From holiday let to seasonal let: the legal alternative if you cannot sign up to the new register

On 1 July 2025 many owners found themselves in a new legal scenario: the Registro Único de Viviendas de Uso Turístico (the single register of holiday-let properties) came into force, and you had to be registered to advertise your property on platforms such as Airbnb or Booking. The problem? Not every owner has a holiday-let licence or meets the requirements. But all is not lost: there is a legal, workable alternative for keeping your property earning: the seasonal let (alquiler de temporada), as long as you can prove valid reasons for a seasonal let.

Update 29 July 2026: on 19 May 2026 the Tribunal Supremo (Spain's Supreme Court) annulled (judgment 620/2026) the national single register (NRUA) mentioned in this article, on the grounds that it encroached on the powers of the autonomous regions. It is no longer compulsory to apply for it. What remains in force is your regional holiday-let licence. We explain it in detail in this article.

What is the difference between a holiday let and a seasonal let?

Holiday let:

This is a rental offered by the day or week to people coming for leisure or a holiday. The stay must be short, and the property is advertised on platforms intended for that purpose. It usually includes services such as cleaning, bed linen, reception and so on.
It requires a holiday-let licence and must be registered as a VUT (vivienda de uso turístico, a holiday-let property) with the relevant autonomous region.

Seasonal let:

This is a rental for a limited but not necessarily short period, for reasons other than tourism, such as work, medical treatment, studies, renovation of the tenant's main home and so on.
It does not require a holiday-let licence, but it does require a seasonal tenancy agreement (contrato de arrendamiento de temporada) that sets out the tenant's reason.

Is there a minimum length for a rental to count as a “seasonal” let?

The key is not just the length, but the tenant's reason. You can let for a month or two weeks, but if it is for tourism, it will still be treated as a holiday rental.

To stay within the legal framework of a “seasonal” let, the non-holiday reason for the stay must be documented in the contract (and you should keep proof if possible: a letter from an employer, university enrolment, etc.).

What should you bear in mind if you decide to switch to a seasonal let?

Always put a seasonal tenancy agreement in writing.

State the tenant's reason for the stay clearly.

Avoid advertising the property as a “holiday” or “tourist” rental.

Do not offer typical tourist services, such as daily cleaning or activities.

And how can you keep advertising your property?

With the arrival of the national register of holiday-let properties, platforms such as Airbnb began asking for that number to publish the listing. Since the Supreme Court ruling of May 2026 that national register is no longer compulsory, and what counts for advertising a holiday let is your autonomous region's tourism registration or code.

If you decide to switch to a seasonal let:

• You can keep using platforms such as Idealista or even Airbnb and Booking, but stating that the stays are for work or personal reasons, not holidays. The single registration number for seasonal rentals that the single register of holiday-let properties required is no longer compulsory since the Supreme Court ruling.
• Make sure the descriptions and photos do not suggest it is tourist accommodation.

At beBalmy we can help

We know the rules change quickly and can be confusing. If you are thinking about switching your property from holiday use to seasonal use, at beBalmy we can help you with legal advice, contracts and full management of your property under this model. And if your owners' association (comunidad de vecinos) raises objections, here is how to defend a seasonal let at a residents' meeting.

You can contact us through this form, or send a WhatsApp message.