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THE "VACATIONAL" LICENSE
Law 6/2025, approved at the end of 2025, regarding short-term tourist rentals, introduced severe restrictions that tighten their operational management. Among these, the measure establishes a five-year moratorium to allow individual municipal administrations to adapt their urban planning plans to the new regulations.
The main innovations of the legislation
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Municipal limit: Tourist rentals cannot exceed 10% of the total buildable residential area of each municipality. In the high-tourism areas of Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Fuerteventura, this quota is already saturated, effectively resulting in a total block on the issuance of new VV licenses.
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Prohibition on new buildings: Newly constructed properties are prohibited from being used for short-term rentals for a period of ten years from completion.
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Strict municipal zoning: Individual municipalities have the authority to establish their own urban plans and local ordinances, with the possibility of applying further restrictions or exemptions depending on the neighborhood.
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Expiration of old licenses: The law stipulates that current licenses are now valid for five years (no longer indefinite). At the end of this period (around 2030/2031), many existing licenses that do not comply with the strict technical or condominium requirements will automatically expire, potentially freeing up market share for new applicants.
In short, for the next five years, the doors are completely closed to new additions. Future openings will depend solely on the revocations of current licenses and new municipal urban planning maps.
DOES THIS MEAN I CAN'T RENT ANYMORE??? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!
What is allowed
To rent today (2026) without an active tourist license (VV), you must set up your business exclusively under the Urban Rental Law (LAU).
To do so completely legally, safely, and without risking sanctions from the Canary Islands government, you have some specific operating options available.
Option 1: Seasonal Rental (Alquiler de Temporada)
This is the best option for maintaining high profitability and flexible property turnover. It is aimed at digital nomads, smart workers, European winterers, or relocated workers.
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Typical duration: 1 to 11 months.
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Mandatory condition: The contract must never be for tourism or leisure purposes. The tenant must sign declaring that the property is not their habitual residence and must specify the actual reason for the temporary rental (e.g., training, remote working project), including their primary residence address in Italy or elsewhere.
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Where to post today: You cannot use daily tourist filters. You must place your ads on real estate portals like Idealista or Fotocasa, or specialized platforms for medium-term rentals (e.g., Spotahome, Flatio), explicitly stating in the text: "Temporary rental only, no tourist use."
Option 2: Room Rental (Alquiler por Habitaciones)
Canary Island law regulates the rental of entire properties for tourist purposes. If you don't have a license for the entire property, you can rent individual rooms under the Spanish Civil Code (Código Civil).
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How it works: You sign individual contracts for each room, sharing common areas (kitchen, living room).
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The advantage: This formula is widely used by students or temporary workers and circumvents the restrictions of the VV license by applying to fractional portions of the property.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION AND CLARIFICATIONS ABOUT
OPERATIONS AND RELATED TAX OBLIGATIONS, PLEASE CONTACT US!!!!!
Phone +34 928 345 731 Mobile +34 659 89 51 94