Want to Rent Out on the Costa Blanca? See How to Legally Obtain a Tourist License in 2025!

There's a lot of news circulating about tourist licenses in Spain. The internet is full of conflicting information about regulations and regions where it's supposedly no longer possible to rent out properties. Investors get lost in a tangle of rules, not knowing what's a myth and what's true.

Today, we want to clarify this situation once and for all. In this article, we answer the most important questions and describe the legal status as of October 20, 2025. Thanks to our continuous cooperation with legal experts from Sun Lawyers and rental management specialists from Welcomley, we are able to provide the most reliable information regarding tourist licenses on the North and South Costa Blanca (Valencia Region).

Tourist License Transfer: Debunking the Myths

One of the most common rumors circulating is that tourist licenses can no longer be transferred when purchasing a property. So, what's the reality on the ground?

In fact, tourist licenses can absolutely be transferred. However, the real challenge lies elsewhere. The crucial factor has now become the consent of the homeowners' association (Comunidad de Propietarios) where the apartment is located. If you purchase a property with an existing license, but the community has since voted to prohibit tourist rentals, transferring that license might prove impossible.

This issue typically does not affect detached houses, which are not subject to a homeowners' association. For these properties, the key consideration is solely the current situation with the local town hall and whether new licenses are being issued in that specific area at all.

Before you start planning your investment, it's crucial to understand that many cities on the Costa Blanca have introduced a moratorium or completely suspended the issuance of new short-term rental licenses. It's important to remember that this situation is dynamic and subject to change.

Here is a list of locations on the North and South Costa Blanca where, as of today (20.10.2025), you will not be able to obtain a new tourist license:

Denia: Licenses for residential zones (urbanizations) are currently suspended. Applications can only be submitted by owners of detached houses located outside the city.

Javea: Licenses are exclusively issued for detached homes that have a separate, independent entrance.

Altea: Licenses are suspended for one year, until November 2025. After this period, the situation will be re-evaluated.

El Campello: The possibility of obtaining a license is limited solely to detached houses.

Alicante (city): Both the City Center and the Playa San Juan district have suspended the issuance of short-term licenses. According to planned legislation, from 2027, only 0.3 licenses may be allocated per inhabitant.

Guardamar Del Segura: Short-term rental licenses are suspended. The only option is to purchase an apartment within a new development complex where all units are designated for tourist rentals and hold a global license.

In the cities mentioned above, obtaining a new license for short-term rentals (under 10 days) is currently impossible.

However, it's important to be aware of a significant legal loophole. According to the law of the Valencia region, it is possible to rent out a property without a tourist license (VUT) for periods exceeding 10 days.

This is known as a seasonal rental (alquiler de temporada). It's crucial to emphasize that this type of rental is governed by different regulations (the Spanish Urban Leases Act - LAU), carries distinct tax implications, and is not equivalent to daily tourist rentals.

Let's assume your property is located in an area that permits such rentals. What steps do you need to take?

If the property does not belong to a homeowners' association (e.g., it's a detached house), the process is simpler. You "merely" need to submit an application to the town hall for urban compatibility and then proceed with the subsequent registration steps.

If the property does belong to a homeowners' association, you MUST ensure that the specific community permits short-term rentals. Such decisions are made at community meetings (junta). You should review the association's statutes (estatutos) to ascertain whether this topic has been discussed and if there is no explicit prohibition.

If the community permits such rentals, you can confidently begin the 4-step legalization process.

Here is the complete procedure that every property owner in the Valencia region must follow starting from 2025.

STEP 1: Legal Verification (Homeowners' Association & Town Hall)

Before investing any money, verify whether tourist rentals are even possible for your property.

A. Homeowners' Association Consent (Comunidad de Propietarios)

What to do: You must check the statutes (estatutos) of your homeowners' association.

Why it's crucial: Spanish law (Ley de Propiedad Horizontal) allows homeowners' associations to expressly prohibit (prohibición expresa) tourist rental activities within the building.

Outcome: If such a prohibition exists in the association's statutes, you cannot legally proceed with the process. If there is no such ban, you can move forward.

B. Urban Planning Consent (Town Hall - Ayuntamiento)

What to do: You need to submit an application to the local town hall (e.g., Ayuntamiento de Alicante) to obtain a certificate of urban compatibility (informe de compatibilidad urbanística).

Why it's crucial: The town hall decides in which city zones and types of buildings rentals are permitted. Many cities have drastically restricted approvals, often limiting them only to ground-floor apartments.

