SUMMARY OF THE ARTICLE
1.- The origin: Royal Decree 1312/2024.
In December 2024, the Government approved Royal Decree 1312/2024, which required any owner wishing to advertise a short-term rental property on platforms such as Airbnb, Booking, or similar services to first obtain a Rental Registry Number (NRA) from the Land Registry. Without this number, the platform was required to remove the listing.
2.- The Supreme Court ruling (May 2026).
The Administrative Chamber of the Supreme Court, in judgment no. 620/2026, partially upheld the appeal brought by the Generalitat Valenciana. The ruling fully annulled the obligation to obtain the Rental Registry Number, on the basis that the State lacked the competence to establish a single national register linked to the Land Registry.
3.- What property owners should do now.
The annulment does not remove all obligations. Regional registration systems remain in force. In the Valencian Community, tourism rentals properties must still hold a valid tourist licence. Failure to comply with the remaining applicable requirements may result in significant financial penalties.
Anyone who owns a holiday property in Spain will be familiar with the difficulty of keeping up with regulatory changes. Over the last decade, tourism and seasonal rentals have gone from being almost entirely unregulated to an increasingly complex and burdensome legal and administrative framework. The rental registry number (NRA or NRUA) is the latest example of this back-and-forth. In this week’s article, we examine the recent Spanish Supreme Court ruling that annuls the national registration requirement and what it means for property owners.
The origin: Royal Decree 1312/2024.
In December 2024, the Spanish Government approved Royal Decree 1312/2024. This regulation established a national registration procedure for short-term rental accommodation. Any property owner wishing to advertise on platforms such as Airbnb, Booking, Expedia or similar… was required to first obtain a Unique Rental Number from the Land Registry. Without that number, the platform was required to remove the listing.
The regulation was adopted in application of European Regulation 2024/1028 on data collection for short-term rentals. It also established the so-called Digital Single Window for Rentals, operated by the Ministry of Housing.
The Valencian Government (GVA) challenges the regulation.
The GVA contested this regulation before the Spanish Supreme Court. Its central argument was clear: the State lacked the constitutional competence to create a national registration system in this area. The autonomous communities already had their own regional tourism registers, established in the exercise of their exclusive competences in tourism and housing. In fact, the Council of State (in their advisory opinion issued before the Decree was approved) flagged this competence issue. Nevertheless, the regulation was ultimately adopted.
The Supreme Court ruling (May 2026).
The Administrative Chamber of the Spanish Supreme Court, in judgment no. 620/2026 of 19 May 2026, partially upheld the challenge. And the core finding is clear: the State lacked competence to regulate a National Registration System for rentals linked to the Land Registry. As a result, the obligation to obtain a Rental Registry Number from the Land Registry has been entirely annulled.
The court did, however, uphold other aspects. The digital single window for rentals, the data-sharing obligations for online platforms, and the transmission of data for statistical purposes all remain in force.
What now?.
The annulment does not mean property owners face no obligations. Regional registers remain fully in force. In the Valencian Community, tourism rentals of ten days or fewer must still hold a valid tourist licence. What no longer applies is solely the obligation to obtain the Unique Rental Number imposed by Royal Decree 1312/2024.
Conclusions.
Tourism and seasonal rentals in Spain have been caught in a cycle of regulatory change for years, making it genuinely difficult for owners to keep up. The annulment of the rental registry number (NRA or NRUA) is just the latest example. While obtaining this number is no longer required, all other existing obligations remain in place. Failing to comply with them may result in significant financial penalties. At White-Baos Lawyers, we specialise in property and rental law. Do not hesitate to contact us.
The information provided in this article is not intended to be legal advice but merely conveys information relating to legal issues.
Carlos Baos (Lawyer)
White & Baos.
Tel: +34 966 426 185
E-mail: info@white-baos.com
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