Letting out your Spanish property, long-term, seasonal or tourist

Key rules

• Separate regimes: Long-term, seasonal and tourist lets follow different rules, so a contract for one cannot stand in for another.
• Tourist consent: A tourist let in a block of flats is not allowed without the consent of three-fifths of the owners.
• Local limits: Your town hall may refuse new tourist licences, so check your address before counting on tourist income.
• Long-term term: A long-term lease lasts at least 5 years, or 7 years if the landlord is a company.

The three routes are separate legal regimes

Long-term, seasonal and tourist lets each follow different rules. Which one is lawful, and which is worth doing, depends on where the home is, what your community of owners allows and what your town hall permits. Check all three before you buy furniture or advertise.

Long-term let

This is a let of a home that the tenant uses as their permanent home. It is the most protected for the tenant and the most predictable for you.

• The minimum term is 5 years, or 7 years if the landlord is a company. If you agree a shorter term, the lease extends year by year at the tenant's option until it reaches that minimum.
• After the minimum term, the lease renews yearly for up to 3 more years unless someone gives notice. The landlord must give 4 months' notice and the tenant 2 months'.
• After 6 months the tenant can leave with 30 days' notice. The contract may require compensation of one month's rent for each year left, in proportion for part years.
• You can take the home back in the early years only if the contract says so, for your own personal need.

The timeline below shows these dates. Income is steady but usually lower than tourist letting. Gross yields are typically in the mid single digits. They tend to be lower in prime Madrid, Barcelona and the Balearics, and higher in secondary cities and cheaper coastal or inland towns, such as in the Valencia region, Murcia and Andalusia.

Seasonal let

A seasonal let is for a use other than a permanent home: work, study, medical treatment or a holiday period. The contract mainly governs it. There is no minimum term and no forced extension.

The rules on seasonal lets have been tightened. The contract must state the tenant's reason for the let, and a let that is really a permanent home can be treated as a long-term one. Do not use a seasonal contract to avoid the long-term rules. Rules here are changing, so confirm the current position before relying on this route.

Tourist let

A tourist let is a short let of a furnished home, promoted through tourist channels for a commercial purpose. It sits outside the long-term rental rules. Regional tourism rules apply instead, and they usually require registration and a licence. A national short-term rental registry also applies, and its registration number is mandatory.

In a block of flats you also need the prior consent of three-fifths of the owners. Without it the let is not allowed. The community can also vote a ban on new tourist lets, which does not apply to existing tourist flats unless the owner agrees. It can also vote a surcharge of up to 20 per cent on community expenses for those flats.

Gross income is generally higher than for a long-term let in the same market. Coastal and island areas and big cities show the strongest figures. Net income is lower once you count platform fees, cleaning, taxes, empty weeks and management costs.

Local bans can decide it for you

Many places have limited or frozen new tourist licences. These include Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia city, Palma, Bilbao, San Sebastián, Málaga, Sevilla's centre, and parts of the Canary Islands and Balearics. Dates and details change often. Ask your town hall whether a new licence is possible for your address before you rely on tourist income.

How to choose

1. Ask your town hall and your community whether tourist letting is allowed at your address.
2. If it is not allowed or not available, the choice is between a long-term and a genuine seasonal let.
3. If it is allowed, compare tourist income after all costs against the steadier long-term income.
4. If you want low effort and certainty, a long-term let is usually the safer choice.

The warning and the questions below cover the current changes and common doubts.

Timeline and deadlines

• Landlord gives notice not to renew at the end of the term: At least 4 months before the lease expires

• Tenant gives notice not to renew: At least 2 months before the lease expires

Letting rules are changing, check before you rely on income

• National rental registry: Spain now has a single national rental registry. Tourist lets, seasonal lets and room lets need a registry number, and adverts must show it. Listings without a valid number can be removed, which stops your income. Apply for your number online through the property registrars (Registradores de España) and check the current deadline and process with them or the Ministry of Housing.

• Community consent: Since April 2025, a tourist let in a block of flats needs the prior consent of three-fifths of the owners. Without it the let is not allowed. Ask your community administrator for the statutes and the vote record before you plan on tourist income.

• City bans and freezes: Many cities and regions have frozen or limited new tourist licences, including Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Palma, Bilbao, San Sebastián, Málaga, Sevilla and parts of the Canary Islands and Balearics. Barcelona plans to end its tourist flat licences by 2028. A licence you cannot get means no tourist income. Ask your town hall's urban planning office whether new tourist licences are open for your street before you buy or commit.

• Seasonal lets and rent caps: Seasonal lets are under closer watch, and rent caps in stressed zones, such as in Catalonia, still apply to long-term leases. Your expected rent may be lower than you assume. Check with your regional housing department whether your area is a stressed zone.

• How to confirm the current position: Rules differ by country, region and town, and they change often. Relying on an old article can lead to fines or a blocked let. Check the national official gazette (BOE) and your regional gazette. Ask your town hall in writing about permitted use, confirm the regional tourist registration, then confirm with a local lawyer or gestor (a paperwork agent).

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a seasonal let and a tourist let?

A seasonal let is for a tenant who needs the home for a reason other than living there permanently, such as work, study or medical treatment, while a tourist let is a short furnished let marketed to visitors for a commercial purpose. Seasonal lets follow your contract and the Civil Code, with no minimum term. Tourist lets follow regional tourism rules, usually with registration and a licence.

Can a tenant leave a long-term lease early?

Yes, a tenant can leave a long-term lease after 6 months if they give 30 days' notice. The contract may require compensation of one month's rent for each year remaining, in proportion for part years. A landlord cannot leave the tenant in the same way.

Do tourist lets earn more than long-term lets?

Tourist lets usually show a higher gross yield than long-term lets in the same market, but net returns can be much lower. Platform fees, cleaning, taxes, empty weeks and management costs all cut into the income. Long-term lets typically give mid single-digit gross yields, higher in smaller cities and lower in prime Madrid, Barcelona and Balearic areas.

Which cities are limiting new tourist licences?

Several cities limit or freeze new tourist licences, including Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Palma, Bilbao, San Sebastián, Málaga and Sevilla, plus parts of the Canary Islands and Balearics. Details change often, so ask the town hall for the street you are buying or letting in.