Renting out a holiday home on the Costa Brava: which permits do you need?
Before advertising a holiday home on the Costa Brava, owners need to check the tourist, planning and property rules that apply to the specific home.
Thinking of renting out your Costa Brava home? Before you choose photos or set a nightly rate, there is one less exciting but important question: is tourist rental actually permitted for your property? Here is where to start, without getting lost in the paperwork.
Renting a holiday home on the Costa Brava is not simply a matter of putting a property online. In Catalonia, a habitatge d’ús turístic (HUT) is a whole dwelling made available for payment for continuous stays of 31 days or less. The owner remains the holder of the activity, even when marketing and day-to-day management are delegated to an agency.
The first check is municipal permission
A HUT must be properly enabled by the municipality in which the property is located. The intended tourist use also has to be compatible with local planning rules and the civil rules that apply to the property. This matters because the position can differ from one municipality, neighbourhood or building to another. A registration number from the tourism register should therefore never be treated as a substitute for checking the current municipal position.
The dwelling itself must also qualify
Catalan rules require a valid cèdula d’habitabilitat, compliance with the general technical and quality requirements for housing, sufficient furniture and equipment for immediate occupation, and proper hygiene. The advertised and actual capacity may not exceed the number allowed by the occupancy certificate, subject to the applicable legal maximum and any grandfathered situations.
Owner checklist before you advertise
- Confirm that tourist use is permitted for the specific address and municipality.
- Check the HUT or municipal enabling status and the current tourism registration details.
- Verify the cèdula d’habitabilitat and permitted occupancy.
- Check community-of-owners rules if the home is in a shared building or development.
- Arrange an emergency contact, assistance and maintenance for guests.
- Make sure the required registration information appears in advertising and at the property.
Rules have changed repeatedly in recent years. A neighbouring property having a HUT number does not prove that a new application for your property will be accepted today.
Frequently asked questions
Can I rent only one bedroom under a HUT licence?
No. The Catalan HUT definition concerns the whole dwelling; room-by-room letting is not permitted under that regime.
Can a rental agency hold the HUT instead of the owner?
The owner is the holder of the HUT activity. Commercialisation and management can be entrusted to a third party.
Does a HUT automatically mean I can keep renting forever?
No. Planning rules, transitional arrangements, community rules and future regulatory changes can all matter. Existing rights and new applications should be checked separately.
From permit check to a rental plan
Start with the municipality and the documents for your specific address. If those checks are in order, read about renting out your Costa Brava home with Quality Renting and decide which tasks you want help with.
This article was reviewed on 17 September 2026 against the official source linked to this knowledge-base entry. Rental and housing rules can change at national, Catalan and municipal level. For decisions about a specific property or contract, verify the current position for that address and situation before acting.
This article is informational; always check current official rules and your agreement.