This year the Spanish government are more thoroughly investigating holiday licences, making it compulsory to adhere to these strict rules.
In the past a holiday licence wasn’t necessary to rent out a property, however, since 2015 it has been made the law to have a holiday rental licence for all types of holiday accommodation rental in the Valencian Community.
What are the key rules for a rental licence in Valencia?
- You must obtain your general rental licence and display it on all property advertisements, failure to do so could result in a fine for the owner.
- You must register as a company (empresa) if you are renting more than 5 properties
- You must register each property individually if you rent between 2-4 holiday properties (you must display you general rental licence of advertisements)
What properties require a licence?
Each autonomous community in Spain has its own rules and legislation regarding holiday and short-term rentals. However, most regions will comply with the following requirements:
A licence is required for the following properties:
- Detached house for short-term rentals with hotel services (B&B)
- Apartments in tourist complexes
- Apartments in buildings where all properties are rented
A licence is not required for the following properties:
- Detached house with no rental service and cleaning only
- Apartments for rental over terms over 1–2 months
- Apartments that are not in tourist complexes
What if my property does align with the above requirements?
If your property fits the property requirements above then by law, you will need to obtain a holiday rental license.
We recommend starting the process as soon as possible in order to avoid any large fines in the future.
Requirements of the property for tourist rental in the Valencian community:
Once you have obtained a holiday rental licence then you will also need to make sure that you adhere to the following requirements according to the classification outlined in Decree 92/2009
Requirements |
Superior |
Premier |
Standard |
| Public entrance | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Lift | ✔
(property on floor 2 & above) |
✔
(property on floor 3 & above) |
✔
(property on floor 4 & above) |
| Stairs | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Parking | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Sound & heat insulation | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Noise level of facilities | Regulated by Law 7/2002 on Protection Against Noise Pollution | ||
| Plug sockets in all bedroom with labels showing voltage | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Air conditioning in bedrooms | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Air conditioning in living rooms | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Heating in bedrooms | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Heating in living rooms | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Telephone or access to internet | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Hot water | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Garden space | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Swimming pool (interchangeable for beach front) | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Individual safes | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Evacuation plan on the door of the property | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Easily visible list of emergency and other useful telephone numbers | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Min double bedroom size including wardrobe | 12m² | 10m² | 8m² |
| Min main bedroom size including wardrobe | 14m² | 12m² | 10m² |
| Min single bedroom size including wardrobe | 9m² | 8m² | 6m² |
| Min size of living/dining room & kitchen | 26m² | 22m² | 18m² |
| Min size of living/dining room | 20m² | 17m² | 14m² |
| Bathroom or toilet | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Min size of bathroom | 6.5m² | 4.5m² | 4.5m² |
| Minimum size of kitchen | 8m² | 7m² | 5m² |
| Minimum size of studio apartments | 34m² | 29m² | 24m² |
| Wardrobe for every bedroom | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Furniture | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Bedding | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Fridge | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Oven / Microwave | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Electric iron | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Extractor Fan | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Washing machine | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Dishwasher | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
| Colour TV | ✔ | ✔ | ✘ |
| Laundry room | ✔ | ✘ | ✘ |
Insurance
As an owner, you are also expected to have in place a specific rental insurance that covers public liability.
This is to protect the person staying in the property in case anything should happen to them or their belongings when staying at your property.
Declaration of income from rentals
Spanish homeowners which rent their properties out to tourists are expected to declare their earnings and pay any tax which is due.
This is not part of new regulations, however, the government have become increasingly strict on licences due to tax avoidance. The Spanish Government estimates there are around 2.9 billion Euros of undeclared income on holiday rentals each year.
Need assistance with your holiday rental licence?
For further assistance, fill in our online form on our tourist rental licence page and a member of team will be able to help you with your holiday rental licence.
Photo by: djrich999
30 Comments
Hi, how can i as a guest look up if the lisens is valid? Is is any register?
Hello Johan, thank you for your question! If you’re looking to verify the validity of a tourist license, the Generalitat Valenciana has a useful online tool for this purpose. You can access their website dedicated to tourist license inquiries. Here; https://www.turisme.gva.es/datosabiertos/recursos-turisticos/viviendas-turisticas/ Once there, look for the tab labeled “Signatura”. In this section, you simply need to enter the license number you wish to check and the system will confirm whether the license is active and provide you with the associated address. This tool is very handy for guests who want to ensure they’re booking accommodations that comply with local regulations. I hope you find this information helpful. Kind regards.
Dear sir/Madam
Let me provide some background. I have a flat in Benidorm which I have rented out to tourists. Last August (2018) I applied for a Valencian tourist license, only to be told during April/May that the legal requirements changed this year and the Valencian Authority needed additional documentation/details about the flat, such as layout of flat, size of flat and rooms. . This I supplied. I have been waiting 10 months for my license. My Spanish colleague contacted the Valencian authority on numerous occasions only to be told that she will be notified only after the license is awarded but they would not say when this license can be expected. Very disappointing as you can imagine.
