Tourist license in Galicia 2026: VUT, REAT and city-by-city limits

Note: this guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. In Galicia, regional regulations and the urban planning ordinances of each local council coexist and change frequently, and national tax reforms are currently in progress. Always verify your specific situation in the DOG, with your local council and with your legal or tax advisor.

Can I open a vacation rental in Galicia in 2026?

At the regional level, yes: a single responsible declaration filed with Turismo de Galicia is enough to get your property registered in the REAT and start operating. But in 2026 the regional paperwork is the easy step; what truly determines whether your property can function as a vacation rental is local urban planning. In Santiago, A Coruña and Pontevedra, VUTs are only permitted on ground floors, first floors or in exclusively tourist-use buildings — never in an apartment located above residential units — and Vigo and Lugo are heading in the same direction.

That is why it pays to validate things in this order, and not to register before everything is clear:

• Municipal urban planning compatibility: ask your local council for a certificate confirming whether your property — based on its floor and its zone — is permitted for tourist use. This is the step that rules out the most cases.
• Homeowners' association approval: since April 2025 you need a 3/5 majority vote to start operating.
• Requirements of Decree 12/2017: habitability standards, furnishings, 24-hour phone line, complaints forms.
• Responsible declaration and REAT registration: the final step.

The legal framework, explained clearly

The foundation is Law 7/2011 of 27 October on Tourism in Galicia (which defines a vacation rental as a property let in its entirety for tourist purposes for stays of fewer than 30 days) and Decree 12/2017 of 26 January, which regulates VUTs. A key provision of the decree is the one that enables all restrictions: local councils may limit the number of VUTs per building or per zone, and the property must be located on residentially zoned land. No new decree from the Xunta has been published in the DOG; there are initiatives under discussion (a legislative proposal requiring prior municipal licensing), but they are not yet law.

The decisive filter: your local council

Even if you comply with regional regulations, if local urban planning does not permit tourist use in your building and on your floor, there is no VUT. The situation in Galicia's cities as of October 2026:

Important: many municipal details (zoning boundaries, final approvals) change frequently and some come from press sources. Before buying or renovating, always ask your local council for the urban planning compatibility certificate for your specific property. In addition, A Coruña and Santiago have been declared stressed residential market zones, which affects rental activity and, if the national reform moves forward, could enable surcharges on the property tax (IBI) for tourist properties.

Registration: the responsible declaration and REAT enrollment

Registration is completed by submitting the responsible declaration (form in Annex V of Decree 12/2017) to Turismo de Galicia via the Xunta's electronic portal. It authorizes you to operate from the moment it is submitted, and Turismo enrolls the property automatically in the REAT, assigning a registration number in the format VUT-[province]-[6 digits] (CO for A Coruña, LU for Lugo, OR for Ourense and PO for Pontevedra). That number is mandatory in all listings and platforms verify it. The former national unique identifier (NRUA) was annulled by the Supreme Court in 2026: in Galicia, the number that matters is the REAT number.

One important nuance: being registered in the REAT does not legalize a property that fails to comply with local urban planning. In Santiago, cease-and-desist orders and penalties have already been issued against VUTs that were registered without a municipal planning title. Salamanca taught the same lesson in Castile and León, and in the Basque Country it is likewise municipal planning that rules out most cases; you can find every other region in our guide to vacation rental regulations by region.

Property requirements (Decree 12/2017)

• Habitability: the property must be legally constituted as a dwelling, with a first-occupancy license or habitability certificate; maximum capacity is determined by that document.
• Urban planning compatibility: residentially zoned land, in compliance with all municipal restrictions.
• Furnishings and equipment: fully furnished and ready for immediate use, with adequate kitchenware and supplies for the number of guests.
• Heating in all rooms used by guests (may be omitted only if the property is marketed exclusively for the months of June through September).
• 24-hour contact phone line and a maintenance and assistance service.
• Official complaints forms available to guests, with the required signage, and a copy of the responsible declaration displayed visibly.
• Entire property rental only: renting by the room is not permitted (except under specific municipal pathways, such as the primary residence scheme in Santiago).

Civil liability insurance is strongly recommended, although it is not expressly listed as mandatory for VUTs in the regulatory text; confirm this with your advisor.

Can the homeowners' association block it?

Yes, and their authorization is now a prerequisite. Since the reform of the Horizontal Property Law, in force from 3 April 2025: to start operating a VUT in a multi-unit building you need the express approval of three-fifths of the owners; with that same majority the association can limit, condition or ban the activity and impose a surcharge of up to 20% on common area fees. Agreements are not retroactive for those already operating legally. Obtain the signed minutes recording the favorable vote before submitting your declaration.

Day-to-day obligations

• Guest registration (SES.Hospedajes): submit guest data to the Ministry of the Interior within 24 hours and retain records for 3 years (Royal Decree 933/2021).
• REAT number displayed prominently in all listings and booking channels.
• Guest information: booking terms, 24-hour contact number, house rules and, where applicable, the price inclusive of the tourist tax.
• Occupancy data: Turismo de Galicia may request these on a quarterly basis.

Taxes: what you need to know

• Personal income tax (IRPF): without hotel-style services, income is taxed as real estate capital income, with deductible expenses (IBI, community fees, utilities, depreciation, interest) in proportion to the days rented. The reduction available for long-term residential rentals does not apply to vacation rentals. With hotel-style services, it is classified as an economic activity.
• VAT: currently, vacation rentals without hotel-style services are exempt; with services, a rate of 10% applies. A national reform is underway that would set a 10% VAT rate for stays of 30 nights or fewer from 1 December 2026 (RDL 29/2026), but it is still pending ratification and may not pass; treat it as a likely change, not a certainty.
• Galician tourist tax: the regional tax is 100% subsidized, so it is only charged where the local council approves a municipal surcharge. It is already applied in Santiago and A Coruña (€2 per person per night for VUTs, maximum 5 nights) and Vigo (€1.60, from October 2026). Where it applies, you collect it from guests and remit it.

Penalties: the cost of non-compliance

Operating without submitting a responsible declaration is a serious infringement. Penalty ranges under Law 7/2011:

On top of these penalties come municipal fines for operating without a planning title (Santiago, Pontevedra) and penalties related to guest registration. In 2025, the consumer authority forwarded to the Xunta a list of thousands of listings without a REAT number.

What should you do now?

• If you already have a license: keep it in good standing (REAT number in all listings, SES.Hospedajes up to date, complaints forms available) and verify that your property complies with your council's urban planning rules; Santiago and A Coruña are where inspections are most frequent.
• If you don't have one yet: start with the local council. Request the urban planning compatibility certificate and confirm the floor and zone before investing. The strongest legal opportunities lie in detached coastal properties (Rías Baixas, Costa da Morte), in rural areas with legally built structures, and on ground floors and first floors in urban buildings.
• If you are buying a property 'with a license': verify the REAT registration, the municipal planning title, the homeowners' association approval and that there are no outstanding cease-and-desist orders or penalties.