Barcelona’s tourist apartment phaseout

Barcelona is set to let all 10,101 licensed tourist apartments expire without renewal by Nov. 2028. The city says the units, known locally as VUT/HUT, will be shifted into long-term housing once their current permits run out, with short-term rentals under 31 days ending citywide in 2029.

The policy has been in motion since June 2024, when Mayor Jaume Collboni said the city would stop renewing these licenses. Spain’s Constitutional Court upheld the Catalan legal framework in March 2025, clearing the way for municipalities in pressure zones to cap or end tourist-apartment permits.

Who loses out under the ban

Tourists will have fewer private apartment options and will be pushed toward hotels and hostels. Digital nomads and expats who rely on one- to three-month stays are also caught in the middle, since those flexible rentals are part of the same market Barcelona is phasing out.

Owners face the biggest reset. Recent audits have already recovered thousands of homes for residential use and illegal operators can face fines of up to €600,000 ($646,000), according to the research.

What owners and visitors need to watch

Current licenses still need to run their course, with renewal fees of €144.45 for the first property and €72.23 for each additional one. From 2025, homeowners’ associations must approve new tourism use by a 60% vote and Spain’s National Registry of Tourism Accommodations now requires registration and annual checks.

Platforms are also being pushed to remove unlicensed listings. Read our full Spain guide for the complete picture and check our visa updates for related policy changes.