I read your earlier comment with interest. I believe you stated that an owner may legally rent out his /her flat to tourists as long as this owner has already applied for a Valencian Tourist license and is still waiting to receive this license. Can you please confirm if this is correct in law, and if so please provide a reference where this is stated in law. Also, if renting is not permitted under these circumstances, what is the maximum fine an owner can expect if he/she rents out a flat to tourists whilst waiting for a license following submission of an application form. I’m very keen to rent out my flat. I’d be very grateful for your response.
Dear Roseanne:
Thank for your comment. You can read that “once you make the licence application you can rent” in the Generalitat Valenciana web, and you can also read it in the law http://www.dogv.gva.es/datos/2010/12/10/pdf/2010_13296.pdf
The fines are very high and depending on the reason they can reach € 10,000 , € 100,000.
If you have more questions, do not hesitate to contact us.
Best regards.
Hello Marisa
Many thanks for your reply. It’s very encouraging. It seems that I can now rent the flat given I have already sent in my application for a Valencian Tourist license.
Dear Roseanne:
You are welcome. The number that is generated when you present the responsible declaration would be enough to “prove the fact of the presentation of the responsible statement”.
Regards.
Hello Marisa
In this context, is the “responsible statement” the application for the Valencian Tourist License or another document? For clarification, can you please describe the “responsible statement” or email an example.
Many thanks for your support.
Dear Roseanne.
Yes, you are right. The name of the procedure to apply for the tourist licence in la Comunidad Valenciana is “Declaración responsable referente al alta/ inicio de actividad de viviendas de uso turístico”.
You are welcome.
I have been struggling for some time to obtain a Valencian Tourist Licence. I have not received any verification of my application. Booking.com are about to remove me from their site as I have no number. Is there anything I can do about this?
Dear Margaret.
It is necessary to differentiate the certificate of habitability with the license.
Once you have the certificate you can do a “declaración responsable” to apply for the license.
From your application of the license you can advertise and market your tourist home without problem.
As long as you meet the requirements you declare to fulfill = responsible statement.
In theory, obtaining the registration number is automatic and you should receive it in 24-48 hours.
If for any reason the reception of the registration number is delayed, the numbering or the code that is generated when you present the responsible declaration would be enough to “prove the fact of the presentation of the responsible statement” even if it is not the definitive registration number you will receive (what you call a license)
Best regards.
I have applied for a tourist licence in Torrevieja but they say they have approximately a 12 month backlog of applications to process. Can I still rent my property while I wait for them to issue it?
Dear Kim:
As far as we are aware, you can rent the property from the day you have applied for the license.
Best regards.
I need to get a complaint book for my airbnb. Where can I buy it from?
Hi Irina, You can acquire in the Territorial Services of Commerce and Consumption, previous payment of the rates the claim sheets; The payment letter can be obtained at the following link.
In case you need the sign indicating the existence of the claim forms, access the following link
f you require any further information, let us know.
We are a property management company. some of our clients have applied for tourist licence themselves but are in the UK and need to register them with the Police. As a company can we do this for them and if so do we have to register them individually. Thank you
Joanne
We think that you should not have a problem as long as you have a power of attorney or authorization that you represent your client. In any case, it will depend on the authority that is in the area of each property. We will contact you by email, if you require any further information.
Hi, I own a rural property in the province of Alicante..The first floor is a separate apartment presently used to accommodate family/friends when they visit.
I would like to rent out the apartment for a few weeks each year. I am non – resident in Spain.
Do I need a licence? Do I need a permission from the town hall? I am aware that there has been a recent purge on unlicensed businesses in the area
Dear Alan: According to the regulations, Tourist rentals are properties of any type which are rented out regularly in exchange for payment, with immediate availability and with the aim of fulfilling accommodation needs for tourism, holidays or leisure.
License will needed regardless of the length of the rental but services provided are considered to be standard hotel industry services.
You will not need the license If you do not offer it with immediate availiability, full acommodation needs, and commercialize or promote regularly.
f you require any further information, let us know.
Hello,
We are starting a property rental company (incl Property management) in Spain. Can we get a tourist license for the company for our clients (house owners) ?
Thank you Mr. Nilsson, an advisor will contact you soon. Kind regards.
I think I need a licence
Dear Walter, can you tell us where is your property located?
please could you give me your cost for applying for a rental license start to finish.
regards Lisa.
Dear Lisa, can you tell us where is your property located?
I need help with registering my property in Torrevieja Alicante with a tourist licence, I live in London UK and cannot go to Spain so need a representative to help me…how much will it cost?
Thank you Mr. Lam, an advisor will contact you soon. Kind regards.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I would like more information on applying for a tourist licence in Valencia City.
Please let me know of the procedure and documents needed, pricing, etc.
Looking forward to your reply.
Kind Regards,
K. Hembling
Thank you Kristiana, an advisor will contact you soon. Kind regards.
I need to complete a Tourist licence to rent out the rooms in my house in Culebron, Pinoso, Alicante.
Please can you advise of cost to complete this for me?
Thank you Jason, an advisor will contact you soon. Kind regards.