Tourist registration in Catalonia in 2026: how to process it (and what changes with the HUT)

If you have a property for seasonal rental in Catalonia, the tourist registration It's the line between advertising with peace of mind and risking a penalty. And in 2026, things are moving fast: Decree Law 3/2023 requires building permits in hundreds of municipalities, Barcelona has set an expiration date for its licenses, and at the national level, every listing now needs its own identification number. In this guide, we explain, in practical terms, how the tourist registration system works in Catalonia, how to process it step by step, and what you should do now to ensure your accommodations are compliant.

Let's start with an idea that runs throughout this article: that number you get with your tourist registration is yours, not the platform where you advertise. And that, in a community where licenses are scarce, is worth more than it seems.

What is tourist registration in Catalonia and why is it mandatory?

In Catalonia, the property that you give entirely to third parties in exchange for a price for periods equal to or less than 31 days is called habitatge d'ús turístic (HUT), tourist accommodation. To operate legally, it needs to be registered in the Tourism Registry of Catalonia (RTC). That registration is the actual tourist registration: without it, you cannot advertise or charge for accommodation.

Tourist registration serves two purposes. First, it identifies your property to the authorities with an official number. Second, it guarantees minimum standards of quality, maintenance, and information for guests. It's not just a formality: it's the foundation upon which everything else rests, from taxes to insurance.

It's important to understand this clearly from the outset, because in Catalonia, the tourist registry coexists with a second layer—the building permit—which doesn't exist in all regions. Being registered in the RTC (Registry of Tourist Accommodation) is one thing, but obtaining permission from the city council for that use on your street is another. Both must occur simultaneously.

The number given to you by the Registre de Turisme de Catalunya

When you complete the tourist registration, the RTC assigns your property a registration number, called the RTC code. This code is proof that your accommodation is legal and It must appear in all advertising.: on your website, on the sign at the entrance, and on any portal where you advertise. If you publish without it, you risk having your ad removed and receiving a penalty.

Here's the crucial detail that almost no one tells you: the tourist registration code is linked to your property and to you as the owner, not to Airbnb, Booking.com, or any intermediary. It's your asset. You can use it to advertise wherever you want, including your own website and other channels. direct bookingwithout depending on a single platform.

How to process tourist registration in Catalonia step by step

Tourist registration in Catalonia is a step-by-step process, starting with the town hall. These are the steps, in the order you will experience them:

1. Check that your municipality allows its use. First, check if your property is in one of the municipalities with restrictions (we'll discuss this below). If you're in a high-risk area, you'll also need a building permit; otherwise, the process is simpler. This step saves you from starting a tourist registration that could later be blocked.

2. Gather the documentation. To register your tourist accommodation, you need, at a minimum, a valid occupancy certificate, the cadastral reference, the owner's details, and a furnished and equipped property ready for immediate occupancy. You also need a 24-hour operational contact phone number for guests.

3. Submit the notification of commencement of activity to the town hall. The tourist registration process begins with a notification (declaration of responsibility) to the town hall where the property is located. In this document, you declare that you meet the requirements and that you accept the obligations.

4. The city council forwards your registration to the Generalitat. Once verified, the council notifies the tourism administration of the Generalitat, which is responsible for registering the property in the Registre de Turisme de Catalunya and assigning the code.

5. You receive the RTC code. Once your registration is complete, you will receive your tourist registration number. From that moment on, it must appear in all your advertisements. In the interval between the notification from the municipality and the arrival of the code, you may at least include the reference number of that notification.

The tourist registration process itself doesn't have any regional fees, although some municipalities apply their own fees and the occupancy permit is renewed separately. If you'd rather avoid the bureaucracy, a management agency can handle it for you, but you can also start the tourist registration yourself.

Do you already have (or are you about to get) your RTC code? Then don't let a commission eat into your profit margin every time someone books. List your accommodations directly, without booking fees, and keep what's rightfully yours.

