A Guide to Spain's Rental Registration Number

Spains NRA Rental Registration Number Annulled

A cry of relief has gone out across Spain as Spain’s unconstitutional NRA Number has been annulled. The frustration and the tears of jumping through randomly made up hoops has ended! The Supreme Court of Spain (Tribunal Supremo) issued a major ruling striking down the entire national short-term rental registry system originally established under Royal Decree 1312/2024. Press the link to read the Official Supreme Court Ruling.

The court completely wiped out the state-level requirement for an NRA/NRUA number, declaring that the central government overstepped its constitutional boundaries. We will continue to update this page as we receive new information.

* This article was updated on 30/05/2026

What Changes (What is Annulled)?

The NRA Number is Dead: Landlords no longer need a central government issued NRA/NRUA number to list properties for short-term tourist stays or seasonal/temporary lets.
State Penalties and Audits Voided: The federal system’s ability to automatically cancel registrations or reject listings due to data mismatches or annual activity reports at the state level is officially frozen.
Return of Single Regional Control: The power to decide who can rent out property, how they register, and what urban or community (HOA) approvals are needed falls 100% back to local and regional town halls and autonomous community registries.

What Stays the Same (What Survives)?

The court did not strike down everything. To stay in compliance with broader European Union regulations, three crucial processes survive:

The Digital Single Window (Ventanilla Única Digital): The underlying digital gateway created to manage information remains active.
Data Sharing with Platforms: Platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo are still legally obligated to share booking data, listing information, and tax information with the authorities.
Reporting to SES.HOSPEDAJES: You must still continue to submit guest data within 24 hours of their check-in.

What If My Booking Platform Listing Was Deactivated?

Booking websites like Airbnb and Booking.com can no longer force you to have an NRA number to list your property or keep it active. If your short-term or tourist listing was deactivated by a digital booking platform because you couldn’t supply an NRA number, this is how to get it reinstated.

Gather regional licencing data
Verify that your local tourist license (issued by your autonomous community) is fully active and in good standing. Make sure you have a copy of your regional tourist licence.

Submit an appeal to the platform
Open a formal ticket via the help or support center of the booking platform. Expressly state that the listing was deactivated for missing an NRA number, and note that the Spanish Supreme Court has officially nullified this state-level requirement. Attached your regional license numbers as proof of local compliance.

Escalate via registered mail if needed
If automated support lines or platform representatives refuse to reinstate your compliant listing, escalate the issue. Mail a formal letter of complaint (Burofax or registered letter) directly to the platform’s corporate address in Spain, formally documenting that the block lacks a legal basis.

Can I claim for the money spent on obtaining an NRA number?

Yes you can. Although the process has not been opened yet and in true Spanish bureaucratic-style, it will probably take longer to get your money back than it took for them to take it.

The process of recovering your costs is categorized under Spanish administrative law as Patrimonial Responsibility of the Public Administration (Responsabilidad Patrimonial de la Administración Pública).

What Exactly Can You Recover?

You are not just limited to recovering the core registration fee. Under the law, you can claim for multiple distinct financial losses as long as you have the paperwork to prove them:

The Land Registry Fees: The initial registration fee (usually around €32.73) and any subsequent fees paid for the annual N2 data deposit or reactivation fees if your number had previously been revoked.
Administrative Expenses: Invoices from gestorías, lawyers, or translation agencies you hired specifically to compile the property deeds and handle the application.
Loss of Profits (Lucro Cesante): If your listing was blocked or suspended by Airbnb, Booking.com, or Vrbo while you were waiting for the registration number to clear, you can claim for the lost booking revenue.

Under Spanish law (Ley 40/2015), claims for state liability must be submitted within exactly one year from the date the ruling became final.

Regional Tourist Licence Requirements

While the recent Supreme Court ruling has stripped booking platforms of their right to require the federal national number (NRA/NRUA), regional laws remain completely untouched and strictly enforced.

To legally operate a short-term or vacation rental in Spain, you must hold a valid regional tourist license. Here is a breakdown of the current frameworks and requirements across Spain.

Valencia (VT – Vivienda Turística)

Valencia significantly tightened its rental framework via Decree-Law 9/2024, which draws a very sharp boundary between tourist lets and traditional leases.

The 10-Day Threshold
In the Valencian Community, any rental to the same guest for 10 consecutive days or less is legally classified as a tourist rental and requires a license. Anything 11 days or longer is treated as a temporary/seasonal lease, exempt from the tourist registry but requiring documented proof of the guest’s temporary motive (like work, study, or medical care).

