After Long Debates: Final Agreement Between Airbnb and the Spanish Government

In recent months, the tension between Airbnb and the Spanish government has been making headlines. Thousands of listings were at risk of being removed, new national regulations came into force, and many hosts were left uncertain about their rights and responsibilities.

Now, the situation is clearer: in mid July 2025, a formal agreement was signed between Airbnb and Spain’s Ministry of Housing. If you rent out your property in Spain, whether on your own or via a management company, this directly affects you.

Let me explain, clearly and practically, what it all means.

What’s going on?

Spain has implemented a new national registry for short-term rentals, which became mandatory on July 1, 2025. Every rental property, be it a full apartment, a villa, or just a private room, must now have a valid National Registration Number (NRA) in order to be legally listed on platforms like Airbnb, Booking.com, or Vrbo.

At first, Airbnb didn’t react fast enough. As a result, Spanish authorities took legal action: a court ordered Airbnb to take down over 65,000 listings that lacked a valid registration code.

Faced with this pressure, Airbnb agreed to cooperate.

What’s in the final agreement?

The official agreement, signed on July 15, 2025, outlines a set of obligations for Airbnb starting in August:

• Every listing in Spain must display a valid NRA registration code - VUT.

• Airbnb will notify hosts if the code is missing or invalid, giving them 10 business days to fix it.

• If the code has been officially revoked by authorities, the listing must be removed within 48 hours.

• Airbnb will send monthly reports to the Spanish government, including all active listings, codes, and locations.

• The platform will update its systems to help hosts stay compliant (dual fields for codes, alerts, automated checks).

What you must do as a host

If you rent out a property in Spain, here’s what’s now required:

1. A valid NRA registration code

You cannot legally advertise or rent your property without it. This number is issued after you complete a document called the Declaración Responsable.

2. A properly filed Declaración Responsable

This is a formal declaration where you certify that your property meets all legal requirements for short-term rental, such as having a valid occupancy license (LPO), civil liability insurance, and the required equipment.

If your declaration is incomplete or outdated, your NRA registration may be considered invalid, and your listing may be removed.

Are guest check-ins mandatory? YES: and they’re now more important than ever

In Spain, all short-term rental hosts are legally required to:

1. Verify guest ID upon arrival (passport or national ID).

2. Register guest information online with the Ministry of the Interior via the SES.Hospedajes system within 24 hours.

3. Keep a signed check-in form (Parte de Entrada) for every guest for 3 years (either digitally or on paper).

Until now, many hosts didn’t take this too seriously. But things are changing.

With Airbnb now sharing detailed monthly data with the government, authorities will be able to cross-check how many nights your property was occupied with how many guests were officially registered. If there’s a mismatch, it could trigger an inspection.

How will the Spanish government monitor this?

• Airbnb sends regular reports with listing codes and activity.

• The Ministry of the Interior has access to the SES check-in system.

• If a property shows activity but no guest reports are filed, it raises red flags.

• Inspectors may request to see your documents: registration form, LPO, insurance, and guest check-ins.

• Authorities may also act on tips from neighbors, local councils, or property owner associations.

⚠️ What happens if you’re not compliant?

Issue	Consequence
Missing or invalid NRA code	Your listing will be hidden or removed from Airbnb
Incorrect or outdated declaration	Risk of fines or cancellation of your registration
Failing to register guests in SES	Possible inspection and penalties
Repeated violations	Permanent removal of your listing or rental license

What if you use a property manager or rental agency?

This new regulation doesn’t just apply to individual owners. If you use a management company, they now also have new responsibilities:

• They must verify that each property under their care has a valid NRA code.

• They are responsible for reporting guests to the SES system on behalf of owners.

• They must keep proper documentation and respond to any government alerts.

• They should inform their clients (you) of these new requirements and help you stay compliant.

If your manager hasn’t talked to you about this yet, it may be time to ask some serious questions.

Immediate action checklist

1. ✅ Check that your NRA registration number is active and correct.

2. ✅ Review your Declaración Responsable - is it complete and up-to-date?

3. ✅ Make sure you can access the SES.Hospedajes portal and know how to use it.

4. ✅ Keep all your documents organized and accessible (LPO, check-in forms, insurance).

5. ✅ Be ready for inspections, don’t wait until it’s too late.