To rent your Marbella property to tourists in 2026 you need the regional VFT licence from the Junta de AndalucĂa. The national NRUA register, briefly mandatory from 1 July 2025, was annulled by Spain's Supreme Court on 21 May 2026 (Judgment No. 620/2026), so the VFT is once again the registration that matters. Operating without it is a finable offence, with penalties reaching up to €150,000 in serious cases. If you own a holiday rental property in Marbella, the licensing landscape has changed significantly since mid-2025.
This guide cuts through the complexity. We explain exactly what a touristic licence in Marbella is, what changed in 2025 and 2026, what you need to be compliant, and how Premavista manages the entire process for owners who hand their properties to us.
What Is a Touristic Licence in Marbella?
In Spain, the right to rent your property to tourists short-term is not automatic. It requires a formal registration that certifies your property meets minimum habitability, safety, and equipment standards. In Andalusia - the autonomous community that governs Marbella - this registration is known as a Vivienda con Fines TurĂsticos (VFT), commonly referred to as a touristic licence.
The VFT is issued via the Registro de Turismo de AndalucĂa (RTA). Despite the word "licence," it is technically a declaraciĂłn responsable - a responsible declaration - meaning you formally declare your property meets the regulations rather than waiting for an inspection before being allowed to rent. Once registered, your property receives a unique RTA number that must appear on every rental listing and guest contract.
The VFT applies to properties rented to tourists for fewer than two consecutive months. Longer-term rentals fall under different residential tenancy law and do not require it.
The National Register (NRU): Introduced 2025, Annulled May 2026
From 1 July 2025, Spain briefly added a second, national layer of registration on top of the Andalusian VFT: the NĂşmero de Registro Ăšnico (NRUA), issued through the Ventanilla Ăšnica Digital. Owners across Spain spent early 2026 registering, and platforms began asking listings to display the national number.
That layer no longer exists. On 21 May 2026, Spain's Supreme Court issued Judgment No. 620/2026 and annulled the national register created under Royal Decree 1312/2024, ruling that central government had overstepped into powers that belong to the regions. The national number has no legal force, and platforms no longer require it.
What the ruling did not touch is every regional requirement: your Andalusian VFT registration, guest reporting, tax obligations and community rules all still apply exactly as before. If you already obtained an NRUA number, you do not need to do anything with it; if you never got one, there is nothing to obtain. We covered the ruling in detail in our article on the scrapped national rental register.
Community of Owners Approval - The Rule That Catches Many Owners Off Guard
Since 3 April 2025, any property that is part of an apartment building or urbanisation with a Community of Owners (Comunidad de Propietarios) cannot operate as a tourist rental without the explicit approval of that community.
The required threshold is a three-fifths (60%) supermajority, calculated both by number of owners and by ownership quota. This vote must take place in a formal community meeting. If your building's statutes already explicitly prohibit tourist rentals, or if the community votes against approval, you cannot legally rent short-term - regardless of whether you hold a valid RTA registration.
This rule has caught many owners off guard. If you bought your Marbella apartment without checking the community statutes, now is the time to do so. Equally, if you're considering purchasing a property for rental use, this is a critical due diligence point before any offer is made, and something we are happy to help you check.
The Full Compliance Checklist for 2026
Here is what you need to be fully compliant as a Marbella holiday rental owner in 2026:
- First occupation licence (licencia de primera ocupaciĂłn) or equivalent municipal habitability certificate issued by the Marbella town hall
- Community of Owners approval - 3/5 majority vote in a formal meeting (or confirmation that your property is not subject to community rules, e.g. a standalone villa)
- Municipal urban compatibility report - confirmation that the property's location and zoning permits tourist use. Marbella Town Hall may require this for new registrations
- RTA registration (VFT) - the Andalusian regional licence, obtained via the Junta de AndalucĂa's tourism registry
- Display of your RTA number - your VFT/RTA number must appear on every listing, advertisement, and rental contract
Properties must also meet minimum physical standards: a minimum constructed area of 25m², at least 14m² per accommodation place, and equipped with both cooling and heating systems.
The Fines: What Non-Compliance Actually Costs
The Spanish government has sharply increased enforcement of holiday rental regulations. The penalties for non-compliance are not hypothetical - they are being actively applied, including through Airbnb and Booking.com, who now share listing data with regional tax and tourism authorities.
