Regulations
Licencia turística en Andalucía: requisitos paso a paso
Todo lo que necesitas para registrar tu vivienda como VUT en Andalucía: requisitos, trámite, plazos y los errores que más caro se pagan.
Read →REGULATION & UPDATES
Short-term rental regulation: a guide for property owners
Guides, regional summaries and the regulatory updates that affect your holiday rental. Everything you need to operate with legal confidence.
RECENT ARTICLES
Latest regulations articles
Guides and analysis on short-term rental regulation in Spain and Colombia.
LICENCES & PERMITS
Do you need a tourist licence to rent your property?
In Spain there is no single vacation rental law: the rules depend on each autonomous region and, very often, on the local council. That is why the first and most important step is registering your property in the regional registry, which each region calls something different — VFT in Andalusia, HUT in Catalonia, ETV in the Balearic Islands, VV in the Canary Islands, VUT in Madrid and in most of the rest. Obtaining it requires meeting certain technical requirements (equipment, safety and, in some cases, a municipal certificate of urban compatibility confirming that tourist use is allowed in your area).
During 2025 a national registry was introduced — the Unique Registration Number for Lettings — but the Supreme Court annulled it in May 2026; the regional registries, however, remain compulsory. And it is not a minor formality: advertising a property without registration has real consequences. In 2025 Airbnb was fined more than 64 million euros for publishing thousands of listings without a valid licence, and the platforms remove listings that do not display a correct registration number.
At Fee4Me we advise you on the exact licensing requirements for your area from day one of management.
REGULATORY UPDATES
The short-term rental regulation changes you need to know
The legal framework for vacation rentals has been completely transformed between 2024 and 2026, and it is worth knowing the changes that affect you most. The first comes from the building community: since April 2025, the reform of the Horizontal Property Act allows the owners' association to limit or even ban new tourist apartments with a three-fifths majority (60% of owners); and if your building's bylaws already prohibited non-residential uses, that prohibition applies to your property too.
The second affects everyone equally: guest registration through SES.HOSPEDAJES has been compulsory since December 2024, with no exceptions or minimum stay requirements. The third was the most talked-about: the national Unique Registration Number, mandatory from July 2025, was annulled by the Supreme Court in May 2026 — though regional registries remain valid. On top of this come municipal moratoriums: Barcelona has announced it will not renew existing licences from 2028, Madrid conditions tourist use through its RESIDE Plan, and cities such as Valencia or Palma have restricted new registrations by area.
We track the regulatory landscape closely so your properties always operate within the current legal framework.
REGISTRATION & TAX
What the law requires: guest registration, building rules and tax obligations
Beyond obtaining the licence, operating a vacation rental means fulfilling three obligations on an ongoing basis. The first is guest registration: since December 2024, Royal Decree 933/2021 requires reporting each guest's details through SES.HOSPEDAJES within 24 hours of their arrival, and retaining that data for three years. The second is the approval of the owners' association, required for activities started after April 2025.
The third is taxation. Income from tourist rentals is taxed under income tax — as property capital income, or as an economic activity if you provide hotel-type services — and each year in February the annual information return must be filed; platforms, for their part, report your bookings to the tax authority via Form 179. Managing all of this manually takes time and is prone to errors that can end up as tax notices.
Fee4Me's full management includes support with guest registration, building relations and owner compliance obligations.
General guidance as of 2026. Regulations change often and vary by region and municipality. Always check the current rules and consult a professional if in doubt.
BROWSE BY REGION
Short-term rental regulation by autonomous region
Each autonomous region regulates short-term rentals independently. Select yours to see the orientation summary.
Checklist 2026
Cumplimiento Normativo Alquiler Vacacional
FREE RESOURCE
Download the Compliance Checklist 2026
Everything your vacation rental needs to comply with in Spain: from regional registration to the obligations of every booking.
📄 Document in Spanish
- Do you need a licence? How to find out in your region
- Guest registration: what data to collect and how
- Building rules: what to check before you list
- Basic tax obligations for vacation rental owners
- Essential documents before publishing your property
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about regulation
It depends on your location. Most autonomous regions in Spain require licences or formal registration. Rules vary by region and municipality, so always confirm with the relevant authority or a specialist legal adviser.
You will usually need ownership documents, technical certificates where required, liability insurance, privacy documentation, internal house rules and contractual terms. The exact list depends on location and property type.
In Spain, some building communities can limit or restrict short-term rentals through their bylaws. It is important to review the rules and meeting records before listing your property.
Many jurisdictions require owners or operators to record guest identity details and stay dates, and to report them to the relevant authorities. Responsibility ultimately remains with the owner or manager.
No. Each autonomous region has its own framework, and some municipalities add extra requirements. Always verify the specific regulation for your exact location.
In Spain, start with the websites of your autonomous region's tourism department and your local council. Professional associations and specialist advisers can also help interpret the requirements.
MANAGEMENT WITHOUT THE HASSLE
We guide you through regulatory compliance
Managing compliance for a short-term rental can be complex: tourist licences, guest registration, building community requirements and tax obligations. At Fee4Me we support you throughout the process so you can rent with confidence.
PROPIETARIOS
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