Spain’s National Register for Short-Term Rentals

Spain’s National Register for Short-Term Rentals: Now Active, But Mandatory from July 1, 2025

Since 2 January 2025, Spain has officially introduced its National Register for Short-Term Rentals, a key measure intended to regulate holiday lets across the country. While the register is already operational, registration will not become mandatory until July 1, 2025. This transition period allows property owners and rental platforms to adapt to the new requirements.

The registration can be applied for on the website of the Spanish Land Registries Association at https://www.registradores.org/. The local Land Registry corresponding to your property’s location will assign the number and add it to your property’s details. The granted number will be reflected in the “Nota Simple” (Land Registry report).

What Does the New Register Mean for Property Owners?

• • A Unique Identification Number. Any property intended for short-term rental must obtain a registration number through the national platform. This applies to entire properties, individual rooms, and even boats used as holiday accommodations.

  • Submission of Property Details. Owners must provide information such as personal identification, property type, capacity, exact address, and cadastral reference via the electronic office of the College of Registrars.

  • Keeping Information Up to Date. Owners will be responsible for ensuring their registered details remain accurate and current.

Is There a Penalty for Not Registering? From July 1, 2025, failure to register a rental property could result in penalties, enforced under existing state, regional, and local regulations. Until then, owners have time to complete the process without facing sanctions.

In Which Cases Can Your Application Be Refused by the Land Registry?

When applying for a registration number for a tourist rental property, it is important to be aware that the Land Registry may refuse your application under certain circumstances. Below are the main reasons your application might be rejected:

1. Previous Registration Cancelled by Regional Authorities. The Land Registry will verify whether your property was previously assigned a registration number by your Autonomous Community (e.g., the Junta de Andalucía), and whether that registration was subsequently cancelled. If the cancellation has been recorded by the regional authority, the Land Registry will reject the new application.

2. Prohibition or Restriction in Community Statutes. If the statutes of the Community of Property Owners explicitly prohibit holiday rentals, or more broadly restrict economic activities, your application may be refused. This has proven to be particularly contentious, as the Spanish Supreme Court has recognised that holiday letting constitutes an economic activity, which can fall under such restrictions.The only solution to this situation is to amend the statutes, which requires unanimity

3. Mismatch in the Number of Rooms. Discrepancies between the number of rooms stated in the responsible declaration submitted to the Junta de Andalucía and the description recorded at the Land Registry may lead to refusal.

4. Inconsistencies in Property Address. Variations in the registered address of the property, especially common in older properties where street names or numbers have changed, can result in delays or rejections if the address does not precisely match official records.

5. “Under Construction” Status in the Land Registry. Surprisingly, many properties that were fully completed years ago still appear as “under construction” in the Land Registry. This is usually because the developer never filed the declaration of completion of works (declaración de fin de obra), a necessary step to formally update the property’s status. Although the Land Registry may be fully aware that the building was completed long ago, they can nonetheless refuse to assign a short-term rental registration number on the grounds that, according to the official record, the property remains unfinished.

6. Lack of Authorisation from the Community of Owners
   Some Land Registries have indicated that they will require express authorisation from the Community of Owners. From 3rd April 2024 onwards, this requirement becomes mandatory for new tourist homes. However, some Registries are applying this requirement retroactively, even to properties that were licensed before that date. In such cases, we would strongly recommend lodging an appeal, as it is our firm belief that this requirement should only apply to properties that failed to register as VUT prior to 3rd April.

Key Takeaway

• The National Register for Short-Term Rentals is already active, but registration only be compulsory from July 1, 2025.

• Property owners should start the process now to ensure compliance before the deadline.

• The outcome of the application is not guaranteed, as Land Registries are being very restrictive, as noted above. In some cases, an initial refusal can be resolved by addressing specific discrepancies; however, if the issue involves incompatibility with community statutes, approval may not be possible.

Of course, at Bravo Legal we would be happy to assist with this.Our fees will vary depending on the situation, such as whether we have already obtained the holiday rental licence for you, whether we hold a Power of Attorney (POA) or need to arrange a new one, the location of your property, etc. As a general guideline, our fees for assiting with this range from €120,00 + IVA to €250,00 + IVA. Additionally, there will be a fee payable to the Land Registry of approximately €32,67. Please get in touch with us, and we will provide you with more details and a personalised quote.