The rules for short-term rentals on the Costa del Sol changed again this month, and this time the shift favours owners who are already licensed. On 5 July, Malaga City Council approved changes to its urban plan that strip away automatic approval for new tourist apartments and short-term rentals on residential land. Any new project now needs a full planning modification that proves broad public benefit, and applications filed after the rule takes effect can be suspended for up to three years.
Malaga is not alone. Manilva has introduced its own three-year pause on new licences, and Mijas is layering on extra conditions. Marbella and most other coastal towns are still accepting applications for now, but the direction of travel is clear: the supply of new permits is being squeezed across the region.
For anyone already holding a valid VFT or VUT registration, this is quietly good news. When the door to new licences narrows, the properties that can legally operate as holiday rentals become scarcer, and scarcity is exactly what protects both nightly rates and resale value.
Your licence follows the property, not you
There is a second piece of the picture that many owners still get wrong. Since a General Directorate resolution in mid-2025, a tourist licence in Andalusia is officially tied to the property rather than the individual owner. A change of ownership does not cancel it. When you sell, the new owner can keep operating the rental once they update the ownership details with the regional tourism register.
A home that already carries an active licence in a town that has stopped issuing new ones is not just a place to stay. It is a permission that can no longer be freely bought, and that permission travels with the deed.
That single fact reshapes how a licensed property should be valued. Whether the home sits in Nueva AndalucĂa, Estepona or the hills of BenahavĂs, the active licence is now part of what the buyer is paying for.
What does it mean for owners now?
If you own a licensed property on the Costa del Sol, the practical takeaways are simple. First, keep your registration current and your compliance clean, because a valid licence is now worth more than the paperwork suggests. Second, if you are weighing a sale, make sure the buyer and their agent understand that the licence transfers with the property, since that can add real negotiating weight. Third, if you are considering buying to let, prioritise homes that already hold a licence over ones that would need a fresh application you may never get.
At Premavista we manage each of the properties in our portfolio with full licensing and compliance built in, so owners capture the upside of this tightening market rather than the risk. If you want to know what your licensed home could earn in the current climate, we are happy to talk. Message us on WhatsApp at +34 600 543 173 or use our contact page.
