Can You Short-Let Here? Spain 2025 Guide

Updated: 4 November 2025 (Madrid). Local rules change—always double-check before you sign.

Thinking of buying in Spain and renting it out? Short-term (tourist) rental rules vary by city, street and even building. This guide gives you a plain-English snapshot: where bans or caps already apply, where tighter rules are coming, how a mid-stay strategy (31–180 days) can keep your numbers working, and what building/HOA rules can block you even when the city says “yes”.

Quick glossary

• Short-term / tourist rental (VUT): nightly/weekly stays.

• Mid-stay: ~31–180 days (often a different legal regime).

• Ban / phase-out: no new licences; existing ones won’t renew after a deadline.

• Moratorium / cap: freeze on new licences or % limits by zone/building.

• Whole-building rule: tourist use allowed only if the entire building is tourist-only.

Where bans or phase-outs apply

• Barcelona (city): No new tourist-flat licences; existing licences are scheduled to phase out on a fixed horizon.

• Palma de Mallorca (city): Broad stop on new tourist-rental licences announced; existing permits remain until expiry.

Practical tip: even where “existing licences remain,” don’t assume renewals. Underwrite your deal without them.

Where strict limits / moratoria are in force

• Madrid (city): Tourist flats generally not allowed inside mixed residential buildings in the historic core; outside, only in tightly defined cases (e.g., separate access or whole buildings).

• Málaga (city): Freeze in saturated neighbourhoods measured by tourist-home share; caps tied to % of homes.

• Granada (city): Cap by district; no new licences where thresholds are exceeded (e.g., historic districts).

• Seville (city): Practical cap in historic areas; new licences commonly denied where saturation is declared.

• Ibiza (island): Multi-year moratorium on new holiday-rental permits.

• Menorca (island): Strong limits on multi-family buildings while capacity planning is in place.

• Catalonia (regional): Many municipalities with housing stress require prior urban licence (5-year validity) with tight caps; numerous town halls are not granting new licences while plans are adapted.

Places moving toward tighter rules (watchlist)

• Valencia (city): Plan to block new tourist rentals in the old town unless the building is 100% tourist use.

• Galicia (various): Historic centres with bans or tight floor-level restrictions (e.g., ground/first floors only) and expanding “saturated-zone” caps.

Reality check: Many coastal towns now apply street-by-street caps and building rules. Your Community of Owners (HOA) can also prohibit tourist use even when the city allows it.

What this means if you’re buying to rent

• Don’t assume renewals. Some cities are phasing out existing licences after fixed dates.

• Building matters as much as zoning. Rules often require separate access or whole-building tourist use.

• HOA rules can veto. Community bylaws may bar tourist use regardless of city policy.

• Mid-stay as Plan B. 31–90+ day rentals often sit under a different framework and can work where short-term is blocked.

• Underwrite two scenarios. Short-term and mid-stay yields at today’s street-level pricing.

Buyer checklist (copy-paste)

1. Decide your model (short-term vs mid-stay) before viewing.

2. Ask for a written zoning & building-use check for the exact address.

3. Confirm if the zone is saturated or frozen (cap % reached? moratorium in force?).

4. If a licence exists, confirm renewal date and conditions.

5. Verify HOA bylaws on tourist use and minimum-stay rules.

6. Price a mid-stay fallback (3–6 months) that covers costs if short-term is blocked.

Mid-stay as a compliant alternative

• Target 31–90+ day stays (contractors, remote workers, education/medical).

• Upgrades that move the needle: reliable heating/cooling, strong Wi-Fi, real workspace, noise control, clear utility policy.

• Price by 90-day blocks with utility caps and scheduled cleaning.

Complimentary Let-tability Study

For clients aiming to buy in Spain and rent, we provide a complimentary Let-tability Study. It covers:

• City regulations and any caps/moratoria

• Building/HOA rules and licence feasibility

• Mid-stay options (31–180 days)

• Street-level pricing and realistic yields

If you share the address or listing, we’ll run the study and send a short memo with go/no-go and next steps.

This article is informational, not legal advice. Local criteria change; confirm with the Ayuntamiento and regional tourism authority for the specific property and dates.