How to check a temporary listing is real and legal before paying

Key rules

• Two numbers: A legal tourist listing shows a national registration number plus any regional licence number.
• Payment route: Pay only through the platform or by credit card, after checks pass and terms are in writing.
• Untraceable payments: Never pay by cash, money-transfer service, gift card or crypto.
• Bank transfers: Transfers, including fintech ones, give little recourse, so use them only for verified hosts or agencies.

The short version

Do not pay anything until the property, host and licence checks pass and you have the terms in writing. Then pay through the platform or by credit card. The process and checklist below walk you through each check.

Check the registration numbers

Since 1 July 2025, hosts of tourist and seasonal lets in Spain must obtain a registration number from the national registry and display it in every listing, in addition to any regional tourist licence number. So you should see two numbers. If either is missing, ask the host for it. If they refuse or stall, walk away.

Regional numbers look different in each region. Examples are HUTB in Barcelona, VFT in Andalucía, VT in the Comunitat Valenciana, ETV in the Balearics and VV in the Canarias.

Check the registry entries

1. Search the licence number in the tourist register of the host's autonomous community. Most are searchable online through the regional tourism department. Confirm the address and the holder's name match the listing.
2. Look up the national number in the national registry, which is run with the Colegio de Registradores under the Ministry of Housing. Confirm it is active.
3. Ask your town hall (ayuntamiento) whether tourist rentals are allowed at that address.

Some regional portals are hard to search. If you can't find the number, ask the regional tourism office rather than taking the host's word for it.

To confirm the property exists and who owns it, ask the owner for a nota simple. Also check the address on a map.

Check the host

Match the name on the licence to the host or company. Look for platform identity verification and reviews from other guests. Ask for a live video call, and ask the host to show the place. A real host will agree.

Choose a payment route you can trace

Your options from abroad, from safest to weakest:

• Platform payment by card. This gives the strongest protection, because the platform holds the money and handles disputes. The platform may add a service fee of roughly 0-15% and may convert the currency.
• Credit card directly. You get chargeback rights through your card issuer. Expect a foreign transaction fee of about 0-3% unless your card is fee-free. Choose to pay in euros, to avoid poor conversion rates. Chargeback time limits vary by issuer.
• Bank transfer. SEPA transfers inside the euro area are cheap or free. If you send from outside the euro area, an international transfer (SWIFT) typically costs about 10-40 euros in fees, depending on your bank. A currency margin and possible intermediary charges come on top. Recovery is hard if the host turns out to be a fraud. Use this only for verified hosts or agencies, and only to an account whose IBAN matches the host's registered name. Get a receipt.
• Fintech transfer service. Costs are lower, about 0.4-1%, and the transfer is traceable. Recourse is limited, so the same limits apply as for bank transfers.

Avoid cash, Western Union or MoneyGram, gift cards and crypto. They can't be traced or reversed, and scammers favour them. Be wary if a host asks you to pay outside the platform.

If the listing turns out to be unregistered

The guest is rarely fined. The fines fall on the host and on platforms that keep illegal ads online. But your booking can be cancelled at short notice. Ask the platform for rebooking or a refund, which most give if a listing is removed for illegality. You can also claim a chargeback from your card issuer, or report the listing to the regional tourism authority or the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. A refund is not guaranteed, especially if you paid off-platform.

If you are booking from abroad and can't visit first, read the page on booking from abroad.

Choosing between options

How should you pay for a Spanish short stay from abroad?

• Pay through the platform by card: Best when the listing is on a platform. Money is held until check-in and the platform mediates disputes.

• Pay by credit card directly: Fits when you book direct with a verified host.

• Use a fintech transfer service: Fits a verified host or agency when you want lower exchange costs, about 0.4-1%. The transfer is traceable but recourse is limited.

Pay only after the property, host and licence checks pass and you have the terms in writing. Choose the platform or a credit card first. Use a transfer only for a verified host or agency. Never pay by cash, money-transfer service, gift card or crypto.

How to verify a stay option, check by check

• Have the listing address, the host's name, the licence number and the national registration number in front of you. Do not pay or send documents yet.: before you start

• Check the property exists: find the address on a map and street view, and run a reverse image search on the photos.: first check

• Check the host is genuine: look for platform verification and reviews from other guests, make a live video call, and confirm the name matches the licence holder.: second check

• Check the right to operate: find the regional tourist licence in your region's tourist register, and the national registration number in the national rental registry.: third check

• Check the stay is allowed: ask the town hall (ayuntamiento) about local rules for tourist rentals, and ask about the building's community rules.: fourth check

• Check the payment route: confirm you can pay through the platform or by credit card, and ask your bank if you are unsure.: last check, only after the others pass

• Know who confirms what: the property register (via a nota simple, a paid extract the owner can supply) or the Catastro for existence and ownership; the regional register for the licence; the national registry for the registration number; the platform for host identity; the town hall for permission; your bank for payment safety.: at each check

