Vacation rentals have become a business in which profitability is often higher than any other investment. Currently, with the presence of mass-market vacation rental platforms such as Airbnb and Booking , it is relatively easy to find guests for vacation accommodations.
To start earning money from renting a vacation home in the Canary Islands, a series of requirements must be met .
In 2025, vacation home regulations in the Canary Islands will undergo significant changes that directly affect the authorization, control, and operation of this type of accommodation. Owners must be aware of these changes to comply with the law.
Content
For the purposes of Decree 113/2015, published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands, a holiday home is defined as "homes that, furnished and equipped in conditions suitable for immediate use and meeting the requirements set forth in this Regulation, are marketed or promoted through tourism channels to be temporarily and fully transferred to third parties, on a regular basis, for holiday accommodation purposes and in exchange for a price."
It should be noted that several provisions of this decree have been overturned by the Supreme Court and are no longer applicable . These are related to the prohibition of room-based rentals and rentals on land classified as tourist or mixed-use . It should be noted that a new regional law is being processed that will bring greater controls, including limitations on permitted areas for tourist homes, stricter controls, and a 10% limit on new buildings intended for holiday rentals, especially on islands with sensitive ecosystems.
In addition to the requirements set out in the definition itself, there are other requirements for legally operating in the holiday rental business. They are the following:
The certificate of habitability is an official document that certifies that a home meets the minimum habitability requirements established by current legislation. These requirements refer to aspects such as hygienic, health and solidity conditions, as well as the minimum services that the home must have, such as ventilation, lighting, and access to basic supplies such as drinking water, electricity and drainage.
In order to obtain the certificate, you must request the assistance of an authorized technician to issue the certificate of habitability, and with this certificate, you must go to the local town hall to request the certificate.
All holiday homes, as a general rule, must have a lock on the outside and inside of the access doors, as well as a first aid kit .
In the bedrooms, if they are single, the beds must be 90cm and if they are double, the bed must be 135cm . In addition to this, they must have room darkening , independent lighting, hangers and bedding (sheets, pillows, duvets, bedspreads...) .
The kitchen must have the presence of dishes, a coffee maker, the necessary utensils and an oven or microwave and ironing board .
The bathroom must have mirrors, towels (one bath towel per guest and one hand towel per guest), systems to prevent water leakage from the shower, hairdryer, towel racks (heated or not), toilet paper holder and hair dryer. hair
In addition to traditional elements, vacation homes must have safety and sustainability systems that comply with new regulations, such as accessibility for people with reduced mobility.
First, you'll need to gather all the necessary documentation to register the property as a vacation rental. This documentation will depend on the local council where the property is located. Some of the documentation required is common to each local council.
Starting in 2025, it's essential to register the property in the new Single State Registry of Tourist Rentals, in addition to the regional registry, and to have the corresponding municipal authorization certifying the legality of the property.
You must prove that you are the owner of the home or that you have the right to exploit it. In the first case, it is enough to provide the purchase and sale contract of the property or its deeds, in the second case, you need a power of attorney from the owner
You must present form 400 to the IGIC (Canary Islands General Indirect Tax), in which you must register your tourist accommodation in section 1685 “Extra-hotel tourist accommodation”.
It is mandatory to display the energy certificate in advertisements and include it in rental contracts. It is a document which must be issued by a qualified technician, which details the degree of energy efficiency.
From the Public Administration of the Canary Islands, they require you to present the plans of the home, as well as its situation with respect to public land.
Civil liability insurance policy.
The civil liability insurance policy would be another of the documents required to register a home in the Canary Islands. The civil liability policy is an insurance contract through which an insurance company undertakes to cover economic damages that the insured may cause to third parties, whether involuntarily or due to negligence, and that generate legal liability. It is not the same as home insurance.
You will need to submit the final and most important document in the process: the responsible declaration. This is a document in which you declare and inform the public administration of your intention to rent the property for tourist use, in order to be added to the Registry of Tourism Companies and Activities of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands.
The new legislation seeks to balance tourism growth with environmental protection and local quality of life. Complying with these requirements is essential for the legal and sustainable operation of vacation rentals in the Canary Islands.
Once the home is registered in the Registry of Companies and Tourist Activities of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands, before starting to make a profit through renting it, you must indicate the following:
Try the Check-in Scan app
Create personalized rental contracts and automatically check-in your guests at the corresponding authorities
Model vacation rental contract , which must appear at least in Spanish and English. More information about the vacation rental contract.
