Operating periods of a tourist home: what they are, how to declare them and why they matter
The months in which you commit to renting. Outside them you cannot receive tourists; inside them, you have to attend. All year with annual repetition is the simplest.
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: operating periods are the stretches of the year in which you declare that the home is open to tourists. Within them you are obliged to rent and attend; outside them you cannot receive guests (it would be a clandestine offer). Most people declare all year with annual repetition and then block the weeks they want to use the flat, which is more flexible than declaring only a few months.
Where are they declared?
In the initial responsible declaration itself, on a calendar where you mark the stretches. If you tick that they repeat every year, you do not have to communicate them again. If not, next year's have to be communicated before 1 January with the communication form.
All year or just the season?
| Option | Advantages | Drawbacks |
|---|---|---|
| All year, annual repetition | You rent whenever you want; to use it yourself, you block dates on the platform's calendar | You are obliged to attend all year (in practice, to have the phone on 24 hours and answer), and you need air conditioning and heating |
| Only a few months (e.g. May-September) | Outside those months nobody can demand anything of you | You cannot accept a single booking at Christmas or Easter even if asked, without communicating the change first |
An important detail: the mandatory climate control depends on the periods. If you open between May and August, you need air conditioning in bedrooms and living room; if you open between December and March, heating. Whoever declares only summer saves on heating.
Can I receive someone outside the declared period?
No. Receiving tourists outside the period is a clandestine offer and is penalised the same as not having a licence. If you want to open for a week at Christmas and have only declared summer, communicate the change of periods first.
Can I use the flat myself during the declared periods?
Yes. Declaring "all year" does not mean the flat has to be occupied by tourists every day: it means it is offered. The weeks you want to use it, block them on the platforms' calendars. What you cannot do is sign a long-term residential let while the home is registered.
How are they changed?
With the Communication to the Tourism Registry (7267) form, ticking "operating periods" and stating the new ones. It is free and is filed by the holder with a digital certificate. In the homes we manage, we declare all year with annual repetition and handle the owner's blocks from the calendar.
What happens if I do not communicate next year's?
If you did not tick annual repetition and do not communicate the periods before 1 January, the Junta takes it that the home is not operating that year. Renting then is a clandestine offer. It is the silliest and most common mistake in registrations done in a hurry.