Regulations to know when renting out a holiday home in Spain

August 2025

If you have a holiday home in Spain and wish to avoid incurring penalties, you should be aware of the legal requirements and regulations that govern the upkeep and renting out of holiday rentals.

In 2018, a Royal Decree Law was approved that sought to guarantee the quality and safety of accommodations in Spain, protecting both owners and travellers. The decree instructed all holiday home owners to obtain a regional registration number for their holiday rental, comply with quality and safety standards, and limit the duration guests can stay in properties located in saturated tourist areas (to maintain a balance with local residents).

In addition, each manager or owner using booking platforms such as Holidu, Airbnb, or Expedia must have their tourist property registered in the Spanish Tourism Registry with its respective license number. Some autonomous communities also have their own rules, which are important to consider.

Read on for a deep-dive into the main regulations that you have to adhere to as a holiday home owner in Spain.

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Which agency is responsible for regulating holiday rentals in Spain?

The management of holiday rentals in Spain is regulated and supervised by several agencies that vary by autonomous community and legislation in each region. Some of the agencies and offices in charge are:

• Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism: the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism has competencies in the regulation and promotion of tourism in Spain. This office establishes the general guidelines at the national level. However, most of its regulations are managed independently by each autonomous community or region. 
• Councils of Tourism: the primary authority at the regional level. Each autonomous community has a Council or General Directorate of Tourism that is in charge of regulating and supervising holiday rentals. They are responsible for the issuance of tourist licenses or registration of tourist homes.
• Municipalities: can establish specific requirements for their municipality, such as complying with the declaration of responsibility or freezing the distribution of new licenses. Depending on the functions delegated, they may also carry out inspections of accommodations to verify compliance with the regulations, and may even approve tourism licenses.
• Autonomous Tourism Agencies: some autonomous communities have offices in charge of tourism promotion and management. They are mostly involved in supervising and advising owners of holiday rentals. 

What are the laws and regulations that govern holiday homes in Spain?

Urban Leasing Law (LAU):

It is mainly in charge of regulating housing leases in urban areas, however this law does define what a tourist rental is. A home is considered a holiday home or tourist rental if it follows these rules:

• Duration: should be a short period of time agreed between the owner and guest (days or weeks). 
• Rates and method of payment: the owner has the right to indicate the rate per day, and the method of payment is agreed between the parties either in advance or by contract.
• Deposit: the amount of the deposit depends on the autonomous community where the property is located – in some cases this is the equivalent of one month’s rent. 
• Obligations: the accommodation must be kept in optimal conditions, and the guest must take care of the interior equipment during the stay. 

General Tourism Law (Law 13/2011, of May 27)

It is mandatory to comply with this law, no matter which region your property is located in. All properties for tourism purposes must be registered with the Tourism Registry of the corresponding autonomous community (region). This called a Vivienda de Uso Turístico (VUT) and is a regional license for your holiday home. However, since July 1st 2025, this is not the only registration you will need for your holiday home – you now also need a unique registration number, otherwise known as an NRA, or National Registration Number (please see Royal Decree 13212/2024 below for more details).

To apply for the regional license, you will need to visit the Unified Digital Portal for Tourist Rentals (Ventanilla Única Digital de Arrendamientos Turísticos) for your region and submit your documents online. These documents include:

• Responsible Declaration: where you declare that the property meets the legal requirements for holiday rentals.
• Certificate of habitability: confirms that the property meets minimum health and safety standards, and is suitable to live in.
• Energy efficiency certificate
• First occupation license: establishes that the accommodation was built in accordance with a valid building permit.
• Floor plans of the accommodation
• Community of owners’ consent: valid from April 2025, you may need to submit a certificate proving that the community owners have approved the establishment of your holiday rental.

In relation to holiday rentals, the following aspects of the General Tourism Law stand out:

• Registration of tourist accommodation: all accommodations for tourist purposes must be registered in the Tourism Registry of the autonomous community or region where they are located, before starting their activity. 
• Minimum requirements: all homes for tourist use in Spain must comply with the minimum habitability and quality requirements.
• Obligations: owners or managers must always comply with current regulations and provide honest information regarding the characteristics of the property.
• Penalties: depending on the seriousness of any non-compliance with legal requirements, fines or penalties may be applied.

