SOBE Knowledge
The Tourist Rental Licence in Andalucía
Registration, the 2024 requirements, the national registry number — and the two gatekeepers, town hall and community, who can now say no.
What the licence is
To let a home to tourists in Andalucía, it must be registered as a Vivienda de Uso Turístico — and its registration number must appear in every advertisement, on every platform.
The registration runs through a responsible declaration to the Junta’s tourism registry, against conditions the 2024 decree tightened: a valid occupation licence for the dwelling (the LPO question), climate control — cooling in the warm months, heating in the cool ones — direct ventilation, minimum surfaces, house rules and complaint forms. Since mid-2025 a national single-registry number is additionally required for platform listings under the EU short-term-rental framework: two registrations, one business.
The two gatekeepers who can say no
Since 2024–2025, a licence application faces two doors that used not to exist: the town hall and the community of owners.
The municipality. The 2024 reform empowered town halls to limit or zone tourist dwellings, and several have used it — freezing new registrations in saturated districts. The map of where a licence can still be newly obtained now changes by municipality and by year; underwriting short-term income starts with the current municipal position, not last season’s.
The community. Reforms to horizontal-property law let communities restrict tourist use by qualified majority, and since 2025 a new tourist let in a community generally needs the community’s express approval. The minutes and statutes tell you where a building stands — before you buy, not after.
Buying “with licence” — what actually transfers
The registration attaches to the dwelling, but a change of owner means re-registering — trivially, if the conditions still hold and the two gatekeepers still say yes. In a municipality that has since frozen new registrations, or a community that has since restricted tourist use, an existing licence’s continuity is precisely the thing to verify in writing during due diligence. “Currently licensed” and “licensable by you, next year” are different assets with different prices.
And the arithmetic behind it all: short-term gross is not short-term net. Management at 20–30%, real occupancy across shoulder months, and the tax regime of your residence decide whether the licence earns its keep — the yield page shows the honest ladder.
Model it before you buy it
SOBE Buy-to-Let Yield Calculator
Real occupancy, 20–30% management, the costs that arrive regardless — the short-term story in net figures.
Four ways licences ambush investors
1. Underwriting a frozen zone. The projection assumed a licence the municipality no longer grants. Check the current position, in writing, first.
2. The community’s quiet veto. A restriction voted last spring binds your purchase this autumn. Read the actas and statutes — both.
3. Advertising without the numbers. Regional number and national registry number belong on every listing; platforms delist and fines follow without them.
4. Peak-season arithmetic. August occupancy at August rates, annualised, is the oldest fiction on the coast. The shoulder months decide the year.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a licence to rent my Marbella property on Airbnb?
Yes - registration as a Vivienda de Uso Turistico with the Junta's tourism registry, with the number shown in all advertising, plus the national single-registry number required for platform listings since mid-2025.
What does the property need to qualify?
Among the 2024 requirements: a valid occupation licence, cooling and heating by season, direct ventilation, minimum surfaces, house rules and complaint forms. The responsible declaration certifies compliance - and inspections test it.
Can my community of owners forbid tourist rentals?
Yes. Communities may restrict tourist use by qualified majority, and since 2025 new tourist lets generally need the community's express approval. The statutes and recent minutes tell you where a building stands.
If I buy a property that already has a licence, does it transfer?
The registration attaches to the dwelling, but a new owner re-registers - straightforward only if the conditions still hold and neither the municipality nor the community has since restricted new tourist use. Verify continuity in writing during due diligence.
Is there a tourist tax in Andalucia?
No regional tourist tax applies at present, unlike some other Spanish regions. Rental income itself is taxed under the non-resident or resident regime as usual.