To rent out a holiday home in Andalucia, you must identify the correct accommodation category, check whether tourist use is permitted at the property and complete the applicable regional registration. For a vivienda de uso turístico (VUT), this involves a declaración responsable and entry in the Registro de Turismo de Andalucía (RTA).
Start with the address and the intended use. A furnished apartment, a country house and a property already advertised with a registration number can require different checks before you accept bookings.
Can you still get a tourist licence in Andalucia?
Yes you can still get a tourist licence, the Andalusian registration system remains available, but eligibility depends on the property. Municipalities can limit tourist accommodation in particular buildings or areas. Check the applicable planning rules with the Ayuntamiento before preparing an application or buying a home on the assumption that holiday letting will be possible.
A tourism registration does not resolve planning irregularities. For example, a property recognised as asimilado a fuera de ordenación requires prior express municipal authorisation for the change of activity under the applicable rules. Protected housing and buildings with relevant express prohibitions also need to be ruled out. These restrictions are set out in Decree 31/2024.
If rental income is part of your purchase budget, establish whether the proposed use is possible before committing to the investment. Ask for the documents supporting the seller's claims, rather than relying on the listing description.
VUT, VFT, VTAR and RTA in Andalucia
VUT and the older term VFT
VUT means vivienda de uso turístico. Older documents and guides often use VFT, vivienda con fines turísticos. Decree 31/2024 changed the terminology to VUT.
The VUT rules cover whole-home and room-by-room accommodation. Rentals to the same tenant for more than two continuous months fall outside this particular regime, although other rental obligations still apply. Rural accommodation has its own classification rules.
What is the RTA?
The Registro de Turismo de Andalucía is the regional tourism register. It records different types of tourism accommodation and services. An "RTA licence" is therefore an informal expression, not a separate category for urban homes.
The register is public and free. Its role is established in the Andalusian Tourism Law.
What is a VTAR in Andalucia?
VTAR means vivienda turística de alojamiento rural. This category concerns rural accommodation and has its own requirements for the property and the service provided.
Under Decree 20/2002, VTAR accommodation provides lodging only and must satisfy the relevant infrastructure and equipment standards. A casa rural is a different classification. The choice should reflect the location, building and proposed activity, rather than which application appears easier.
Older guides may mention a maximum of 90 rental days per year. The current consolidated wording of Article 48 does not contain that former three-month limit. It should not be presented as a blanket rule for every VTAR. Check the conditions applicable to your accommodation and operating model.
Tourist licence requirements for a VUT
The following points are a starting checklist for a VUT. Rural accommodation requires its own assessment.
- At least 14 m² of principal constructed residential area per guest, using the relevant Catastro area. The general minimum dwelling area is 25 m², subject to the planning provision.
- A maximum of 15 guests for a whole property or six for room-by-room accommodation, with additional bedroom limits.
- Two bathrooms for more than five guests and three for more than eight.
- Suitable ventilation and window darkening.
- Cooling in bedrooms and living rooms when operating during May to August, and heating during December to March, subject to the regulatory exceptions.
- Required furniture, bedding, kitchen equipment, first-aid and fire-safety equipment.
The complete specifications are in the consolidated VUT decree and its annex.
Before buying extra beds or advertising a higher capacity, have the area, bedroom layout and bathroom provision checked together. The number of places you would like to sell is only the starting point for that assessment.
Do you need approval from the community of owners?
For new tourist rental activity covered by the Horizontal Property Law, prior express community approval has been required since 3 April 2025. The agreement requires three-fifths of all owners and participation quotas.
The absence of a prohibition is not equivalent to express approval. Keep the relevant community certificate with the property documents. Activity lawfully carried on before the change has a specific transitional provision, so an existing rental needs its own review. See Articles 7.3 and 17.12 and the second additional provision.
How to register a holiday rental in Andalucia
Prepare the documents and identify the operator
For a VUT application, prepare a current nota simple and, where there is a community of owners, the certificate of express approval. Depending on the case, you may also need evidence of representation, an operating agreement, co-ownership documentation or an empadronamiento certificate for room-by-room accommodation.
The application must correctly identify the operator. If a management business will run the accommodation, establish who will hold that role before submitting the form.
Submit the declaration electronically
The Junta's VUT procedure uses a digital certificate. Complete and submit the declaración responsable through its virtual office, then retain the submission receipt and registration resolution. The declaration confirms compliance, so resolve outstanding eligibility questions before signing it.
Use the Junta's VUT application guidance for the current document list and access to the procedure.
If electronic identification is unfamiliar, our guide explains how to obtain a digital certificate in Spain.
Check the registration details
Verify the address, operator, capacity and operating periods on the documents you receive. A CTC submission reference is different from the tourism registration code. The Junta's public search allows you to check registered accommodation. Follow its instructions for checking the RTA.
What changed with Spain's national rental register in 2026?
Many guides written in 2025 or early 2026 tell owners to obtain a national rental registration number, often called an NRA or NRUA, through the Property Registry.
That guidance needs updating. The Supreme Court annulled the provisions establishing the registration procedure and the obligation to register through the Property or Movable Property Registry to obtain the number for online short-term rental listings. The judgment of 19 May 2026 was published in the BOE on 8 June 2026.
The Andalusian tourism registration is separate and remains applicable. If a platform requests a national number or you already hold one, check the current instructions for that situation. Avoid treating a pre-judgment application checklist as an up-to-date account of the legal procedure.
What must you organise after registration?
For a VUT, arrange guest support, cleaning, official complaint forms and the required guest information. Keep the registration details and declared operating periods accurate. These operating duties form part of the VUT regulations.
Guest reporting is a separate obligation. Organise access to SES.HOSPEDAJES and establish who will submit the required information. Royal Decree 933/2021 requires communications immediately and within a maximum of 24 hours of the relevant reservation, contract or cancellation event, and the start of the stay. The obligation is wider than recording arrivals alone.
Build a working budget for cleaning, utilities, maintenance, platform commissions and professional support. Ask a tax adviser to establish the reporting obligations and treatment of expenses for your circumstances before calculating the expected return.
Frequently asked questions
How much does RTA registration cost?
The register itself is free. Professional assistance, municipal procedures, reports and work needed at the property can involve separate costs. Ask for a breakdown that distinguishes registration from preparation.
Does an existing tourist licence automatically cover a new owner?
The change of holder must be communicated to the Junta. Before buying, check the current registration and what is needed to continue the activity in your circumstances.
How long does the process take?
The online filing is one part of the work. Obtaining documents, checking municipal rules, arranging community approval and preparing the property determine how long your case takes. Establish those steps before setting a launch date.
Discuss your plans with Advisors Costa Blanca
Tell us where the property is located, whether it already has a tourism registration and how you intend to rent it. This gives our team the context needed to discuss your enquiry and confirm what assistance is available for your location.
