Licensing & Legalization
Licensing and Legalization: The First Step Toward a Profitable Vacation Rental
Complying with the tourism regulations of your autonomous community is essential to legally and safely rent out your holiday home. Requirements vary depending on the property’s location, so aspects such as licenses, occupancy limits, safety standards, guest registration, and taxes depend directly on the region where your apartment is located.
A tourist property is defined as a residence located on urban land, rented on a regular basis in exchange for payment, and intended for tourist services users. It must meet basic standards of habitability, customer service, and quality.
Understanding and complying with these rules not only helps you avoid penalties, but also ensures a reliable and professional experience for your guests. At AA Arquitectos & Abogados, we manage the entire licensing and legalization process with a thorough technical and legal approach, fully adapted to the current regulations in each autonomous community.
Our services include:
- registration as a vacation rental (VFT/VTAR) with the competent authority (this service is offered free of charge when the property is entrusted to us for vacation rental management).
- full legal advice on holiday rental regulations
- preparation of the technical certificates and projects required for legalization
- management of procedures and communication with your autonomous community
What you need to know to register your holiday home
In Spain, there are no uniform national requirements to legalize a holiday home as tourism is regulated at the autonomous community level. Each region, such as Andalusia, has its own rules, licenses, and registration procedures.
Common requirements across autonomous communities usually include:
- Tourist rental license: Obtaining the corresponding license (VFT/VTAR, depending on the region).
- Safety and occupancy standards: Adequate ventilation, sufficient furniture, properly maintained electrical and plumbing installations, fire safety measures, etc.
- Insurance: Some regions require civil liability insurance for tourist rentals.
- Guest registration: Keeping records of guests and reporting them to local authorities or the police.
- Tax compliance: Including local tourist taxes and the declaration of rental income.
Common information usually required by autonomous communities:
1. Property details
- Cadastral reference: A 20-character code found in the title of the deed or on the IBI (property tax) receipt.
- Accommodation capacity: Determined by the Occupancy License or an equivalent document.
- Descriptive Graphic Certificate: If you do not have an Occupancy License, we can help you obtain this certificate with all the required documentation (plans, technical report, etc.).
2. Owner details
- If the person exploiting the accommodation is not the owner, they must provide their full identification details and the contract authorizing them to do so.
- In the absence of such a contract, the person may only act as a manager or intermediary, without the authority to file the official declaration.
Practical example: how to rent out your tourist property in Andalusia
In Andalusia, you can start renting your tourist property once you have submitted the Responsible Declaration to the competent authority. After submission, you will receive a registration code within approximately 15 to 30 days. This code must be included in all advertisements, as it identifies your property as legally registered in the Andalusian Tourism Register (RTA).
You will then have one year to adapt your property to the requirements of the tourism regulations, which include:
• direct ventilation to the exterior
• appropriate furniture and equipment according to the number of guests
• air conditioning (cooling and heating)
• first aid kit, complaint forms, and tourist information
• cleaning before each guest’s arrival
• clean bed linen and towels
• instructions for the use of appliances
• 24-hour emergency contact numbers
• wifi access, if available
• rental contract with a cancellation policy
• guest registration and communication with the police
Turn your property without trouble into a legal tourist accommodation, ready to welcome guests.