Property owners who advertise for short term holiday lets can breathe a little easier today. The Spanish supreme court has struck down the national short-term registry. The legal annulment means that landlords no longer need to apply for an NRA license to advertise on third party booking sites, such as booking.com or airbnb.com.
It is being reported that the ruling was passed by the Spanish supreme court, because the central government in Madrid lacked the authority to override already existing regional frameworks. This overlapping of regional and state legislature came into conflict with the country’s constitution.
What Does This Mean?
This is a welcome ruling to those who rent their properties on a short term basis. It does away with the time and expense of having to apply for yet another license, which had to be renewed on a yearly basis on the owner’s expense. If an owner held a VUT, but were unable to secure an NRA, this opens a pathway to re-listing their property for rentals on holiday sites.
Going Forward
In light of this, it is important to remain aware of the commitments that still exist for owners. Any regional frameworks in place before the introduction of the NRA will remain. The property must still be compliant with regional standards for renting. In Andalucía it is still a requirement to obtain a VUT for short term rentals, which the majority of NRA holders would already have had. If there is no VUT owners cannot legally engage in holiday rentals. Importantly, local communities still have the power to vote on allowing holiday lets or banning them.
The abolishment of the NRA grants greater flexibility and freedom within the tourist sector, but existing tax obligations, declarations and the registering of guests are still the owner’s responsibility. The annual informative return for holiday rentals, which we have previously written about here, will also still be a requirement as part of the EU-wide framework for short-term rental transparency.
The resolution was passed on the 19th May 2026 and as we learn more about the ruling in the coming days we will strive to keep our owners as informed as possible.
Header Photo by Sasun Bughdaryan on Unsplash
