Short-Term Rental Registration Number in Spain: A New Requirement for Property Owners in Castelldefels and Gavà Mar

Spain has introduced a new national registration system for short-term rentals. Under Real Decreto 1312/2024, property owners who wish to advertise short-term rental accommodation on digital platforms must obtain a unique Short-Term Rental Registration Number before listing the property online.

For owners in Castelldefels, Gavà Mar, Les Botigues de Sitges and the Barcelona coastal area, this is especially important. These locations are highly attractive for international tenants, relocation clients, business travellers and families looking for temporary accommodation near Barcelona, the airport, international schools and the beach.

At the same time, local rules on tourist accommodation are becoming increasingly strict. From 1 July 2025, online platforms may only publish short-term rental listings when the property has the required registration number.

What is the Short-Term Rental Registration Number?

The Número de Registro, also known as the Unique Rental Registration Number, is an official identifier assigned to a property, room or accommodation unit offered for short-term rental in Spain.

Without this number, a property cannot be legally advertised on online short-term rental platforms.

The purpose of the new system is to improve transparency in the short-term rental market, reduce illegal or unregistered rental activity, allow public authorities to collect reliable data, protect tenants and guests, and create clearer obligations for property owners and digital platforms.

For foreign owners, this means that renting out a second home in Spain is becoming more formalised and should be handled with proper preparation.

Which rentals are affected?

The new rules apply to short-term accommodation that is not intended to become the tenant’s permanent home. This can include stays for holidays, business or professional reasons, temporary relocation, education, training, medical treatment or other temporary needs.

The regulation may apply to entire homes, individual rooms and other accommodation units rented separately. It is also relevant for owners using platforms such as Airbnb, Booking, Idealista or other online rental portals.

For owners in Castelldefels, Gavà Mar and Les Botigues de Sitges, this means that even if a property is rented only occasionally, the registration requirement may still apply if the property is promoted as short-term accommodation.

What are the obligations for property owners?

Property owners who want to rent a property on a short-term basis must make sure that the property is correctly registered before advertising it online.

In practice, owners should review whether the property can legally be used for short-term or tourist rental, whether it has the necessary regional or municipal authorisations, whether the community of owners allows this type of use, whether the property details are correctly filed, whether the registration number is included in online listings and whether the rental activity is managed in line with tax, housing and consumer regulations.

This is particularly relevant for foreign owners who have purchased a second home in Castelldefels, Gavà Mar, Les Botigues de Sitges or the Barcelona coast and want to generate income while they are not using the property.

What are the obligations for online platforms?

Digital platforms are also affected by the new regulation. From July 2025, platforms are expected to verify that short-term rental listings include the required registration number before publication.

This means that a property without the number may be rejected by the platform, removed from search results, blocked from publication or suspended until the registration issue is resolved. For owners who rely on short-term rental income, this can directly affect visibility, occupancy and revenue.

How is the registration number obtained?

The registration procedure is handled through the Spanish property registration system, with access through the electronic services of the Colegio de Registradores de la Propiedad y Mercantiles de España.

The system is connected with the Ventanilla Única Digital de Arrendamientos, the digital single window created to collect and exchange short-term rental data between platforms and public authorities.

Although the process is designed to be digital, the key issue is not only submitting the application. The property must be correctly classified and supported with the right information.

For example, the registered use of the property should correspond with the requested rental category. If the information in the Property Registry is inconsistent, incomplete or not aligned with the intended rental use, the application may require additional clarification or correction.

For this reason, owners should not treat the registration number as a simple formality. It should be part of a wider compliance review before listing a property for short-term rental.

Which Property Registry covers Castelldefels, Gavà Mar and Les Botigues de Sitges?

When preparing a property for short-term rental registration, it is important to identify the correct Registro de la Propiedad connected with the municipality where the property is located.

Many procedures can be started online through the official platform of the Colegio de Registradores de la Propiedad y Mercantiles de España, including requests for registry documentation and other property-related services.

For properties located in Castelldefels, the relevant registry is Registro de la Propiedad de Hospitalet 4, located at Ronda de Can Rabada, 2, 3rd floor, door 2, 08860 Castelldefels, Barcelona.

For properties located in Gavà, including Gavà Mar, the relevant registry is Registro de la Propiedad de Gavà, located at Les Moreres, 4, local, 08850 Gavà, Barcelona.

For properties located in Les Botigues de Sitges, which belongs to the municipality of Sitges, the relevant registry is Registro de la Propiedad de Sitges Nº 01, located at Avenida Sofía, 8, 08870 Sitges, Barcelona.

What happens if a property does not have the registration number?

A property without the required registration number may not be accepted by online rental platforms. In practice, this can make it very difficult to market the property for short-term rental.

There may also be administrative consequences, depending on the type of infringement, the location of the property and the applicable regional or municipal regulations.

In Spain, tourist rental compliance is not only a national issue. Autonomous communities, local councils and community-of-owners rules can also affect whether a property can be used for short-term accommodation.

For owners in Castelldefels, Gavà Mar and Les Botigues de Sitges, this makes professional management especially important. A beachfront apartment, villa or family home may be very attractive to international tenants, but it must be marketed and managed correctly.

A better approach: professional property management

CASTAVA helps property owners in Castelldefels, Gavà Mar, Les Botigues de Sitges and the Barcelona coastal area prepare their homes for a changing rental market. We support owners with short-term and medium-term rental strategy, property preparation before listing, rental registration coordination, local registry documentation, tenant search and screening, relocation support for international clients, and day-to-day property management while the owner is abroad.

Our service also includes coordination of maintenance, cleaning, check-ins, tenant communication and support from trusted legal, tax and administrative professionals where required.

If you own a property in Castelldefels, Gavà Mar, Les Botigues de Sitges or nearby coastal areas, now is the right time to make sure your rental activity is properly structured. The rules for short-term rentals in Spain are changing, and properties that are not correctly prepared may lose visibility on major digital platforms.

CASTAVA can help you understand your options, organise the practical steps and manage your property with a professional, local and international approach.

Contact us to review your property and prepare it for the new short-term rental registration requirements in Spain.