Tourist License in Asturias 2026: VV, VUT and the New Decree 4/2026

Note: this guide is for informational purposes only and does not replace legal or tax advice. Asturian regulations were tightened in 2026 and adaptation deadlines are still running, alongside pending national tax changes; always verify your situation in the BOPA, with your local council and with your advisor.

First things first in Asturias: is your property a VV or a VUT?

Asturias is one of the few regions that distinguishes two categories with different requirements, and getting yours right is the starting point for everything else:

• Vivienda vacacional (VV): a property that is not an apartment — a house, a chalet, a detached dwelling. It may accommodate up to 14 guests.
• Vivienda de uso turístico (VUT): a self-contained unit within a building under horizontal property regime (an apartment). It may accommodate up to 8 guests and carries extra requirements: homeowners' association certificate, blue 'VUT' plaque, 24-hour reception, noise monitor and more.

In both categories, since the 2024 reform, only the entire property may be let: room-by-room rental is no longer permitted. Neither category may be a protected dwelling or be located in a zone declared 'unsuitable' by the local council.

The legal framework, explained clearly (this is an amendment, not a brand-new decree)

The current legislation is Law 7/2001 on Tourism (reformed by Law 6/2024) and Decree 48/2016, which regulates VV and VUT properties. Much of the information in circulation cites Decree 48/2016 'as originally enacted': be careful, because it was amended by Decree 4/2026 (BOPA of 11 February 2026, in force from 3 March 2026), which considerably tightened the requirements. This is not a new decree replacing the previous one, but a reform of the 2016 text.

An important calendar note if you already have a registered property: Decree 4/2026 set adaptation deadlines. The 6-month deadline has already passed (3 September 2026) and the 12-month deadline expires on 3 March 2027. Pay particular attention to maximum capacity, floor areas, the noise monitor, reception arrangements and the ban on key lockboxes.

Registration: responsible declaration and binding municipal report

An electronic responsible declaration must be submitted to the tourism authority before you begin operating; it authorises you to operate from that same day. The regional government then requests a mandatory and binding report from your local council (within 3 months) covering residential use, planning compatibility and maximum occupancy. Aragón and the Basque Country follow the same model; you can compare it with every other region in our guide to vacation rental regulations by region.

To file the declaration you must have available, among other documents:

• Proof of entitlement to use the property and its cadastral reference number.
• Planning permission or second-occupation certificate, and compliance with local regulations.
• Floor plans at 1:100 scale.
• Civil liability insurance of at least €150,250, with an excess of no more than €602.
• Energy performance certificate.
• For VUT properties, the homeowners' association certificate confirming the property may be used commercially.

Upon registration, the authority provides you with the inspection record book and complaints forms. Registration in the register is free of charge.

Your registration number and listings

The property is entered in the Register of Tourism Businesses and Activities of the Principality of Asturias and receives a number that is mandatory in all advertising, together with the exact location, on any channel (Airbnb, Booking, your own website). VUT properties must also display a blue plaque with white lettering reading 'VUT' (10×5 cm) on the exterior, showing that number.

On the number format: you will come across patterns such as 'VUT.1565.AS' or 'VV-1644-AS' (category initials + number + 'AS'), but these come from listings and secondary sources, not from any officially published template. The valid number is the one assigned to you by the register.

Regarding the national register: the unique NRUA number (from Royal Decree 1312/2024) was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2026. In Asturias the only authorising number required to list your property is the regional registration number; you do not need the NRUA, and any number obtained before the ruling does not replace it.

Requirements, including those specific to VUT properties

Common to both VV and VUT: habitability standards and fire regulations, drinking-quality water supply, complete bathrooms (one per every 4 guests), heating, first-aid kit and fire extinguisher. VUT properties, following Decree 4/2026, carry additional requirements worth knowing thoroughly:

• In-person or remote reception within 24 hours of guest check-in, and a ban on key lockboxes in public thoroughfares.
• A noise monitoring system in the living room that alerts the owner whenever municipal noise thresholds are exceeded.
• Mandatory services: maintenance, daily cleaning (except kitchen and utensils), linen change every 4 days and tourist information.
• Minimum floor areas (25 m² for 1 person, 33 m² for 2, and 15 m² per person from 3 onwards) and a maximum of 8 guests, with no more than 3 per bedroom.
• Individual utility meters, emergency lighting and an evacuation floor plan.

