New Canary Islands Law Reshapes Holiday Rental Rules

A new regional law — the *Ley 6/2025, de Ordenación Sostenible del Uso Turístico de Viviendas* — came into force at the end of 2025 and is now actively reshaping how holiday lets operate across the Canary Islands, including Tenerife. The law replaces the previous “free registration” model with a much stricter planning-based system.

Key changes owners should know about:

– Only 10% of homes in a given zone may now be used as holiday rentals (up to 20% on La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro)

– Properties must be at least 35 m² and have had residential use for at least 10 years before qualifying for tourist use

– A simple “responsible declaration” is no longer enough — the municipality’s own planning rules must explicitly permit tourist use in that zone

– Approved licences are valid for 5 years and must be renewed

– Social housing (VPO) can no longer be used for holiday rentals

If you’re considering renting out your property short-term, it’s worth checking your zone’s status before assuming your home qualifies. We help owners navigate exactly this process if you’d like a hand.

Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2025-26358