In the current tourism ecosystem in Spain, the vacation rental license (VUT) has ceased to be a mere administrative procedure to become the digital DNA of your property. With the full implementation of the EU Digital Single Window and the requirements of the Ministry of the Interior, operating without it is simply impossible.
What exactly is the Vacation Rental License?
It is the registration number granted by the competent authority (usually the Autonomous Community) that authorizes a dwelling to be marketed for short periods for vacation purposes.
Without this number, booking platforms (OTA) like Airbnb or Booking.com are legally required to remove your listings, and the Tax Agency has the green light to cross-check data and detect undeclared activities. The vacation rental license is usually subject to compliance with requirements, such as having a certain minimum usable square meters, having a certain number of bathrooms per offered spot, being adapted to the needs of people with disabilities, for example, having an adapted ramp at the entrance. Requirements can also be established in certain autonomous communities to have an independent entrance for tourist homes.
Importance has also been given in most communities to climate control, through heating or air conditioning depending on the climate of the autonomous community in question. The regulatory inertia is also found in obtaining energy efficiency certificates and in requiring a minimum of equipment, such as first aid kits or fire extinguishers for the vacation rental license, as can be seen in the new Ley 6/2025 de Ordenación Sostenible del Uso Turístico de Viviendas.
The 3 “Non-Negotiable” Requirements to Obtain It
Although each autonomous community has its own regulations (the famous “legal mosaic”), there are three pillars for obtaining the vacation rental license that every property must comply with nowadays:
- Certificate of Habitability or LPO: The dwelling must be suitable for living. A commercial premises or an office cannot be rented out as tourist accommodation unless a prior change of use has been carried out.
- Certificate of Urban Compatibility: The City Council must confirm that tourist apartments are allowed in that specific area. Cities like Madrid, Barcelona, or Málaga have “saturated” zones where no new licenses are granted.
- Approval of the Community of Owners: After the reforms of the Horizontal Property Law, if your building’s bylaws expressly prohibit vacation rentals, you will not be able to obtain the license.
The Connection with the Traveler Registry (RD 933/2021)
This is where many owners make a strategic mistake. Getting the license is only the first step; the second is the security activation.
Once you have your tourist registration number, you have the legal obligation to register on the SES.HOSPEDAJES platform (or at the Civil Guard/National Police offices depending on the area).
- Identification of the report: Every time a traveler enters your property, you must report their information within 24 hours.
- Penalties: Operating with a license but failing to submit the entry reports can lead to fines ranging from €601 to €30,000, depending on the severity and recurrence.
Advantages of having your license up to date
Peace of Mind: You avoid complaints from neighbors or official inspections.
Visibility: Only legal homes appear in the top positions of the booking portals.
Professionalization: Allows you to deduct expenses related to the activity on your tax return.
Conclusion
The license is not just a piece of paper; it is your key to entering the professional market. In an environment where regulations change almost monthly, having tools that automate compliance—especially the submission of data to authorities—is what separates successful hosts from those who end up paying fines. For more information, consult our Vacation Rental License guide in Andalusia.
