Málaga

In addition to regional tourism regulations, hosts must comply with the zoning regulations that apply to tourist-use accommodations (VUTs) in Málaga, which may impose prohibitions or restrictions. Below is a brief overview of whether you can list tourist-use accommodations in Málaga, as well as the zoning requirements and conditions you should keep in mind.

Please remember that it’s your responsibility to check and comply with all the obligations and regulations that apply to you as a host. This article can help you become familiar with your obligations or serve as a reference to clarify certain questions, but it is not exhaustive and should not be considered legal or tax advice, so we recommend that you do your own research on these issues. Also, because we don’t update this content in real time, the regulations we considered when preparing it may have changed. For this reason, you’ll need to consult all sources and make sure the information hasn’t changed recently. If you have any questions or concerns, we recommend that you consult a lawyer or legal advisor. Airbnb is not responsible for the accuracy or reliability of this content.

Is it currently possible to obtain a license in Málaga?

No, due to the moratorium in effect until August 2028.

What zoning conditions apply to operating in Málaga?

Even though it’s currently not possible to obtain new permits to operate, keep in mind that there is a maximum cap of 8% tourist-use accommodations per neighborhood, based on the number of family homes available in that neighborhood.

Taking this percentage into account, the city is divided into three zones:

1. De-growth zone: New permits are not allowed.
2. Limited-growth zone: New permits are allowed until the registration rate reaches 8%.
3. Control zone: New permits are allowed.

As a result, even if there were no moratorium in effect, new licenses would only be allowed in zones 2 and 3. You can check which zone your property is located in at this link.

What requirements must tourist-use accommodations meet?

At a minimum, tourist-use accommodations must have:

• Adequate access and evacuation routes that are separate from those of the rest of the building.
• General utilities (water, electricity, telephone, etc.) that are separate from those of the rest of the building.
• A minimum size of 25 m² (or, where applicable, whatever minimum may be established by urban-planning regulations in the future) and, in any case, 14 m² for each guest capacity offered. That is, if 2 guest places are offered, the home must have a minimum size of 28 m².
• 2 bathrooms if the guest capacity is more than 5, and 3 bathrooms if the guest capacity is more than 8.
• Direct ventilation to the outside or to a ventilated courtyard in bedrooms and living rooms, and a window-darkening system.
• Direct or mechanical ventilation for air renewal in kitchens and bathrooms.
• Air conditioning in bedrooms and living rooms if the home is rented between May and August, unless it is a cave house.
• Heating in bedrooms and living rooms if the home is rented between December and March.
• Smoke detectors in an area near the kitchen.
• Tourist information, in physical or electronic format, and a map of the city of Málaga.

In addition, homes must be furnished and equipped with everything needed for immediate use (bed and bath linens, household appliances, cleaning supplies, a first aid kit, a fire extinguisher, etc.).

Keep in mind that if you rent out your entire home, you can host a maximum of 15 people, and if you rent by the room, a maximum of 6 people. In addition, in both cases you may not host more than 4 guests per room.

Also note that to operate, the zoning plan must allow lodging use to be compatible with residential use.

Other important issues

A change to the zoning regulations is currently being processed. As a result, the conditions detailed in this document may change.

Zoning regulations consulted

• Instruction 1/2024 on applying zoning regulations to tourist-use accommodations.
• Amendment to the PGOU regulations, Additional Provision 3, to limit tourist-use accommodations (VUTs) in saturated areas (File No. 51/2024).
• Resolution of the Local Government Board, dated August 14, 2025, on initiating the procedure to prepare the detailed amendment of elements to the PGOU regulations No. 26 (File No. 43/2025).
• Law 7/2021, of December 1, on promoting the sustainability of the territory of Andalusia (LISTA).