Spain makes national registry for tourist and seasonal rentals mandatory

On 1 July 2025, Spain began enforcing a single national registry for short-term tourist rentals and seasonal lets. It was created by a royal decree approved in December 2024 and is run through the country's property registrars. Until then, rules varied widely between regions and city councils, making it hard to know how many homes were actually being let.

Under the system, owners had to apply for a registration number and display it in every advert. Platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com were required to check that the number was present and to take down listings without one. The rules covered not only tourist flats but also seasonal rentals and rooms, which had often fallen into regulatory grey areas.

The measure was pushed by the central government, which wanted better data and a tool against illegal lets as housing costs rose, particularly in big cities and coastal areas. Regional authorities kept their own licensing powers, so the national number was added on top of local requirements rather than replacing them. The registry became the main source for later official counts of Spain's rental market.