If you rent out a Marbella property short term in 2026, you now need permission from four separate authorities: the national government, the Junta de Andalucia, your town hall, and your building's community of owners. That last one is new, and it is catching owners out. The Marbella tourist rental rules 2026 add a neighbours' vote to a process that used to sit purely with the regional register.
What changed in the law?
Since 3 April 2025, under Ley Organica 1/2025, anyone starting a new tourist rental in a shared building must first get express approval from three-fifths (60%) of the community of owners, representing 60% of the participation quotas. The rule is not retroactive, so licences granted before that date are safe. But every new listing in an apartment block or urbanisation now depends on a vote.
On top of this, a national registration number, the NRU, has been mandatory since January 2026. Every listing must display it. The Junta de Andalucia has already removed more than 13,000 properties from its register for failing the new standards, and fines for operating without registration run from 5,000 euros to 600,000 euros.
The community-approval rule only bites on new listings started after 3 April 2025. A licence you already hold is not put back to a vote.
Does this affect villas and detached homes?
Mostly no. The community-approval rule applies to properties inside a community of owners, so a standalone villa in Sierra Blanca or La Zagaleta is not subject to a neighbours' vote. You still need your VFT registration with the Andalusian Tourism Registry and your NRU number, but there is no three-fifths hurdle. Apartments in Puerto Banus, Nueva Andalucia, and central Marbella are where the vote bites hardest.
What Marbella owners should do now
Check three things before your next season. First, confirm your VFT registration is active and your NRU number is displayed on every listing. Second, if you are in a community, read your latest junta minutes to see whether tourist rentals have been discussed or restricted. Third, keep your annual booking report filed, as the first deadline already passed in early 2026.
At Premavista we manage this compliance layer for every property on our books, tracking each licence, NRU number, and community position so owners never lose a listing to a paperwork gap. Our holiday rental management service keeps the registration, the reporting, and the guest side in one place. The rules tightened in 2026, but a correctly registered Marbella rental is still a strong, legal income.
Thinking of letting your Costa del Sol property the right way? Request a free rental audit or talk to Premavista at premavista.com/contact.
