New Tourist Licence Regulation

The Valencia Region approved on the 2nd of August 2024 a new regulation, named DL 9/2024, which rules Tourist licences, these are the most relevant points:

  • When a property with a Tourist licence is sold, the new owner needs to apply for it again, it does not stay with the property, as it did before.
  • The licences are issued by the Valencia Government Tourism Board, and they require a report which needs to be issued previously by the town hall where the property is located. That certificate needs to verify that the property is eligible to obtain a Tourist licence.
  • Town halls have the capacity to decide that an area of the town, or a specific building, is not eligible to obtain Tourist licences.
  • It is not allowed to obtain a Tourist licence for a room, or part of a property, they must be issued on a whole property.
  • The property needs to have a specific “catastro” reference.
  • The validity of new Tourist licences is five years, once they expire the process to obtain it needs to start again, there is not an automatic right to renew it.
  • Tourist licences that were issued between the 29 June 2018 and the 7th of August 2024 shall remain valid until the 8th of August 2029, and at that point the owners will need to reapply for them.
  • Tourist licences issued before the 29 of June 2018 shall remain valid, though the holders shall need a declaration issued by the property owner, stating that they comply with the new regulations.
  • If the property is part of a community, to obtain a new tourist licence it shall be required to prove that the community has not banned the Tourist rentals in its statutes or a community agreement.
  • The property keys cannot be kept in a key box in the street, and the landlords need to provide to the property users a phone number to contact 24h.

Please note that as lawyers we do not apply for tourist licences, this service is usually provided by “gestors” and estate agents.