Owner Guide
Everything you need to legalise your holiday home in Málaga and the Axarquía in 2026, without getting lost in the bureaucracy.
Updated September 2026
The national NRA number and Spain's single register for short-term rentals (Royal Decree 1312/2024) are no longer required: the Supreme Court annulled the register in May 2026 (ruling 620/2026) for lack of state competence. What remains in force is the Andalusian registration in the Tourism Registry (VFT number, free and mandatory), guest registration on SES.Hospedajes and, since April 2025, the community-of-owners certificate to register a new property (Organic Law 1/2025).
Quick answer
To let a holiday home legally in Andalusia you need: (1) an occupancy licence and a property that meets the equipment requirements, (2) a declaración responsable filed with the Junta de Andalucía to enter the Tourism Register (VFT number), (3) the community of owners' certificate if the property is in a building (three-fifths vote, mandatory since April 2025) and (4) registration of every guest on SES.Hospedajes. The national NRA has not been required since May 2026. The regional registration has no fee and lets you operate from the day it is filed.
01
You need the occupancy licence (licencia de ocupación or cédula de habitabilidad) and tourist use must not be restricted by your municipality or your community of owners. Since 2024 communities can restrict tourist use and town halls can declare limited zones, this is the first filter, not the last.
02
Andalusian rules require, among others: climate control in bedrooms and living room (cooling in the hot months, heating in the cold ones), external or forced ventilation in bedrooms, a first-aid kit, tourist information about the area, official complaint forms and cleaning at every check-in and check-out.
03
Registration is done through a declaración responsable filed online with the regional Tourism Department (digital certificate required). You can operate from the moment it is filed and the property is entered in the Andalusian Tourism Register with a number like VFT/MA/XXXXX that must appear in all your advertising.
04
If the property is in a building with a community, since 3 April 2025 (Organic Law 1/2025) tourist use requires the community's prior, express approval by three-fifths of owners and shares, and the Junta asks for that certificate to register the property. Homes registered before that date are unaffected. The old national NRA is no longer needed: the Supreme Court annulled the single register in May 2026.
05
Every adult guest must be registered on the Interior Ministry's SES.Hospedajes platform. It is an ongoing obligation, every booking, and one of the tasks self-managing owners most often neglect.
06
With the VFT number you can list the property. That is where the real work starts: pricing, guests, cleaning, incidents and tax. If you would rather not deal with any of it, that is exactly what we do for a flat commission commission.
Listing the property before the registration number arrives, platforms check it, and the fine goes to the owner, not the platform.
Still applying for the national NRA: the single register was annulled in May 2026 and no platform can demand it. What they do require is the Andalusian VFT number.
Not registering guests on SES.Hospedajes for every booking.
Installing air conditioning only in the living room: the requirement covers the bedrooms too.
Not reading the community statutes before investing in the refurbishment.
As a non-resident, forgetting that rental income must be declared in Spain (Modelo 210) even if you also declare it at home.
This guide is for information only and reflects the rules in force at the date of publication; it is not legal advice. Tourism regulations change often, always check the situation in your municipality.
You can start operating as soon as the declaración responsable is filed with the Junta de Andalucía, and the registration number is usually issued within weeks. What takes time is preparing the property to meet the requirements (air conditioning, occupancy licence, equipment) and gathering the paperwork.
Registration in the Andalusian Tourism Register has no fee. The real costs are adapting the property (climate control in bedrooms and living room, first-aid kit, extinguisher…) and, if you delegate, the agent's fee. Holidays Malaga processes it at no extra cost for properties that join our management.
Operating without registration is an infringement of Andalusian tourism law that can lead to substantial fines, and you cannot advertise legally: platforms require the regional VFT number before a listing goes live. The national NRA is no longer required since the Supreme Court annulled the single register in May 2026.
The register is regional, but since 2024 town halls can set their own limits (saturated zones, extra requirements) and Málaga city has a moratorium on new licences. In the Axarquía municipalities where we work. Nerja, Rincón de la Victoria, Vélez-Málaga, Torrox, it is worth checking the local situation first; we confirm it as part of the free assessment.
Yes. Non-residents apply in the same way; you need a Spanish NIE and a digital certificate (or a representative who files on your behalf). Bear in mind the tax side too: rental income is declared through Modelo 210.
Related: holiday rental tax for non-residents (Modelo 210) · checklist to prepare your house.
Free guide · PDF · 2026
VUT licence and guest registration step by step, tax for residents and non-residents, a checklist to prepare the house and how to choose a manager. 8 pages, no fluff.
We process the VUT licence and guest registration for properties that join our management in the Axarquía, along with listings, guests, cleaning and maintenance. One flat commission, no lock-in.
