Letting your Spanish property to holidaymakers requires a licence in most cases. Without one you cannot list on Airbnb or Booking.com. The rules are strict and letting without a licence attracts substantial fines.
What the licence is #
A tourist letting licence is official permission to let your property short term to holidaymakers. The name varies by region, but the principle is the same: the property is registered as tourist accommodation.
The rules are set regionally rather than nationally, so requirements and procedures differ between the Costa del Sol, the Costa Blanca and the Costa Cálida.
What the property must meet #
Requirements vary, but the common conditions are that the property was legally built, that it has been officially declared habitable, that it meets minimum standards for facilities and safety, and that it is entered in a regional register.
The facilities requirements cover things like ventilation, fire safety and a basic level of equipment.
How to apply #
Applications generally go through the regional authority. You gather the documents, complete the application, submit it and receive a registration number.
That registration number has to appear in your listings. In some regions you may let as soon as you have submitted, in others you wait for approval.
The national registry #
Since 2025 Spain has operated a single national registry for short-term lets alongside the regional licences. Properties need a registration number recorded there, and the booking platforms are required to check it before a listing goes live.
In practice this means a regional licence alone is no longer necessarily enough to get listed. Confirm the current position with a local specialist, because this is recent and still bedding in.
Common mistakes #
Letting without a licence. Submitting incomplete or incorrect documentation. Leaving the registration number out of listings. And failing to meet the guest registration obligations, which are separate from the licence.
Practical points #
Check the rules in the region where the property sits, and make sure the property is technically compliant before you apply rather than after. Use a local specialist if you are unsure.
And factor the licence into your purchase decision. A property that cannot obtain one is worth less to you if letting is part of the plan, which is exactly the kind of thing to establish before you reserve rather than afterwards.
In short #
A licence is compulsory in most regions. The rules differ by location but the core is the same everywhere, and without one you are exposed to fines.
Letting regulation in Spain has tightened repeatedly in recent years. Verify the current requirements for your region before you commit to a letting plan.
Last reviewed 2026-08-24
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