List your accommodations without commissions

What changes with Decree Law 3/2023: the 262 municipalities under strain

This is where Catalonia separates from the rest of Spain. Decree Law 3/2023, of November 7Regarding the urban planning regulations for tourist accommodation, it requires obtaining a specific urban planning license to operate as a HUT in 262 municipalities with housing shortages. In those municipalities, tourist registration alone is no longer sufficient: this license is also required.

The keys to Decree Llei 3/2023, verified in the official standard:

• Ambit: 262 Catalan municipalities with high residential demand, including Barcelona and much of the coast and metropolitan areas.
• Validity: Urban planning licenses for tourist use last five years, renewable for equal periods, provided that the municipal planning continues to allow that use.
• Stop: In no case may more than 10 tourist accommodation units per 100 inhabitants in the zone.
• Transitional regime: Holders who already had a HUT have a period of five years —until the November 9th 2028— to obtain the new building permit.

The practical consequence is twofold. If you're outside those 262 municipalities, your tourist registration follows the standard procedure and is relatively quick. If you're within them, your HUT (Tourist License) depends on the local council wanting—and being able—to continue granting licenses in your area. Renewal isn't automatic: if the municipality decides not to renew or to limit its validity, your business may lose coverage after the five-year period expires.

That's why tourist registration in Catalonia is now read with a calendar in hand. It's not just about registering, but about knowing how long your stay is guaranteed and what happens after that.

Barcelona: heading towards zero tourist apartment licenses by 2028

The extreme case is Barcelona. The City Council approved a roadmap in 2024 for not renewing any of the approximately 10.000 tourist accommodation licenses of the city, which will be phased out in 2028. The measure converts those apartments into residential housing and was backed by the Constitutional Court in March 2025, clearing the last appeals.

In concrete terms: Barcelona is not issuing new tourist accommodation licenses, and existing ones are about to expire. Operating a tourist apartment without a license after the expiration date is considered a very serious offense, with fines that can reach €60.000. If your property is in Barcelona city, your tourist registration has an expiration date, so you should do the math well in advance.

This doesn't mean that holiday rentals are dying out in Catalonia. Outside of Barcelona, ​​and outside the most saturated areas, thousands of tourist accommodation listings (HUTs) still exist with their tourist registration fully up to date. What has changed is that the license has become a scarce commodity and, therefore, more valuable. You can see the context of the city on our page of holiday rental in Barcelona.

Beyond Barcelona: where it still makes sense in Catalonia

Catalonia is much more than its capital. The Costa Brava (Girona), the Costa Daurada (Tarragona), the Pyrenees regions, and much of the interior maintain a thriving holiday rental market, often without the strictest restrictions. In numerous small towns, outside the 262 areas under strain, tourist registration follows the standard procedure, and it is perfectly feasible to register a new property.

The key is to take nothing for granted and check your municipality's planning regulations before moving a single piece of paper. Two neighboring towns might have opposing rules: one with open licensing and the other with a moratorium. Before starting the tourist registration process, ask the town hall about the status of HUT (Hotel and Tourist Accommodation) licenses in your area and whether there are any population limits. This intersection between tourist registration and local planning regulations is what determines whether your project gets off the ground or stalls. With the information at hand, the decision is no longer a gamble.

The consent of the community of neighbors

There is one more requirement that overlaps with tourist registration and that should be clear. Since April 2025, Organic Law 1/2025 requires, for new tourist rental activities in a building under a horizontal property regime, the favorable vote of three-fifths of the community owners.

In other words: even if your municipality allows tourist accommodation and you've already started the registration process, if your apartment is in a building with other residents, you need their formal approval. This requirement often prevents new registrations, so if you're considering registering a property, speak with the residents' association before investing in renovations or the registration process itself.

State registry and regional tourist registry: how they fit together

In addition to the Catalan layer, there is also a national layer. Since July 1, 2025, all short-term rental listings require a Registration Number (NRA), which is obtained through the Single Digital Window for Leases of the Ministry of Housing, created by Royal Decree 1312/2024. Platforms are obligated to remove listings that do not display this number.

