Finding the local rules on tourist and seasonal lets

Key rules

• Local rules: Regions and town councils decide whether a tourist let is legal at an address.
• Check the address: A listing's registration number must be valid in the regional register and match the host or their company.
• Building vote: Owners in a building can vote to ban tourist lets, so a licence alone is not enough.
• Seasonal lets: Seasonal lets are less restricted but are now being registered and checked.

Who sets the rules

Regions (autonomous communities) and town councils decide whether a tourist let is legal at a given address. A national registration system sits on top, but it does not replace the local rules. A listing can look professional and still be illegal where it stands.

So always check the address itself, not just the listing.

Tourist let or seasonal let?

A tourist let is a home advertised for short holiday stays. It needs a regional licence or registration. In many regions, a stay under 30 days counts as tourist (in some, under 31 days). The cut-off differs by region, so check it for the region where the property is.

A seasonal let is for a temporary purpose such as work, study or medical treatment. It is mostly governed by the contract. Seasonal lets are also now being registered and checked, so do not assume they escape local scrutiny.

Where lets are restricted

These places have tight or changing limits on tourist flats:

• Barcelona: the city plans to end all tourist-flat licences by November 2028.
• Madrid: zone limits apply, and much of the centre requires ground-floor or separate access.
• Valencia city: a freeze and a ban on new tourist flats in many areas.
• Balearics: a ban on new tourist flats in Palma, with tough sanctions.
• Canarias: new holiday rentals are limited to land zoned for tourism.
• Málaga: new licences are suspended for three years from 2025, with tougher rules in areas where tourist lets are over 8% of homes.
• Also: San Sebastián, Bilbao, Sevilla, Santiago and Alicante have restrictions.

Rules change fast and some are being challenged in court. Treat this list as a warning to check, not as the final word.

How to check an address

1. Get the full address and registration numbers from the host. You want the regional number and the national number shown in the listing.
2. Find the region, then search its tourist register online. The resource below lists where to look. Not every register is searchable, so if you find nothing, ask the regional tourism department.
3. Match the names. The licence holder should be the host or their company.
4. Check the national number in the national register run by the property registrars.
5. Ask the host for a nota simple. It shows who owns the property. The owner can get it for a small fee.
6. Ask the town hall (ayuntamiento) whether its planning rules allow a tourist or seasonal let at that address.
7. Ask about the building. Since 2025, owners in a building can vote, with a three-fifths majority, to ban tourist lets. Ask the host whether the building's statutes allow them.

If something does not add up

Do not pay until the host explains it. A missing number, a mismatched name or a refusal to give the full address are reasons to walk away. Use a payment method that your bank or the platform can reverse.

Checklist

• Ask the host for the full address and the registration numbers shown in the listing, both the national number and any regional licence number.

• Find which autonomous community the address is in, then search that region's tourist register online for the licence number.

• Check that the licence holder's name matches the host or their company.

• Check the national registration number with the Registro Único de Arrendamientos run by the property registrars.

• Ask the host for a nota simple from the Registro de la Propiedad, a paid extract showing who owns the property, and compare the address with the Catastro.

• Still unsure? Contact the town hall (ayuntamiento) and ask if a tourist or seasonal let is allowed at that address.

• Check the stay length against the regional cut-off: if it is under 30 days (sometimes 31), expect tourist rules; if longer, expect a seasonal contract.

• If the listing has no number or you cannot find it in the register, ask the regional tourism department before you pay.

Where to look up a tourist rental's registration by region

Where to check a tourist rental's registration

• National registry for short-term lets (Registro de la Propiedad, run by the property registrars): Check the national registration number shown in the listing. Every tourist or seasonal let must display it, on top of any regional licence number.

• Catalunya tourism department (Registre de Turisme): Check that the licence number is valid and matches the address. In Barcelona, numbers start with HUTB.

• Madrid regional tourism department (Registro de Empresas Turísticas): Look up the property's entry and confirm the details match the listing.

• Andalucía tourism department (Registro de Turismo de Andalucía): Check the registration number, which starts with VFT/, and the property details.

• Balearic island council (Consell register): Check the registration number, which starts with ETV, against the address.

• Canarias tourism department (Registro General Turístico): Check the registration number, which is marked VV, and the property details.

• Tourism department of any other region: Start from the home page of your region's tourism department and look for its register of tourist rentals.

Confirm the exact register page on your region's tourism department website, as page names and addresses change.

Frequently asked questions

When does a stay count as a seasonal let instead of a tourist let?

A seasonal let is for a use other than permanent housing, such as work, study or medical stays. A tourist let is marketed for short holiday stays. In many regions a stay of under 30 days (sometimes under 31) counts as tourist, but the cut-off differs, so check the regional tourism rules where the property is.

Are seasonal lets free of local restrictions?

They are less restricted than tourist lets, but they are now being registered and checked too. Hosts must also show a national registration number in the listing. Ask the host for it and check it.

Which cities limit tourist flats the most?

Barcelona is the strictest, with a plan to end all tourist-flat licences by November 2028. Valencia, Palma, Málaga and Madrid limit new tourist flats by area.

Can the building itself block a tourist let?

Yes, since the 2025 reform, a building's owners' association can vote with a 3/5 majority to ban tourist lets. Ask the host whether the community of owners' statutes allow it.