Tourist registration in Galicia in 2026: how to process it (and what your local council requires)

If you rent out a property by the day or week in Galicia, tourist registration isn't optional: it's a requirement for legally advertising your property. The good news is that the Galician process is one of the quickest in Spain: you submit a declaration of responsibility and can start renting that same day. The not-so-good news: by 2026, tourist registration will only be the first of several layers, because your homeowners' association and your local council also have a say, and cities like A Coruña, Santiago, and Vigo have already implemented their own regulations.

This guide explains how to register a tourist accommodation (VUT) in Galicia step by step, outlining the requirements the property must meet, the additional requirements for each city, and the impact of the Supreme Court ruling on the national registry. It includes official dates and sources to help you make an informed decision without any surprises.

What is the tourist registration in Galicia and who needs it?

In Galicia, short-term rentals are regulated by the Decree 12/2017, of January 26which classifies three categories: tourist apartments, tourist homes, and homes for tourist use. If you are a private owner who rents your house or apartment to travelers, your category is almost certainly the last: the VUT, a home that is rented out fully furnished and equipped, on a regular basis and in exchange for a price, for periods not exceeding three consecutive months.

The tourism registry that applies to you is the REAT, the Registry of Tourism Businesses and Activities of Galicia. This is where your property is registered with its number, which must then appear in all your listings. A pleasantly surprising detail: the Galician Tourism Agency (Axencia Turismo de Galicia) automatically registers you with the REAT when you submit your declaration of responsibility. You don't have to request registration; you simply declare that you meet the requirements, and the administration registers you.

Who needs tourist registration? Any individual or legal entity that wants to rent out an entire property for short stays in Galicia for profit. It doesn't matter if it's your second home on the coast. Pontevedra or an inherited apartment in A CorunaWithout a tourist registration number, you cannot legally advertise it on any channel, neither on major platforms nor on your own website.

Tourist accommodation, tourist housing and tourist apartment: they are not the same

This is the most common misconception when processing tourist registration in Galicia, and it's important to clear it up before filling anything out, because each category has different requirements and obligations:

• Tourist accommodation (VUT). The private owner model: a property rented out in its entirety for short stays, without the services typical of a business. This is processed with a declaration of responsibility and is the model covered by this guide.
• Tourist accommodation. A tourist accommodation establishment in the full sense: single-family homes that are operated professionally and continuously, with more demanding equipment and service requirements.
• Tourist apartment. Blocks or groups of accommodation units operated by the same company, with a shared reception and services. This is the type of accommodation furthest removed from private ownership.

If you're unsure between the first two options, the key usually lies in your level of commitment: someone who rents out their second home for a few weeks a year falls into the VUT (Vacation Rental Unit) category; someone who manages several houses as their main business should probably consider tourist accommodation. If you're still unsure, the Galician Tourism Agency itself can provide guidance on the correct category, and choosing wisely is important: tourist registration is granted based on the specific category, and declaring an activity that is actually something else can lead to disciplinary action.

How to process tourist registration step by step

The Galician procedure revolves around the declaration of responsibility for starting business activity. This is the complete process:

1. Gather the documentation for the property. You need to prove that the property meets habitability requirements and that you have the right to use it (deed, contract authorizing you to operate it). Have the cadastral reference and the maximum capacity you will declare on hand.
2. Submit the responsible declaration to the Galician Tourism Agency. Individuals can do it electronically or in person; legal entities are required to do it electronically, through the Xunta's headquarters.
3. Pay the fee. It's a one-time payment per property, of just over €60 according to the current rate. There are no periodic renewals of the tourist registration to pay afterward.
4. Start renting from the day of the presentation. This is the great advantage of the Galician model: the responsible declaration enables from that same day, without waiting for a resolution.
5. Receive your registration number. The administration processes the declaration, registers the property in the REAT (Register of Acquisitions and Taxpayers) automatically, and assigns you a number. Confirmation usually arrives within about two weeks.
6. Publish the number in all your advertising. Since January 1, 2020, it is mandatory that the tourist registration number appears on any channel where the property is promoted: platforms, own website, networks.
7. It reports occupancy data every quarter. Galicia requires quarterly reporting of occupancy rates for tourist accommodation. For this purpose, the Galician Tourism Agency (Axencia) has launched TURESPAZO, the platform where you register your property and upload the relevant data.

If you prefer to start from the official source, the Galician Tourism Agency publishes the details of the role and its obligations in its portal for tourist accommodation.

Requirements that your tourist accommodation must meet

Before signing the declaration of responsibility, check that the property meets the requirements you are declaring. The substantive requirements of Decree 12/2017 are common sense, but it is advisable to review them because making a false declaration has consequences:

• Full transfer. The entire property is rented out as a tourist accommodation. If you want to rent individual rooms while living in the house, that option doesn't fall under the Galician tourist accommodation regulations.
• Furnished and equipped. The dwelling must be in a condition for immediate use: furniture, household goods and appliances appropriate to the capacity you declare.
• Living conditions. The dwelling must comply with habitability regulations and have the corresponding urban planning permits according to its municipality.
• Short stays. The continuous accommodation of the same guest cannot exceed three months.
• Visible number and daily occupancy. The two recurring obligations: the tourist registration number in each advertisement and the quarterly occupancy report by TURESPAZO.

Every booking that comes through a commission-based platform takes a cut of the work you've already done: legalizing, equipping, and maintaining your accommodations. The Home Cake We publish them for you and the traveler contacts you directly, without booking fees.

