licence and registering your holiday home involve firstly applying to your local town hall or council (Ayuntamiento). They will decide whether or not to approve your initial application. Once approved, your town hall will then forward your application to the General Tourism Registry of the Canary Islands, who will grant final approval, provide you with a tourist licence, and finalise your registration.

What do you need to register your holiday home in the Canary Islands with the local town hall (council)?

1. Proof of Ownership

This essential document proves that you are the genuine owner and hold the property title. You can request this proof directly from the Property Registry. If your name isn’t listed in the registry, it means you haven’t registered as the owner yet. To do so, simply present the property title.

2. Registration with IGIC

The Canary Islands General Indirect Tax (IGIC) applies to holiday homes in these islands. Therefore, to operate your business, you need to register your holiday home with IGIC. To do this, you must submit form 400 for holiday homes and refer to section 1685, which is for “non-hotel tourist accommodations.” If it’s more convenient, you can submit this electronically through the Canary Islands Tax Agency.

3. Holiday Home Floor Plans

In the Canary Islands, you must submit floor plans of your holiday home if you wish to register it as such. These must be provided before submitting the Responsible Declaration (see below). We recommend preparing all documents together, if possible, to save time when submitting them.

4. Public Liability Insurance

Unlike other insurances covering only material damage, public liability insurance protects you against third-party claims. Imagine there’s a breakdown, accident, or unintentional damage to a third party, and you’re held responsible; this insurance would cover you.

5. Energy Efficiency Certification

This certification is essential if you want to rent out your holiday home. Each property is assigned an energy label ranging from A to G, indicating efficiency from highest to lowest. The certificate is valid for ten years. Failure to provide it can result in fines of several thousand euros.

6. Responsible Declaration

This is a written statement addressed to the corresponding island council, confirming compliance with necessary requirements to operate as a holiday home. The declaration must include at least the identifying details of the property owner, the property’s location details, the Economic Activities Tax number, and the owner’s email address. The Responsible Declaration may vary from one island to another, but generally, this is the standard template.

Advertising Your Holiday Home

Once you’ve successfully registered your holiday home in Tenerife or another Canary Island, you can start advertising it. You can create a holiday rental website to customise and present a more professional image to potential guests.

You can also advertise your holiday home on a holiday rental portal such as Holidu. This way you can showcase your property to millions of users as well as have access to a dedicated account manager for support and optimisation regarding your listing. However, the regulations governing holiday homes in the Canary Islands clearly state that advertisements must be truthful and objective. The information provided must accurately represent the property.

Moreover, it must clearly indicate that it’s a non-hotel type accommodation, never leading to confusion. Additionally, property owners must include the registration number in advertisements. The holiday home must display a contact telephone number with hours from 8 am to 8 pm at minimum, as well as emergency numbers.

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