Does this overlap with the Catalan tourist registry? No: they are separate systems that must coexist. The RTC code certifies your property with the Catalan government; the national registration number registers the listing nationwide. The national landscape has also undergone a major legal shift in 2026, which we break down in detail in our [article/report/etc.]. Guide to tourist registration numbers in SpainTo help you find what you need, this table summarizes what you need based on your situation.

The table is easy to understand: the tourist registration is the common foundation, the building permit is the variable that determines your future, and the state number is the passport for publishing. All three must be in order.

The tourist registration is yours, not the platform's.

Let's return to the initial idea, now with all the context. When you obtain your tourist registration and RTC code, you gain something that doesn't depend on any intermediary. Your property is legal in itself. You can advertise it on major portals, yes, but also on your own website, social media, and direct booking channels where you aren't charged a commission per stay.

In Catalonia, where every license is worth its weight in gold, it makes little sense to give away a portion of each booking to a platform. If you've gone to the trouble of registering your tourist accommodation, obtaining your license, and navigating the regional government, the logical next step is to maximize the profit from every night. That's where direct bookings make all the difference: you recover the margin that the commission used to take, without lowering your prices or resorting to any tricks.

We're not talking about abandoning portals, but about adding another channel that you actually control. Many intermediary fees eat up a significant percentage of your revenue; you can see how much in our analysis of Airbnb's commissionWith your tourist registration in order, that margin can stay in your pocket.

You have the tourism registration, the license, and the community on your side. What's missing is stopping the commission you pay for each booking. The Home Cake We publish your accommodations for a fixed fee and without booking commissions: the recovered margin is yours.

List your accommodations without commissions

Common mistakes when registering as a tourist in Catalonia

These are the most common pitfalls that homeowners make and should avoid:

• Announce before you have the code. Publishing without the tourist registration number (or without the reference to the municipal communication) is grounds for removal of the advertisement and a penalty.
• Ignoring the building permit. In a high-traffic area, having a tourist registration without a license leaves your HUT (Hotel/Restaurant) incomplete. Check your municipality before investing.
• Forgetting the occupancy certificate. Without a valid certificate, the tourist registration doesn't even begin.
• Bypassing the community. Without the three-fifths vote, a new registration can be blocked even if everything else is perfect.
• Confusing the state number with the regional number. They are two different records; you need both.

FAQ

How much does tourist registration cost in Catalonia?

Registration with the Catalan Tourism Registry (Registro de Turisme de Catalunya) doesn't have a regional fee for the registration itself. However, there may be additional indirect costs: the occupancy certificate, possible municipal fees, and, if you hire a management company, the administrative fees. You can handle most of the tourist registration yourself.

How long does it take to get the tourist registration?

It depends on the local council. The notification of commencement of activity allows you to begin operating under your own responsibility, and formal registration with the RTC comes later. While you wait for the code, at least include the reference to the municipal notification in your advertisements.

Can I rent in Barcelona if I get the tourist registration now?

In Barcelona city, no new HUT licenses are being granted, and existing ones expire in 2028. Therefore, now is not the time to register a new tourist accommodation license for entire homes there. Outside of Barcelona, ​​and outside of saturated areas, registration is possible depending on the municipality.

Does the tourist registration allow me to advertise on any platform?

Yes. The RTC code is yours and is valid for any channel: portals, your own website, and direct bookings. Along with your government number, it allows you to advertise your accommodations wherever you want, including channels with no booking fees.

What happens if I rent without a tourist registration?

Advertising or operating without a tourism registration is an infraction. Platforms will remove the listing, and the authorities can issue fines, which increase depending on the severity and frequency of the offense. It's not worth it: the process is manageable and provides peace of mind.

Do I have to renew my tourist registration every year?

The tourist registration itself doesn't expire annually, but in the 262 municipalities under pressure, the associated building permit lasts five years, and its renewal depends on the municipal planning regulations. That's the timeframe you really need to keep an eye on.

Tourist registration in Catalonia is no longer just a piece of paper: it's a map with municipal, regional, and national layers that change every season. If your accommodations are properly registered, make the most of it and decide where and how they are booked.