5-Year Expiration Date
All newly issued tourist licenses are strictly valid for only 5 years. Once the 5 years lapse, the owner must re-apply from scratch and meet whatever urban zoning laws are in place at that time.

Severe Floor and Zoning Restrictions
In many urban centers like Valencia city or Alicante, licenses are heavily restricted. Properties are generally only eligible if they are located on the ground floor or the first floor (primera planta). You cannot get a license if there is a purely residential flat located directly beneath you.

No Room Rentals & Key Boxes
Renting out a property room-by-room to different tourists is strictly banned. Additionally, local councils are cracking down heavily on physical key-safes/lockboxes attached to public streets or building facades.

Andalusia (VFT/VUT – Vivienda con Fines Turísticos)

Andalusia heavily updated its tourism framework under Decree 31/2024, enforcing strict requirements that hosts must satisfy:

Zoning & Municipal Approval: The regional government gives individual city halls (such as Málaga or Marbella) the right to limit the density of tourist rentals. You must obtain municipal urban planning authorization before the region will grant a license.
The 14m² Rule: Properties must offer a minimum of 14 square meters of usable living space per guest (excluding terraces and balconies). For example, a studio apartment must be at least 28m² to legally host two guests.
Strict Amenities & Infrastructure:
- Bedrooms and living rooms must have windows providing direct access to fresh air.
- Fixed air conditioning is mandatory for summer, and heating is required for winter.
- If a property accommodates more than 5 guests, it must have at least 2 bathrooms; properties with more than 8 guests require 3 bathrooms.
Community of Owners Vote: For any new licenses, you must secure explicit approval from your building’s Homeowners’ Association (Comunidad de Propietarios).

Murcia (VUT – Vivienda de Uso Turístico)

Murcia remains one of the more accessible regions for holiday rentals in Spain, though it still enforces strict technical and insurance parameters under Decree 75/2005.

Immediate Operation
Murcia utilizes a “Responsible Declaration” (Declaración Responsable) system. Once you compile your paperwork and submit this declaration to the Tourism Institute of Murcia, you can legally begin renting to guests immediately while awaiting your official inspection.

Massive Liability Insurance Threshold
Murcia requires one of the highest insurance safety nets in Spain. Hosts must maintain a civil liability insurance policy with a minimum coverage of €300,000 to €500,000 (depending on property size) explicitly covering guest damages.

Mandatory Room Dimensions
Properties must meet rigorous physical specifications to legally host guests: Single bedrooms must have at least 6 m² of usable floor space. Double bedrooms must feature at least 8 m² of floor space. Ceiling heights in sloped rooms (like attics) cannot fall below 1.50 meters in usable areas.

Infrastructure Essentials
The property must have direct access to a public road, a fire extinguisher installed in a highly visible space, a fully stocked first-aid kit, and direct or forced mechanical ventilation in all bathrooms.

Canary Islands (VV – Vivienda Vacacional)

The Canary Islands completely revolutionized their short-term rental sector with the sweeping Law on Sustainable Planning of Tourist Use of Housing.

Five-Year License Freeze
To tackle extreme housing shortages for locals, the law enacted a 5-year total freeze on the issuance of new VV licenses across the archipelago.

Non-Transferable Licenses upon Sale
Unlike the Balearic Islands, if a property in the Canaries is sold, the existing VV license is automatically cancelled. The new buyer cannot inherit the license and cannot apply for a new one due to the freeze.

The 10-Year Age Limit
To deter developers from turning brand-new apartment blocks into vacation hubs, a property must be at least 10 years old before it can ever be considered for a tourist license.

Transition Period for Existing Licenses
Properties that held valid licenses before the law took effect are granted a 5-year transitional window (“simple continuity”). To maintain the license indefinitely after this window, owners must apply for a declaration of “Consolidated Tourist Use,” proving the home has been continuously rented and is not restricted by their building’s homeowners’ association.

Balearic Islands (ETV – Estancia Turística en Viviendas)

The Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca, Formentera) operate under what is arguably the most restricted vacation rental market in Spain.

The New License Freeze
The regional government has executed a complete moratorium on issuing any new ETV tourist licenses. If you do not already possess a license, the only legal way to enter the market is to buy a property that has an existing, active license attached to it (the license stays with the physical property, not the owner).

The Three-Property Limit
To prevent speculative investing and corporate monopolies, a single individual or entity is legally barred from holding ETV licenses for more than three properties.

