Is Spain Rental Licence Check an official government service?

No. Spain Rental Licence Check is an independent information service. It is not operated by the Spanish Government, the Junta de Andalucía or any regional or local authority.

What does a result mean?

A result tells you only whether the number and associated details appear in the data currently held by Spain Rental Licence Check. It does not confirm the legality, ownership, quality or safety of the accommodation.

Why was my licence number not found?

A number may not appear because it was entered incorrectly, was recently registered or amended, has been cancelled, is recorded in a different format, or belongs to a region we have not yet covered.

What formats can I search?

You can enter a number with slashes, spaces, hyphens or in lower case. The search normalises the number before checking the database.

Where do the search results come from?

Search results on this site use tourism-registration records currently available through our official public-data sources. Coverage varies by registration type and source availability: VUT (vivienda de uso turístico) records for Málaga province have high OpenRTA coverage, while apartamento turístico (A) and establecimiento hotelero (H) entries reflect only the published subset. A missing result does not necessarily mean a registration is invalid or unregistered — always check the official regional register as well.

Marbella Holiday Rental Licences

Marbella covers Puerto Banús, Nueva Andalucía, Golden Mile, San Pedro Alcántara and Elviria.

Free to use — no account or card needed

Enter the regional tourism registration shown on the accommodation listing, exactly as it appears. If you enter a recognised national ESFCTU identifier, we’ll explain what type of number it is. Different registration types have different levels of public-data availability, so a “not found” result does not necessarily mean the accommodation is unregistered.

VUT records in database: 15,764
Last updated: 10 August 2026
Common licence prefixes: VUT, VFT

Holiday rental registration in Marbella

Marbella has the largest concentration of registered holiday rentals on the Costa del Sol, spread across the town centre, the Golden Mile, Nueva Andalucía, Puerto Banús, San Pedro de Alcántara and the eastern beach urbanisations. Most registrations sit inside communities of owners, which is where the majority of practical disputes arise.

How registration works here

Registration is regional: the property is declared to the Registro de Turismo de Andalucía (RTA) under Decreto 28/2016, which issues the VUT reference. The town hall does not issue the VUT itself, but its planning and ordinance position determines whether the use is lawful at the address.

Current restrictions

There is no blanket municipal suspension of new VUT registrations in Marbella. The binding constraint for most buyers is the community of owners: since the April 2025 reform of the Ley de Propiedad Horizontal, a three-fifths majority can prohibit or condition tourist letting in a building.

What to check before buying or letting

Ask for the community statutes and recent minutes, and check for any vote on tourist letting.
Confirm the VUT reference matches the exact door and floor, not just the building.
Check the property has the occupancy licence (licencia de primera ocupación) the RTA declaration relies on.
Verify advertised capacity against the registered capacity before relying on income projections.

Owner & Buyer Guide

Read the full guide for the planning framework, registration steps and the checks worth making before buying or letting.

Staying in Marbella: local guide

Marbella stretches for roughly 27 kilometres of coastline between Estepona and Mijas, backed by the Sierra Blanca. It combines a well-preserved old town, a long seafront promenade and a series of distinct residential districts, so holiday rentals here range from compact old-town flats to large villas with private pools.

Areas and neighbourhoods

Casco Antiguo (Old Town): Whitewashed lanes around Plaza de los Naranjos. Rentals are mostly small apartments and townhouses; parking is scarce and some streets are pedestrianised.
Golden Mile: The stretch between the town centre and Puerto Banús, with gated communities, luxury apartments and beachfront villas. Community rules are often strict.
Nueva Andalucía: The 'Golf Valley' inland from Puerto Banús. Popular with golf groups and families; many rentals sit in large complexes with shared pools.
San Pedro de Alcántara: A more local, residential town to the west with a new seafront boulevard. Often better value than central Marbella.
East Marbella (Elviria, Cabopino): Quieter beach urbanisations with dunes and a small marina at Cabopino. Mostly apartments and townhouses; a car is useful.

When to visit and rental demand

Demand peaks in July and August and around Easter (Semana Santa), when prices and minimum stays rise sharply. Spring and autumn are popular with golfers and walkers, and winter demand is steady from long-stay visitors from northern Europe. Most listings in Marbella are priced by season, so compare like-for-like dates when checking value.

Getting there

Málaga Airport is about 45–60 minutes away by car along the AP-7 toll road or A-7. Regular Avanza buses link the airport and Málaga to Marbella's bus station. There is no train to Marbella, so guests staying outside the centre usually hire a car.

Tips for holiday guests

Check the listing shows a VUT number starting 'VFT/MA' or 'VUT/MA' and that it matches this register.
Confirm whether parking is included — it is limited in the old town and around Puerto Banús.
Many communities have pool rules and quiet hours; ask for them before booking a group stay.
The tourist tax debate in Andalucía has not resulted in a charge yet, so be wary of unexplained extra fees.

Local registration terminology

Many Marbella advertisements show a registration reference in the property description or house rules section.

Frequently asked questions

Is Spain Rental Licence Check an official government service?: No. Spain Rental Licence Check is an independent information service. It is not operated by the Spanish Government, the Junta de Andalucía or any regional or local authority.
What does a result mean?: A result tells you only whether the number and associated details appear in the data currently held by Spain Rental Licence Check. It does not confirm the legality, ownership, quality or safety of the accommodation.
Why was my licence number not found?: A number may not appear because it was entered incorrectly, was recently registered or amended, has been cancelled, is recorded in a different format, or belongs to a region we have not yet covered.
What formats can I search?: You can enter a number with slashes, spaces, hyphens or in lower case. The search normalises the number before checking the database.
Where do the search results come from?: Search results on this site use tourism-registration records currently available through our official public-data sources. Coverage varies by registration type and source availability: VUT (vivienda de uso turístico) records for Málaga province have high OpenRTA coverage, while apartamento turístico (A) and establecimiento hotelero (H) entries reflect only the published subset. A missing result does not necessarily mean a registration is invalid or unregistered — always check the official regional register as well.