Outcome: Receiving a positive certificate is a mandatory condition to proceed to Step 2.

STEP 2: Obtaining the Regional License (VUT Number)

Once you have the "green light" from the town hall, you register your activity with the regional government.

Purpose: To declare your activity and obtain the regional tourist license number (VUT - Vivienda de Uso Turístico).

Issuing Body: Turisme Comunitat Valenciana (the regional tourism office).

How: You must submit an online application (a Spanish digital certificate is required) called a "declaración responsable" (responsible declaration). This is a statement where you declare, under legal responsibility, that you possess urban planning consent (from Step 1B) and meet all technical requirements (furnishings, standards, etc.).

Outcome: Your property is registered in the regional registry and receives a VUT license number (e.g., VUT-12345-V). This number must be visible in all your advertisements (Airbnb, Booking, etc.).

STEP 3: Obtaining the State Registry Number (NRA)

This is a new, nationwide obligation that came into effect in 2024/2025, and it's what many investors often mistakenly refer to as "RNA."

Purpose: To register your property in a single, central, Spain-wide database. This is a mandatory requirement for platforms (Airbnb, Booking) to legally display your offer.

Issuing Body: Colegio de Registradores (the National Association of Property Registrars).

How: Registration is done online (e.g., through the Ventanilla Única Digital platform). It requires providing, among other things, your VUT number (from Step 2) and cadastral data. This process involves an annual fee (currently around €27).

Outcome: You receive an NRA number (Número de Registro de Alquiler) – a unique, long identification code for your property.

Important: Holding a VUT number (Step 2) does not exempt you from the obligation to obtain an NRA number (Step 3). These are two distinct and both mandatory numbers.

STEP 4: Gaining Access to the Guest Registry (Police)

This is the final step that allows you to legally host and register guests.

Purpose: To gain access to the police guest registration system (Registro de Viajeros).

Issuing Body: The relevant police station based on the property's address – typically Policía Nacional (in larger cities) or Guardia Civil (in smaller towns).

How: You must go in person to the police station, presenting your identification document (NIE/DNI) and the document confirming your VUT license (from Step 2).

Outcome: The police will register your property and provide you with login credentials (username and password) for the national SES.Hospedajes system.

From this point onwards, you have a legal obligation to enter the details of every guest (over 14/16 years old) into the SES.Hospedajes system within 24 hours of their check-in.

Q: What is the difference between a VUT number and the new NRA number? A: The VUT number is a regional tourist license from Valencia that permits you to operate a rental business. The NRA number is a new, nationwide registration number required by the state for your listing to legally appear on platforms like Airbnb/Booking. You must possess both.

Q: What happens if my homeowners' association prohibits rentals? A: If the homeowners' association has voted and enshrined in its statutes (estatutos) a ban on tourist rentals, you cannot legally obtain a VUT license, even if the city (town hall) allows it.

Q: Do I have to register guests with the police if I only rent through Airbnb? A: Yes. The obligation to register guests in the SES.Hospedajes system within 24 hours of arrival is absolute and independent of the booking platform used.

Q: I've heard about an "RNA number." What is it? A: "RNA" is likely a colloquial or incorrect term for the NRA (Número de Registro de Alquiler), which is the new number from the State Registry of Tourist Dwellings (Step 3).

The process of legalizing short-term rentals on the Costa Blanca has become multi-faceted and exceptionally complex. An error at any stage — from verifying community statutes to registering in the national NRA system — can result in severe financial penalties and even a ban on operating your business.

Recent moratoriums in the most popular cities and the introduction of the new, nationwide NRA registry clearly demonstrate that Spanish authorities are consistently tightening control over the short-term rental market. Acting "on your own," without thorough knowledge of local regulations, is becoming increasingly risky.

This is why trusting professionals is essential.

Tripinvest ES is a team of experts that has for years supported clients in the safe and informed purchase of properties on the Costa Blanca, ensuring they are properly prepared for potential rentals in compliance with current regulations.

Collaborating with the renowned law firm Sun Lawyers and our partners at Welcomley, we connect our clients with trusted experts who provide comprehensive legal and organizational advice. This covers everything from verifying the legal status of the property to the full handling of the VUT and NRA registration process, should the owner decide to pursue short-term rentals in the future.

Don't waste time or money on guesswork — act consciously and securely with us.

👉 Contact the Tripinvest ES team today to schedule a free consultation.