Royal Decree 13212/2024 – The New National Registry of Tourism and Seasonal Rentals

Effective since July 1st 2025, this new law requires tourist accommodations to have not just a regional license, but also a national one. This is called a unique identification or registration number. It standardises registrations across Spain and is mandatory for all holiday homes.

Holiday home owners need to display this number on all listings on online portals, alongside the regional registration number. If you’re not already advertising online, you can use Holidu to gain maximum reach for your ads – since Holidu allows you to publish your ad on multiple big booking platforms at once, such as Airbnb and Booking.com.

Before you register for this unique registration number on the Sede Registradores website, you will need to first obtain the regional VUT license, as detailed above.

The Amended Horizontal Property Law

This law has been effective since April 2025 and is valid for the whole of Spain. It aimed to give more power to residential communities in Spain regarding the establishment of holiday rentals in their communities.

Now community owners – the group of property owners within a shared accommodation complex or building – can vote (with a majority vote of 60%) to prohibit the establishment of new holiday rentals in their buildings. This means that new holiday home owners must first get community consent to create a new holiday home and receive a legal operating license for it.

For landlords with a license that was approved before April 3 2025, this law does not apply to them, and their properties can continue to operate under the old rules.

Tourist Use Housing Decree (DVT)

All the autonomous communities have their own decrees that specify individual regulations that regulate tourist housing. The decrees and laws in force for each one are:

• Balearic Islands: Law 6/2017 of July 31
• Valencian Community: Decree 10/2021, of January 22, 2011
• Autonomous Community of Asturias: Decree 48/2016 of August 10
• Autonomous Community of Cantabria: Decree 225/2019, of November 28, 2009
• Autonomous Community of Catalonia: Decree 75/2020, of August 20, 2010
• Autonomous Community of La Rioja: Decree 10/2017, of March 17
• Region of Murcia: Decree No. 256/2019 of October 10, 2009
• Autonomous Community of Aragon: Decree 1/2023, of January 11, 2002
• Autonomous community of Galicia: Decree 12/2017 of January 26
• Autonomous Community of Castilla y León: Decree 3/2017 of February 16
• Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha: Decree 36/2018, of May 29
• Autonomous Community of Andalusia: Decree 28/2016 of February 2
• Province of Navarra: Decreto Foral 230/2011, of October 26, 2011
• Basque Country: Decree 101/2018 of July 3
• Canary Islands: Decree 113/2015 of May 22
• Autonomous Community of Extremadura: Law 2/2011 of January 31, 2011
• Madrid: Decree 79/2014 of July 10

It is important to know the legal regulations in the territory where your holiday home is located. In addition, you must take into account the municipal requirements, since in Spain there may be specific requirements requesting additional documents or establishing restrictions.

Most important local regulations in Catalonia, Balearic Islands, Madrid, Valencian Community, Andalusia and Asturias

Local regulations for holiday rentals in Spain may vary between the different autonomous communities and municipalities. National-level laws also apply to every municipality, such as the requirement for a VUT and national NRA license number, as well as the requirement to obtain consent from the community owners.

Catalonia

This autonomous community establishes its regulations under Decree 159/2012. Holiday home owners must obtain the regional VUT tourist license through a series of steps, and the accommodation must meet quality and habitability requirements within a maximum of 31 consecutive days. Also included are aspects such as:

• Tourist housing must comply with safe infrastructures and quality furnishings. 
• Hygiene is essential, as is the air conditioning. 
• Inform guests of the existence of the tourist tax, which depends on the category and classification of the accommodation.
• All advertising media must contain truthful information about the rental and promotional services.
• Barcelona has a Special Urban Plan for Tourist Accommodation, which means that new tourist licenses are not being distributed in the city centre.

Balearic Islands

In this area, the Tourism Law of the Balearic Islands is applied as established in Law 6/2017, of July 31. The regulations are strict, as they seek to boost sustainable tourism and take care of the natural areas of the islands.