Here is the current penalty framework:
- Renting without a regional VFT registration - considered a serious offence (infracción grave) under Andalusian tourism law. Fines of up to €18,000, plus classification of the property as "clandestine" which triggers further sanctions
- Serious or aggravated breaches - for properties with repeated violations, clandestine operation, or large-scale unlicensed activity, fines can reach €60,000–150,000
- Suspension of rental operation - beyond the financial penalties, authorities can suspend your right to rent for 6 months to a year
Since the national register was annulled in May 2026, there is no national-level fine to worry about: enforcement now runs entirely through the Andalusian framework above.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Touristic Licence in Marbella?
The VFT responsible declaration process itself is relatively fast - once your documentation is in order and submitted through the RTA portal, you should receive your registration number within a few days to a couple of weeks. The delays typically happen before that, in gathering the correct documentation.
The most common bottlenecks are:
- Obtaining the first occupation licence or habitability certificate from the Marbella town hall, which can take 4–12 weeks
- Scheduling a Community of Owners meeting and achieving the 3/5 majority - particularly in larger buildings where meetings are infrequent
For new properties or owners registering for the first time, allow a minimum of 2–3 months from start to compliance. Plan accordingly - renting before all registrations are complete is not advisable given the penalty framework above.
How Premavista Handles This for Managed Properties
Managing a holiday rental in Marbella in 2026 involves far more administrative complexity than most owners anticipated when they first listed their property on Airbnb. The licence requirements, the community approval process, and the reporting obligations are all ongoing compliance responsibilities - not one-time tasks.
For properties under Premavista management, we handle the full licensing and compliance lifecycle:
- Compliance audit on onboarding - we review every new property's existing documentation, identify gaps, and build a clear action plan before the first booking is taken
- Licence application support - we guide owners through the RTA registration process, and liaise with the town hall and notary where required
- Community approval navigation - for apartment properties, we advise owners on how to approach the community meeting and what documentation to present for the vote
- Deadline management - we track reporting deadlines and ensure filings are completed accurately and on time, protecting your registration status
- Platform compliance - all Premavista listings display a valid RTA number, keeping your property in good standing with Airbnb, Booking.com, and Vrbo
- Ongoing regulatory monitoring - Spanish holiday rental law continues to evolve. We monitor regulatory changes and notify owners of anything that affects their property's status
In short: if your property is with Premavista, you do not need to worry about any of this. We make sure you are always compliant, and we make sure your listings are always active and revenue-generating; a free rental assessment is the easiest way to see where your current listing stands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a touristic licence if I only rent a few weeks per year?
Yes. There is no minimum rental frequency threshold in Andalusian or Spanish national law. A single short-term rental booking requires you to hold a valid VFT. The frequency of renting affects your tax obligations, but not your licensing requirement.
Can I sell my touristic licence to the next owner?
No. The VFT registration is tied to the property and its owner. When a property changes hands, the new owner must register in their own name. However, a property that already has established compliance documentation, a community approval on record, and a clean licence history is easier and faster to re-register - which adds real value in a sale.
What if my community votes against tourist rentals?
If the community votes against (or if the bylaws explicitly prohibit it), you cannot legally operate a short-term tourist rental. You have two options: use the property for mid- to long-term residential rentals (which do not require a VFT), or sell. This underlines why the community statutes check is critical before purchase.
Is the RTA registration the same as a habitation certificate?
No. The habitation certificate (cédula de habitabilidad) or first occupation licence is a municipal document certifying the property meets basic habitability standards. It is one of the documents required to register for the VFT, but it is not the same thing as the VFT itself.
The Bottom Line
The touristic licence landscape in Marbella in 2026 is more demanding than ever - but the path through it is clear for owners who understand what is required. The VFT registration and the community approval requirement are the two pillars of compliance since the national register was annulled. Get both right, and your Marbella rental operates on solid legal footing with no exposure to the penalties that are increasingly being enforced.
If you'd rather focus on the income and leave the paperwork to someone else, Premavista's full-service management handles every element of licensing, compliance, listing, and guest management - so your property earns while you do nothing.
