How long does the tourist licence take and how much does it cost in Andalusia?
It costs zero euros and you can start renting the same day you file it. What takes time is what comes before: gathering the documents and, above all, the owners' association agreement.
Reviewed on 22 September 2026 · By the team at Torremolinos Gestión Vacacional, more than ten years managing holiday rentals · Markdown version · Versión en español
Short answer: registration with the Andalusian Tourism Registry is free and takes effect immediately: as soon as the responsible declaration is registered you can advertise and rent. The definitive VFT/VUT code arrives with the resolution, normally within a few weeks, and until then you can use the filing registration number. What really sets the calendar is having the documents ready and the association's agreement.
What is free and what is not?
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Filing the responsible declaration | €0 |
| Registration and code in the RTA | €0 |
| Change of holder, amendment or deregistration | €0 |
| Nota simple from the Land Registry | ~€10 |
| Association certificate | €0-60, depending on the administrator |
| Digital certificate | Free (FNMT) or Cl@ve |
| Having a manager or an agency process it | From €0 (we process it free for the owners we manage) to €150-400 at agencies |
If someone charges you "the licence fee", no such fee exists: they are charging you for their work, which is legitimate, but call it by its name.
How long does each step take?
- Digital certificate: if you do not have one, from a day (Cl@ve) to a week (FNMT with in-person identification).
- Nota simple: hours.
- Association agreement: however long it takes to hold a meeting. If the ordinary one is five months away, you can ask for an extraordinary one; the president must call it if 25 % of owners or shares request it. Allow three weeks to three months.
- Filling in and filing the declaration: an hour.
- Resolution with the code: the Junta sets no deadline for the initial responsible declaration; in practice it arrives within weeks. Meanwhile, you are already operating.
Can I advertise the flat before I have the code?
You can advertise it from the declaration's filing receipt. Some platforms require a licence number to publish: in that case, use the filing registration number until the code arrives and change it afterwards. What you cannot do is advertise before filing the declaration.
If a manager processes it, is it faster?
It takes the same at the Junta, but it usually goes faster because the manager knows what to ask for and how to fill in the form without it getting stuck. Where it shows most is with the association: an experienced manager knows how to present the proposal to the neighbours so it goes through. In How to ask your association for the vote we explain how we do it.
Does the licence expire?
No. The registration has no expiry date; it remains valid as long as the home complies and cessation is not communicated. Changes do have to be communicated: of holder, places, periods or contact details. And if you stop renting, it is worth deregistering so you are not still obliged to provide the service in the declared periods.