List your accommodations without commissions

The three-fifths rule: your homeowners' association also votes

Since April 3, 2025, with the entry into force of Organic Law 1/2025, properties under a horizontal property regime require the express agreement of the owners' association to be used for tourist rentals. The threshold is three-fifths: the favorable vote of 60% of the owners who, in turn, represent 60% of the ownership shares.

This layer is independent of the regional tourist registry: you can have your REAT number in order and still need your community's approval if the apartment is in a building with multiple residents. However, the law protects those who arrived first: if your declaration of responsibility was submitted before the community approved a prohibition, your right to continue the activity prevails, because the submission date takes precedence.

Practical tip: If you're considering buying a property in Galicia to use as a short-term rental, ask for the minutes of the homeowners' association meeting before signing. An agreement against tourist accommodation approved before you submit your declaration of responsibility could prevent you from doing so, no matter how many tourist registrations you obtain afterward.

The municipal layer: A Coruña, Santiago and Vigo are ahead

Decree 12/2017 is the general regulation, but Galician municipalities have begun to regulate where and how tourist accommodation can be established on their land. The three largest cities already have their own ordinances, each at a different stage of the process:

And what about outside the three major cities? In the coastal tourist towns—Sanxenxo, O Grove, Baiona, and much of the Rías Baixas—the tourist registry currently operates under the existing regional regulations and local planning, without a specific ordinance for short-term tourist accommodation. But the trend is clear: where the housing market is strained, the local council regulates. If your property is in a municipality with high demand, registering your tourist accommodation now, under the current rules, is usually a better idea than waiting for them to become stricter.

The practical consequence is clear: before registering your tourist accommodation, call your local council and ask if there are any regulations governing tourist accommodation or any urban planning restrictions in your area. The declaration of responsibility specifically requires you to declare that you comply with the applicable regulations, and municipal regulations are part of that. Submitting it without verifying this could be costly.

Does the state registry (NRA) still exist?

During 2025, two numbers coexisted: the regional tourist registration number for each autonomous community and the state Rental Registration Number (NRA), created with the Digital One-Stop Shop. In May 2026, the Supreme Court annulled the single state registry, so the number that now governs in Galicia is once again the REAT number.

If you processed your NRA (National Registry Number) at the time, you haven't lost anything; it's simply no longer required. And if you're starting now, your only registration option is the regional one, which you've seen in this guide. We have complete details of the national reversal, with what it means for each region, in our guide on the... tourist registration number in Spain.

Your registration number is yours: take advantage of it with direct booking

There's an important point that gets lost amidst all the paperwork: the tourist registration number certifies your property, not the platform where you advertise it. It's yours. You obtained it yourself, by guaranteeing that the property meets the requirements. And that means it's just as valid on a large platform as it is on your own channel where travelers contact you directly.

The difference lies in the margin. In commission-based channels, a portion of each booking is lost along the way; we'll tell you how much, with examples, in our analysis of the Airbnb commissionIn a direct booking channel, that margin is returned to you without the traveler paying more. It's not about choosing sides: it's about ensuring that your accommodations, already legally registered with their tourism authority, also operate on a channel where the effort of complying with regulations isn't diluted by commissions.

In Galicia, travelers are already searching this way: those looking for vacation rentals in A Coruña or the Rías Baixas compare options, ask questions, and consider speaking with the owner before booking. Having your property listed and visible on a direct channel is the most efficient way to capitalize on this behavior.

And there's a less obvious effect: the stricter the municipal regulations, the more valuable each property that's already compliant becomes. In a city where the city council limits new registrations, your tourist registration number ceases to be a mere formality and becomes a competitive advantage: there's less legal supply, what exists is more visible, and owners who have it can afford to cultivate the channels through which they attract travelers. It's the worst possible time to give away a portion of each booking.

FAQ

How can I find out if a property has tourist registration in Galicia?

The REAT is a public registry managed by the Galician Tourism Agency, and the official tourism website allows you to consult the registered tourist accommodation. Furthermore, the tourist registration number must be included in any property listing: if a listing doesn't display it, it's a red flag for both travelers and the authorities. For the owner, this transparency is advantageous: displaying the tourist registration number in your listings is the simplest way to demonstrate that the property complies with regulations.

How much does tourist registration cost in Galicia?

The fee for the declaration of responsibility is a one-time payment per property, amounting to just over €60 according to the current Galician government rate. There are no recurring fees associated with tourist registration; the ongoing costs of the business are covered separately (cleaning, utilities, insurance, or advertising channels).

Can I rent individual rooms in a tourist accommodation in Galicia?

No. Tourist accommodation in Galicia requires the complete transfer of ownership of the property. If your plan is to rent out rooms while living in the house yourself, that activity does not fall under the tourist accommodation category of Decree 12/2017 and cannot be registered under its tourist registry.

How long does tourist registration take in Galicia?

You can start operating the same day you submit the declaration of responsibility; there's no need to wait for any resolution. Confirmation with your REAT registration number usually arrives within about fifteen days. It's one of the fastest procedures in Spain, as other regions require waiting for authorization before receiving the first traveler.

What happens if I rent a property in Galicia without tourist registration?

Operating without a responsible declaration constitutes clandestine activity under Galician tourism regulations: you risk sanctions, the removal of your listings, and exclusion from channels that require the declaration for publication. With a process that allows you to operate from the day of submission, it's hardly worth the risk.

You've already done the hard part: your property meets the requirements, has its registration number, and is ready to receive travelers. Now let that work pay off completely. The Home Cake We publish your accommodations and the traveler contacts you directly, without booking fees.

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