• Count only what you find yourself as proof: a number found in a register with matching address and holder, a platform-verified identity, reviews from other guests, and map confirmation. A PDF, screenshot, licence number or ID the host sends you is only their claim until you find the same details in a register.: at each check

• If every check passes, mark the option Verified and move on to written terms. If a check is still open, mark it Needs more information and ask the host or office for it. If a check fails, mark it Rejected.: at the decision point

• Treat a promise to send documents later as not a pass. Keep the option as Needs more information and do not pay until you have found the proof yourself.: if the host promises documents later

• Drop a Rejected option, tell the platform if you found it there, and start the same checks on the next option.: if a check fails or the host refuses

Documents you need

• Regional tourist licence or registration number, from the tourist register of the host's autonomous community

• National registration number from the national rental registry, in force since 1 July 2025

• Host or operator identity: name, ID or company NIF and contact details, which you can match against the registry

• Written terms or contract from the host or operator, or the platform's booking confirmation

• Exact address and unit, from the host or platform

• House rules and community rules, from the host

• Receipt or factura for each payment, from the host or operator (platform fees come from the platform)

• For longer stays, the energy certificate

Checks to make before you pay for a temporary stay

• Find the national registration number in the listing. Hosts must show it in every listing, next to any regional tourist licence number.

• Look up the national registration number in the national rental registry and confirm it is still active.

• Confirm the host is genuine: look for a platform-verified identity, read reviews from other guests, and make a live video call.

• Get the cancellation terms and the total price in writing before you commit.

• Pay only through the platform or by credit card, never to a personal bank account, cash or a money-transfer service.

Red flags of a fake or unlicensed stay

• Red flags in the listing: Be wary of a host who asks for payment before you have checked anything, or wants a bank transfer, cash, a money-transfer service or crypto. Other signs: a move to WhatsApp or email away from the platform, no licence or national registration number in the ad, a price far below the market, photos found on other sites, a brand-new profile or odd reviews, a vague address, a refused video call, and 'many other guests are interested' claims. An unlicensed listing can also be cancelled by the authorities after you pay. Walk away from any listing with several of these signs, and search the licence and registration numbers yourself before going further.

• A host pressures you to pay: Pressure to hurry or to pay outside the platform is a reason to stop, because platforms only protect bookings and payments made through them. A genuine host accepts the platform's normal payment. Do not pay. Keep messages and payment on the platform, ask for a live video call, and report the host to the platform. If you have already lost money, tell your bank and the police straight away. On Airbnb, report quickly, because AirCover has a strict reporting deadline, set out in the article on where to book temporary housing.

• Where to report: Report a suspect listing in this order, so that it gets removed and you have a record. First, use the platform's report listing tool. Then file a denuncia with the Policía Nacional (online for internet fraud) or the Guardia Civil; the emergency number is 112. Then contact your region's tourism authority, which inspects unlicensed rentals. Finally, use your regional consumer office or the European Consumer Centre Spain for cross-border disputes. The 017 helpline gives advice on online fraud.

Stay option comparison grid

Copy one block for each stay option you consider. Fill in what you find next to each check, then give the option one status at the end. Do the checks in this order: the free ones come first and the payment comes last.

STAY OPTION: ______________________
Link or listing name: ______________________
Address: ______________________
Price and dates: ______________________

1. Property exists
- Address found on a map: yes / no Notes: __________
- Street view matches the photos and the area: yes / no Notes: __________
- Reverse image search of the photos shows no other listing or location: yes / no Notes: __________

2. Host is genuine
- Host is verified on the platform: yes / no
- Review history looks real and recent: yes / no
- Live video call done: yes / no Date: ________
- Host name matches the licence holder: yes / no Name: __________

3. Legal right to operate
- Regional tourist licence number: __________
- Number found in the regional register: yes / no
- National registration number: __________
- National registration number is valid: yes / no

4. Registration is allowed here
- Town or city allows tourist rentals in this area: yes / no Notes: __________
- Building or community rules allow tourist stays: yes / no Notes: __________
- Registration numbers are not cancelled: yes / no

5. Terms in writing
- Total price, fees, deposit and cancellation terms received in writing: yes / no
- Check-in and check-out details received in writing: yes / no

6. Safe payment (only after checks 1 to 5 pass)
- Payment goes through the platform or by credit card: yes / no
- Host asked for a transfer to a personal account: yes / no (if yes, reject)

What is missing or why rejected: ______________________
Who you asked and when: ______________________

Summary grid

Fill in one row per option so you can compare them side by side.

How to choose a status

• Needs more information: a check is still open, for example the host has not sent the licence number or the video call has not happened. Do not pay yet. Write down what you asked for.
• Rejected: a check failed, for example the licence is not in the register, the name does not match, the area bans tourist rentals, or the host wants payment to a personal account.

Only a Verified listing is ready for payment, so choose that status before you send any money. If the status is anything else, wait or walk away.

Rules differ by region and town, so check the local rules for each option separately.