Civil liability insurance is mandatory (minimum €150,250, maximum excess €602): not holding it results in a one-year ban on re-registering the activity. A 24-hour contact telephone number is required, along with notices in Spanish and English. Important: I have been unable to confirm that VV/VUT properties are classified by 'keys' (that category applies to tourist apartments), so this guide makes no such claim.

Can the homeowners' association block it?

Yes — and for VUT properties it is a requirement of registration itself. Since the reform of the Horizontal Property Act, in force from 3 April 2025: launching a VUT in an apartment building requires the express agreement of three-fifths of the owners; with that majority the association may restrict, condition or prohibit the activity, and impose a surcharge of up to 20% on communal expenses. In Asturias, the law also requires submitting the association's certificate when registering a VUT: declaring a VUT despite a community ban can result in a 3-year prohibition on re-registering. The reform is not retroactive for VUT properties registered before 3 April 2025.

The municipal filter: where the limits lie

Local councils may restrict VV/VUT properties on justified grounds and declare zones 'unsuitable'. Situation in the main municipalities as of October 2026:

Important: Asturias does have officially declared stressed residential market zones (twelve areas in Gijón, Avilés, Llanes, Gozón and Cabrales). This matters for two reasons: the regional government has announced a decree to restrict VUT properties in those zones (not yet published), and any national IBI surcharge on tourist properties, if approved, would apply only there. Before buying or renovating, request a planning-compatibility certificate from your local council.

Day-to-day obligations

• Guest register (SES.Hospedajes): report to the Ministry of the Interior within a maximum of 24 hours and retain data for 3 years (Royal Decree 933/2021).
• Registration number displayed in all listings, and VUT plaque on the exterior (for VUT properties).
• Prior written information (access, schedules, pets, prices) and prices displayed inside the property.
• Default schedule: check-in at 17:00 and check-out at 12:00, unless otherwise agreed.
• Admission card and payment receipt showing the registration number; notify the authority of any changes and of the cessation of activity.

Taxes: what you need to know

• Personal income tax (IRPF): without hotel-type services, income is taxed as property capital income, with expenses deductible in proportion to the days let; the main-residence rental reduction does not apply. One Asturian nuance worth noting: since VUT properties are required to provide daily cleaning, linen changes and reception — services typical of hotels — they may more readily be classified as an economic activity. Consult your tax advisor.
• VAT: rental without hotel-type services is currently exempt; with such services, 10% applies. The national reform that would set 10% VAT on stays of 30 nights or fewer from 1 December 2026 (RDL 29/2026) is pending parliamentary ratification and may not pass.
• Tourist tax: there is currently none in Asturias, but a bill is making its way through the legislature: it would be optional for each local council, applicable from June to September and during Easter week, for a maximum of 5 nights, at rates of €2.50 per night for VUT and €2 for VV (expected from 2027). Oviedo and Gijón have not introduced it.
• IBI (property tax): there is currently no specific surcharge for VUT properties. The national reform would allow surcharges only in stressed zones — which do exist in Asturias — but it requires parliamentary ratification and a local council bylaw; as of October 2026 none has been adopted.

Penalties: the cost of non-compliance

Operating without filing a responsible declaration is a serious infringement (very serious if users are put at risk), and the authority may shut down the property immediately. Penalty ranges under Law 7/2001:

In addition, a declaration containing a material falsehood leads to cancellation and a ban on re-registering of between 6 months and 4 years (for example, 1 year for lack of insurance, 3 years for breaching a community prohibition). Asturias has significantly stepped up enforcement: almost 5,000 inspections took place in 2025.

What should you do now?

• If you already hold a license: review your compliance with Decree 4/2026 before 3 March 2027 (capacity, floor areas, noise monitor, 24-hour reception, removal of key lockboxes) and keep your insurance and SES.Hospedajes registrations up to date.
• If you don't yet have one: identify your category (VV or VUT), obtain the €150,250 insurance policy — and, if it's an apartment, the homeowners' association certificate — confirm your area is not 'unsuitable' or subject to a suspension, and file your responsible declaration.
• If you're buying a property 'with a license': verify the registration entry, the insurance, the association's agreement, whether the area is a stressed zone and that no open proceedings are pending.