Zoning Blocks
Even when the freeze eventually thaws, properties must fall strictly within pre-approved “tourist zones” designated by local insular councils.

Strict “Principal Residence” Rule
If you register your own primary home for holiday letting, you are capped at renting it out for a maximum of 60 days per year, and you are forbidden from renting it out during the peak months of July and August.

Madrid (VUT – Vivienda de Uso Turístico)

Short-Term / Tourist Lets

Tourist rentals (short-term) are from 1 – 31 days. They require a VUT license (Vivienda de Uso Turístico) and NRA number (VUD ID – Ventanilla Única Digital ).
If your property is within Madrid City, the Plan RESIDE (2025) effectively prohibits “scattered” tourist flats in residential buildings. This means you can only operate a VUT if the entire building is dedicated to tourism or if the apartment has a separate street entrance independent of the residential neighbors.

Seasonal Lets (Medium term)

Lets of 32 days – 11 months. No VUT licence is necessary, however, you must have a valid Certificate of Habitability (Cédula de Habitabilidad) and an Energy Efficiency Certificate.
“Seasonal” in this context means a temporary purpose (vacational, work, study, etc.), not necessarily a permanent residence. The contract must explicitly state the temporary cause (e.g., “Student enrolled at IE University for 9 months”) and the tenant’s permanent address elsewhere.

Property Certificates
Owners must possess a Certificate of Habitability (Cédula de Habitabilidad) proving the property complies with minimum space, light, ventilation, and safety conditions required for any standard home.

Catalonia (HUT – Habitatge d'Ús Turístic)

Catalonia features some of the most restrictive short-term rental laws in Spain, spearheaded by Decree Law 3/2023:

Short-Term / Tourist Lets

Tourist rentals (short-term) are from 1 – 31 days and are legally classified as a “Tourist Use Dwelling” (Habitatge d’Ús Turístic). Ventanilla Única Digital ).
New rental licences cannot be obtained in Barcelona. If you don’t already have one, renting for 31 days or less is illegal and carries fines up to €600,000.

The 5-Year Expiration Tag
All active HUT tourist licenses across Catalonia are now structured under a five-year validity period. Existing licenses must be renewed by November 2028, subject to compliance with updated local town planning criteria and stricter technical reviews.

Seasonal Rental Cracks
To close loopholes where owners tried to bypass tourist rules by offering “seasonal rentals” (under 11 months), Catalonia passed Law 11/2025. This law states that any temporary or seasonal lease must explicitly document the reason for the stay (e.g., studies, medical care, employment) with supporting paperwork, and it applies strict rent caps in “stressed” housing markets.

Police Submission
You are required to log and register all properties individually with the regional police (Mossos d’Esquadra) for guest tracking.

FAQ

Do I still need an NRA number to rent out my property?

No. The legal obligation to apply for or hold an NRA number under the national scheme has been completely wiped out. If you had an application pending or were facing rejection hoops through the Land Registry, you can officially stop the process.

Do I still need a rental licence to rent out my property?

Yes. Your regional tourist license requirements (such as the VFT/VUT numbers in Andalusia, HUT in Catalonia, etc.) remain 100% mandatory and fully in force.

My listing was removed from Airbnb/Booking.com for not having an NRA. How do I get it back?

Because booking platforms implemented automated compliance sweeps based on the national law, many listings were blocked. Because the ruling invalidates the legal basis for these removals, platforms are now forced to rapidly update their back-end compliance systems.

What to do: You will need to ensure your regional tourist licence number is correctly uploaded to the platform, as this is now the sole valid reference criteria. If they still refuse to reactivate your listing, submit a formal appeal stating that the Spanish Supreme Court has officially nullified this state-level requirement.

What happens to the annual NRA declaration (Form N2) and fees?

When the NRA was active, it required an intensive annual reporting obligation every February detailing guest counts, stay lengths, etc. This reporting obligation is entirely frozen and voided by the Supreme Court ruling. You do not need to file this activity report or pay the associated Property Registry fees next year.

How does this impact mid-term or seasonal rentals (e.g., digital nomads, students)?

Previously, the national NRA framework caused massive headaches for mid-term rentals because it loop-holed many seasonal lets into the “short-term compliance” dragnet.
With the NRA struck down, mid-term and seasonal rentals revert cleanly back to the standard rules of Spain’s Urban Lease Law (LAU). As long as there is a genuine, documented temporary reason for the stay (work, study, medical treatment), you do not need a tourist license or an NRA number.

Can I apply for a refund for the money I spent on obtaining an NRA number?

