Airbnb and other platforms will remove unregistered listings: the new reality of holiday rentals

The short-term rental sector in Spain is undergoing its most significant transformation. Starting in August 2025, major digital platforms such as Airbnb, Booking, Rentalia, Spotahome, and others will automatically remove all listings that do not have a valid Rental Registration Number (NRA). This agreement between these companies and the Spanish Ministry of Housing will definitively change the rules for thousands of property owners.

The Agreement That Changes Everything

The commitment reached between the Ministry of Housing and digital platforms is already underway. Airbnb has begun removing listings without a registration number and blocking the publication of new listings that do not include a valid registration number.

Starting in August 2025, all participating platforms will thoroughly verify existing listings. Those that do not include a valid Rental Registration Number (NRA) will be automatically removed. The process will follow a specific protocol: property owners will receive an official notification with a deadline of ten business days to correct any deficiencies. In cases considered serious by the authorities, such as revocation of the registration number, removal will occur within a maximum of 48 hours.

This collaboration effectively turns the platforms into regulatory control agents. Every month, they will send detailed data to the Ministry of Housing regarding listings and their compliance with the regulations, creating a system of continuous monitoring that makes it nearly impossible to bypass controls.

Current Situation in Numbers

According to data available up to July 2025, more than 215,000 properties have completed their registration through the Digital One-Stop Window. However, this figure represents only a portion of the total properties currently operating in the Spanish short-term rental market.

This discrepancy between active listings on platforms and completed registrations indicates that thousands of property owners are in a state of non-compliance. The mass removal scheduled for August could affect a significant portion of these listings, with major economic consequences for both individual owners and the sector as a whole.

Who Must Register?

The registration obligation applies to all property owners who rent their property to tourists, regardless of the frequency or duration of the rentals. This also includes non-resident property owners, who make up a significant part of the market, such as British, German, French, and other foreign nationals, as well as Spanish non-residents.

These owners are legally required to:

• Register their property and obtain a valid NRA.
• Include the NRA in all digital rental platforms, including Airbnb, Booking, Rentalia, Vrbo, and others.
• File an annual tax return on rental income using Form 210.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

The consequences of failing to comply with the new regulations go beyond simple removal of listings. The sanctioning framework, which is still in the approval process, contemplates fines ranging from €3,000 to €600,000, depending on the severity of the violation and based on the Consumer and User Protection Law.

For non-resident owners, the tax implications are also significant. Non-compliance can complicate the filing of Form 210, the mandatory annual declaration for all non-residents earning income in Spain. Additionally, renting without registration can create further issues with the Spanish Tax Agency and make it difficult to legally justify the income obtained.

IberianTax’s Solution for Non-Resident Owners

IberianTax has developed a comprehensive service specifically designed to help non-resident property owners comply with the new regulations and obtain a Rental Registration Number.

A key advantage of this service is the ability to complete the entire process online, without the need for phone calls, in-person visits to the Town Hall, or travel to Spain. Owners can access their IberianTax account, go to the “Other Services” section, select “NRA Application", complete their information, and receive immediate assistance from a team member.

To obtain this registration, owners must submit specific documentation proving both ownership of the property and its suitability for tourist use. This process may take several weeks. Once the documentation is validated, the Property Registry issues a Provisional Registration Number, which is valid for listing the property while the Definitive Number is issued.

In addition to obtaining the rental registration number, IberianTax provides comprehensive tax services, including filing Form 210 and specialized tax advice. This allows property owners not only to comply with rental registration regulations but also to properly manage all their tax obligations in Spain.

For non-resident owners, working with a specialized company like IberianTax is not just convenient, but strategically necessary to maintain their presence in the Spanish short-term rental market, avoiding delays that could result in listing removal and interruptions to rental income during the high season.