Is it legal to rent out a property without a license in central Barcelona?

In central Barcelona, it is generally required to obtain a license to legally rent out a property, especially for short-term rentals. This regulation is part of the city’s efforts to manage the influx of tourists and protect local housing markets. The city council has implemented strict rules and sometimes even moratoriums on new licenses to curb the number of short-term rentals, which have been blamed for increasing rental prices and altering neighborhood dynamics. Long-term rentals are subject to different regulations, primarily governed by Spanish tenancy laws, but typically do not require a specific license like short-term rentals do.

Trivia: Barcelona’s regulation on tourist apartments became notably stringent after 2016, following concerns that the city’s character and residential resources were being unduly strained by the booming tourist industry. The city has even employed inspectors and introduced fines to enforce these regulations.