Yes. Because the Spanish Supreme Court completely struck down the national registration system (Sentence No. 620/2026), the legal ground on which those fees were collected has been declared unconstitutional.

The process of recovering your costs is categorized under Spanish administrative law as Patrimonial Responsibility of the Public Administration (Responsabilidad Patrimonial de la Administración Pública).

What if my community of owners doesn't approve short-term rentals?

As of April 3, 2025, homeowners’ associations (Comunidad de Propietarios) can vote on whether properties within their buildings can be used for tourist rentals. A favorable vote of at least 60% is required. If your community disapproves, you cannot legally register your property for short-term rentals.

THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS OUTDATED BUT REMAINS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES

What Is the Single Tourist Rental Registry?

The Single Tourist Rental Registry (STR) is a centralized database that requires all properties offered for short-term or seasonal rentals in Spain to be officially registered. Each registered property receives a unique identification number, which must be displayed in all advertisements. The Ventanilla Única Digital de Arrendamientos (VUDA) system was established to ensure that all tourist accommodations meet legal requirements and to facilitate better oversight of the rental market. This was maybe a backlash due to people failing to registering their VUT.

When Does the Regulation Come into Effect?

While the NRA system became operational on January 2, 2025, compliance became mandatory from July 1, 2025. This grace period allows property owners to familiarise themselves with the new requirements and complete the registration process. We have done this process many times and like most Spanish admin, it can be a nightmare.

As you’ve probably seen in the news, the government is already applying pressure to rental platforms to remove listings without a valid NRA. We strongly advise you apply as soon as possible if you haven’t already got an NRA number.
Contact us for an NRA number in Malaga, Murcia, Valencia, Alicante, Barcelona, Madrid, Bilbao or even Lanzarote.

How to Get a Rental Registration Number (NRA)

Follow these steps to register on the Single Tourist Rental Registry and apply for your Rental Registration Number in Spain:

Gather Necessary Documentation:
- Property details: exact address, cadastral reference, and maximum occupancy.
- Specify whether you’re renting the entire property or individual rooms.
- Valid tourist license if required by your Autonomous Community.
Access the Registration Portal:
- Visit the Spanish Land Registries website.
- Log in using a valid electronic digital certificate for identification.
Complete the Application:
- Fill out the online form with the gathered information.
- Submit the form and any additional required documents.
Receive Your NRA:
- Upon successful submission, you’ll receive your unique NRA, which must be displayed on all rental listings.

Note: The registration fee is €27 per application, excluding taxes. If you’re renting the property for both tourist and seasonal purposes in some regions such as Valencia (Comunitat Valenciana), separate NRA registrations are required for each.

NRA Number Rejections

As of July 1st 2025, nearly 20,000 NRA number applications have been rejected with the number on the rise. There are various reasons for rejection, even if you have a valid tourist licence. We have discussed this in the article, NRA number rejection reasons and ways to fix them.

Many have become frustrated with being rejected and the increasing hoops they have to jump through to rent their property out. Some are selling their properties, turning to longer term rentals or building their own rental property website to advertise them.

What to Do Once You Have Obtained an NRA

After obtaining your Rental Registration Number :

Update Listings: Ensure that the NRA is prominently displayed on all rental platforms and advertisements.
Maintain Compliance: Keep your property in line with safety and quality standards as stipulated by local regulations.
Annual Reporting: Submit a yearly report detailing rental activities, including anonymized lease data and the purpose of each lease.
Stay Informed: Regularly check for updates or changes in regulations, especially those specific to your region or municipality.

Impact on Non-Resident Property Owners

Tax Obligations

Even after registration, non-resident owners are responsible for fulfilling tax obligations in Spain. This includes:

Rental Income Tax: Non-EU residents must declare rental income through Form 210 (Modelo 210). A recent change in the law (July 2025) allows you to pay 24% tax on your net income (income after expenses), instead of 24% on your gross income, the same as EU/EEA residents. We have teamed up with local tax experts to offer tax accounting services, such as Modelo 210 submissions.
Imputed Income Tax: If the property is not rented out for the entire year, owners are still liable for a tax based on the property’s value, reflecting potential rental income.
Local Taxes: Owners must also pay local taxes such as the Impuesto sobre Bienes Inmuebles (IBI), which funds municipal services.

Compliance with Local Regulations

In addition to national requirements, non-resident owners must adhere to regional and municipal regulations. For instance, some areas may require a tourist license or impose restrictions on rental activities. It’s essential to consult local authorities or legal experts to ensure full compliance.