Tourist License in Catalonia 2026: HUT, Tensioned Zones and 2028

*This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Tourism regulations change frequently; always verify your specific situation with the DOGC, your local council, and the Generalitat before making any decision. Last updated: October 2026.*

Can I Obtain a Tourist License in Catalonia in 2026?

It depends on where your property is located. Catalonia currently operates under two parallel regimes:

• In municipalities declared 'high residential demand areas' (tensioned zones) — 262 municipalities, including Barcelona, Girona, Tarragona, Lleida, and much of the coast — obtaining a new HUT is extremely difficult: prior municipal planning permission is required, and a density cap applies. In many of these municipalities, new licenses are simply not being granted.
• Outside tensioned zones, the classic regime remains in place: registration with the Generalitat and a HUT number, without the planning license required under Decret Llei 3/2023.

The real question, therefore, is not 'can I in Catalonia?' but rather 'what is the situation in my municipality?'

Decret Llei 3/2023, Explained

Decret Llei 3/2023 (urgent housing measures) changed the rules in municipalities under the greatest residential pressure. Its three key pillars:

• Prior planning permission. In tensioned zones, a HUT becomes a land use that requires a municipal license before it can be registered. A simple notification to the Generalitat is no longer sufficient.
• Density cap. A maximum number of vacation rental properties is set relative to the local population (as a benchmark, approximately 10 HUTs per 100 residents, which each municipality defines precisely in its planning framework). Where this cap has already been reached, no new licenses can be granted.
• Five-year temporary licenses. Licenses are no longer indefinite: they last 5 years, and renewal depends on whether the urban planning framework continues to permit it.

Tensioned Zones vs. the Rest of Catalonia

In both cases, the HUT number from the Registre de Turisme de Catalunya is mandatory and must appear in all listings (Airbnb, Booking, your own website, etc.).

Barcelona City: What Happens in 2028

• The City Council of Barcelona has decided not to renew any HUT licenses, meaning that by 2028 the city would reach zero vacation rental apartments — approximately 10,000 licenses set to expire. This position has been upheld despite legal challenges, and in 2026 it received backing in the courts.
• For HUTs registered before the entry into force of Decret Llei 3/2023, a transitional regime exists: they may continue operating until November 2028 without the new planning license. After that date, they must either hold a valid municipal license (which Barcelona city will not grant) or cease operations.
• There is an extension for unrecovered investment: between November 2027 and November 2028, the license holder may apply to the council for up to 5 additional years, by demonstrating that the investment made has not yet been recouped.

An important and honest clarification: it is not true that 'vacation rentals are banned across Catalonia.' Neighboring municipalities — Sant Adrià de Besòs, Badalona, L'Hospitalet… — each have their own situation depending on whether they are classified as a tensioned zone and on their local planning rules. *(Fee4Me operates in the metropolitan area, in Sant Adrià de Besòs, not in Barcelona city.)*

The National Registry Was Struck Down: What Governs Now

A recent development worth knowing: the Supreme Court struck down (ruling of 21 May 2026) the Registro Único de Arrendamientos de corta duración — the national registry number created by RD 1312/2024, which had entered into force on 1 July 2025 — for encroaching on the powers of the autonomous communities. In practice:

• You no longer need the national registry number to list your property.
• The regional registry governs: in Catalonia, the HUT number from the Registre de Turisme de Catalunya.
• The Ventanilla Única Digital is retained as a mechanism for platforms to transmit data (European obligations), but without the requirement for a single national registry number.

Step by Step, According to Your Municipality

• Check whether your municipality is a tensioned zone (one of the 262 under Decret Llei 3/2023) and whether any capacity remains under the density cap.
• If you are in a tensioned zone: apply for the planning license from your local council before anything else. Without it, there is no HUT.
• Complete the registration with the Generalitat and obtain your HUT number (Registre de Turisme de Catalunya).
• Include the HUT number in all your listings.
• Register for traveler reporting: in Catalonia, the registre de viatgers with the Mossos d'Esquadra, in addition to the national traveler-reporting obligations (SES.Hospedajes).
• Check the position of your homeowners' association (see the following section).

Homeowners' Association and Taxation

• Homeowners' association (national rule, not Catalan-specific): since the amendment to the Ley de Propiedad Horizontal by Ley Orgánica 1/2025, a new HUT activity may require the favorable vote of 3/5 of the owners' meeting. This is not retroactive for existing HUTs, and the association may vote to increase shared expenses attributable to the vacation rental by up to 20%.
• Taxation: income is subject to personal income tax (IRPF) or corporate tax, and depending on the circumstances there may be VAT obligations and local taxes. We cover this in depth in our taxation guide.

Key Timeline

Penalties

Operating without the required registration or license is a breach of Catalan tourism regulations, with fines that can reach hundreds of thousands of euros in the most serious cases, in addition to a cease-and-desist order and the removal of all listings. The exact amounts depend on how the infringement is classified.