• Since 2022, there was a freeze on the distribution of all new tourist licenses, meaning property owners could not set up a new tourist rental here until at least 2026.
• However, as of 2025, this has been eased and property owners can once again apply for tourist licenses.
• Obtaining a license is still not guaranteed though, as now the island councils decide on how many new tourist rentals can be established each year.
• Restrictions are in place on the marketing of homes that do not comply with legal requirements.
• Verification and control of the supply of tourist housing on booking platforms to ensure compliance with legal requirements.

Madrid

Decree 79/2014, of July 10 and the Special Plan for the Regulation of Lodging Use (PERUH) in the city of Madrid function as specific regulations to regulate tourist rentals. These establish the requirements for obtaining the tourist activity license, limiting vacancies and complying with security and location restrictions. Other legal aspects must also be considered, such as:

• Bring the necessary documentation to the Madrid City Hall.
• Maintain furniture in excellent condition.
• The municipality is responsible for carrying out inspections to prevent illegal rentals.
• If the tourist housing fails to comply with the established regulations, penalties may be applied.
• Properties must have their own independent entrance from the street to qualify for a tourist license – apartments in apartment buildings often do not qualify.

Valencian Community

Decree 10/2021, of January 22 is in charge of regulating tourist accommodation services in Valencia. Among the regulations established, the following should be considered:

• All dwellings for tourist use must have their distinctive sign and classification on the outside.
• Every owner must have a tourism license with a validity of 5 years.
• Rentals must be covered by liability insurance.
• They must meet quality and safety requirements.
• Holiday homes must have an excellent zoning indicating the total surface of the room. 
• Tourist accommodations have a 10-day rental limitation – any properties that are rented out more than 10 days are considered “seasonal rentals” and fall under different rules.

Andalusia

All dwellings for tourist use in Andalusia must follow the regulations of Decree 28/2016, while tourist apartments are governed by Decree 194/2010. Currently, some aspects to comply with are:

• Strict regulations on accessibility and minimum housing dimensions.
• In less regulated areas, the municipalities carry out the corresponding inspections and issue licenses.
• Local municipalities can decide whether to restrict holiday rentals in certain zones (important to check this for your location).
• All dwellings and apartments must be registered with the Andalusian Tourism Registry.
• Technical and safety standards must be complied with.
• The owners must ensure the adequacy of the facilities, and guests must comply with the rules of coexistence respecting the property.
• Owners are obliged to provide truthful information about the characteristics of the property.

Asturias

Holiday rentals in Asturias must comply with the regulations of Decree 48/2016, of August 10, which reformed the regulations of Law 29/1994, of November 24. Among its requirements, it establishes: 

• All tourism intermediary companies, travel agencies, rental managers, owners and other managers must have a tourism license to advertise online.
• The minimum equipment that must be included in the rentals are:
  • Removal of wastewater.
  • Drinking water supply.
  • Public garbage collection service by the municipality.
  • Heating.
  • First aid kit and fire extinguisher.
  • Telephone guide for guests with numbers of firefighters, police centres, and hospitals, among others.
  • Bedrooms must have natural light and at least one bed with a minimum width of 0.8 and 1.35 meters.
  • The kitchen and bedrooms must have views of the patio or outside.
• Upon check-in, hosts must verify guest information and communicate the established rates for additional services.

What happens when the autonomous community, municipality or region lacks specific regulations?

When these cases occur, the Urban Leases Law (LAU) is applied, which consists of:

• The owner provides the guest with temporary use of the entire accommodation or room(s). 
• All properties must be in excellent hygienic and safe conditions for immediate use by tourists.
• The rental may be promoted through websites, directories or other verified marketing media.
• It should be noted that the minimum duration of contracts is 3 years, but it is possible to reach a contract agreement with the guest.
• Renovations may be made to the property with prior notice from the guest.
• All housing expenses such as restorations or damages are the responsibility of the owner.
• There is a price list, which can only be modified by the owner.

What are the consequences of illegal renting in Spain?

These include administrative and legal issues. Let’s get to know them!

• Closure: In serious cases of infringement, the governing body may order the closure of the holiday home. 
• Administrative sanctions: The authorities may impose administrative sanctions that include significant economic fines. These may vary according to the regulations of each autonomous community.
• Legal liability: The illegal landlord may be held legally liable for damages caused to tenants or third parties, involving civil lawsuits.

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