Frequently asked questions

What happens to me if the listing turns out to be unregistered?

The fines fall on the host and on platforms that keep illegal ads online, not usually on you. Your risk is practical: the listing can be taken down or the booking cancelled at short notice.

Which papers should I ask the host for besides the registration numbers?

Ask for the host's name, ID or company NIF and contact details, the written terms, the exact address and unit, and the house rules. Ask for a receipt or factura for every payment. For longer stays, also ask for the energy certificate.

Can I pay by bank transfer from abroad?

Yes, but only if the host or agency is verified. A transfer leaves a trace, but you have little recourse if it turns out to be fraud. Make sure the IBAN matches the registered name and keep the receipt.

Who confirms that the property exists and the owner is real?

The property register confirms that the property exists and who owns it, through a nota simple, a paid extract the owner can supply. The Catastro, the land and building registry, confirms the address. Your bank can advise on payment safety.

What to do if you already sent money or documents to a fake landlord

Act today. Every hour you wait lowers the chance of getting money back.

If you sent money, in this order

1. Call your bank or card issuer now. Ask them to recall the transfer or start a chargeback. If you shared card details, ask them to block the card. A transfer recall only works if the money is still in the receiving account.
2. File a police report (denuncia) with the Policía Nacional or Guardia Civil, online or at a station. Banks and insurers often ask for it.
3. Report the host and the listing to the platform where you found it.
4. Do not send more money, even for a "fee" to release the first payment.

For a card, a chargeback is usually possible for about 120 days from the payment or the expected stay date, but your issuer sets its own limit. Platform claims are much shorter: report to Airbnb within 72 hours of discovering the problem and of check-in.

If you shared identity documents

1. Tell your bank if the documents could be used to open or access accounts.
2. Include in your police report exactly which documents you sent (passport, residence card, NIE, selfie) so there is a record if someone misuses them.
3. Change passwords on any account whose details you shared, and watch your email and phone for unexpected requests.
4. Treat any new message from the "landlord" or someone claiming to help you recover money as another scam attempt.

Who to report to

• Your bank or card issuer
• The booking platform, if the listing was on one
• The consumer authority, if the host looks like a business

Evidence to keep

Do not delete anything. Keep the listing page (screenshot, with any licence number), all messages and call logs, the host's payment instructions, your transfer confirmation or card statement line, the account number and name you paid, and phone numbers or email addresses used.

Be realistic

Recovery is not guaranteed. A transfer can often not be reversed once the money has left the receiving account, and card and platform protection depend on how you paid and how fast you reported. Acting quickly and keeping evidence gives you the best chance, and also protects you if your documents are misused.

What to ask a host to show you, who issues it and what a good answer looks like

• Regional tourist licence or registration number. Issued by the tourist register of the region where the property is. It proves the property is registered for tourist use, not that the host owns it. Acceptable: given promptly, in the right format, and it matches the listing address. Unacceptable: no number, a claim that none is needed for a short tourist stay, or a number that belongs to another address. Cross-check: search the number and address in that region's official tourist register.

• National registration number (número de registro único). Issued through the national rental registry run by the property registrars under the Ministry of Housing. Since 1 July 2025 hosts of tourist and seasonal lets must show it in every listing, as well as any regional licence number. Acceptable: it appears in the listing and the host repeats it in writing. Unacceptable: missing, not found in the registry, or tied to a different address. Numbers can be copied from other listings, so always cross-check: look it up in the national registry.

• Identity of the host or operator: full name or company name, ID or company tax number (NIF) and contact details, given by the host. It shows who you contract with and who to pursue. It does not prove ownership. Acceptable: the name matches the ID, the contract and the account that receives your money. Unacceptable: a different name on the contract and on the bank account, a third party, or an account in another country. Cross-check: compare the name with the registry entry and, on a platform, with the verified host profile.

• Written terms, contract or booking confirmation, issued by the host, operator or platform. It proves the agreed dates, price, deposit and cancellation rights, as far as it is clear and signed by the right party. Acceptable: it names both parties, the address, dates, guests, total price, deposit, payment schedule, cancellation terms and the registration numbers. Unacceptable: a host who refuses to confirm in writing; do not pay, and walk away if they still refuse. Cross-check: keep the booking on the platform, or by email or message, so there is a record.

• Exact address and unit, given by the host. It lets you check the registry, the property and the photos. It does not prove the host may let it. Acceptable: a full street address and unit that matches the registry and the listing. Unacceptable: only an area, an address that changes, or one that does not match the registry. Cross-check: look it up on a map and street view, and run a reverse image search on the photos.

• Receipt or factura for each payment, issued by the host or operator who supplies the stay. It shows payer, payee name and tax ID, amount, what it pays for and the address. Acceptable: a receipt for your deposit in the same name as the contract. Unacceptable: no receipt, or one from an unrelated name. A platform only invoices its own fees. Cross-check: confirm the payee name matches the contract and the account you paid.