The regulatory landscape 2026
What has changed, and why it matters
The Ibiza rental market has changed fundamentally since 2022, and it pays to understand that shift before you buy with rental income in mind, or before you try to let a property you already own. The headline is simple. No new tourist rental licences are being issued, the number of legal holiday beds is falling, and a home that already holds a licence now commands a real premium.
That premium runs to 15 to 25% over an identical unlicensed property, and some owners report the permit alone adds 50,000 to 150,000 euros to a home’s value. Meanwhile the number of legal tourist rental beds across the Balearics fell by almost 20% in 2025. Scarcity, in short, is now the defining feature of this market.
The moratorium introduced in February 2022 (Decreto-ley 3/2022) was restructured into an open-ended suspension by Decreto-ley 4/2025 of 11 April 2025. It stays in force until each island council finishes its tourist carrying-capacity study. The only legal way to let short-term to tourists is to buy a property that already holds a valid, transferable ETV licence.
Two types of rental
Holiday rental versus long-term rental
Before anything else, be clear about which of the two you are planning, because they are governed by completely different rules.
| Holiday rental (short-term) | Long-term rental (1 month plus) | |
|---|---|---|
| Licence required | Yes, a valid ETV number | No licence required |
| Moratorium | Yes, no new licences since 2022 | Not applicable |
| Typical yield | Higher, but seasonal | Lower, but stable year-round |
| Administration | Complex, several obligations | Simpler, standard rental contract |
| Minimum stay | Days or weeks | Minimum 1 month (no tourist services) |
| Regulation level | National, regional and municipal | National (LAU) |
The ETV licence
How the tourist rental licence works
The ETV (Estancia Turística Vacacional) is the licence issued by the Consell Insular d’Eivissa that lets a property be marketed as tourist accommodation. Without a valid ETV number a home cannot legally be advertised on Airbnb, Booking.com or anywhere else.
A few points decide whether a licence is worth anything. Licences granted before January 2017 do not expire and need no renewal, only an annual fee per property. Those from January 2017 onwards must be renewed every five years and must sit in a zone approved for tourism. Apartment-based lets are banned outright in Ibiza Town, whatever the history of the flat, while detached villas in tourism zones have far better prospects. And because no new licences are being issued, the only way to obtain one is to buy a property that already has it, with the transfer written expressly into the deed of sale and approved by the Consell within sixty days.
Always verify a licence before you rely on it. A valid number starts with the letters ETV, and you can check it directly at registreturistic.conselldeivissa.es before you sign anything.
One trap catches buyers out. Even a valid licence is worthless if the building’s community of owners has voted to ban tourist activity. Since 3 April 2025 a 60% majority is enough to block or restrict tourist rentals going forward, and while lets already operating legally keep a protected status, that same majority can still add new restrictions or surcharges. Read the community minutes before you buy, and have a lawyer confirm whether an existing licence in the building is affected.
New national rules 2025 to 2026
What you must comply with once you let
On top of the Balearic licence, Spanish national law has added new duties since 2025. Four of them matter most.
- Registration number. A national NRUA/VUD number was mandatory from July 2025, but on 21 May 2026 Spain’s Supreme Court annulled the national register, ruling the state could not override existing regional ones. The number platforms now ask for is your regional code, in Ibiza your ETV number. Platforms still have to pass listing data to the EU ventanilla única under Regulation 2024/1028.
- Guest registration. Every guest’s details must go through the ses.hospedajes platform within 24 hours of check-in, mandatory since December 2024 under Royal Decree 933/2021, with real fines for slipping.
- EU short-term rental rules. Since 20 May 2026 every listing needs an EU registration code, and platforms share data directly with government.
- Tourist tax. You collect the Balearic tourist tax (IEET) and remit it quarterly via Modelo 700 to the ATIB. The rate depends on the property category and the season.
Rental yields
What can you realistically earn?
Income varies a great deal by property type, location, licence status and how you run the place. These are realistic market ranges for 2026.
| Property type | Peak week rate | Annual gross income (estimate) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-bed villa with licence (inland) | €3,000 to €6,000/wk | €40,000 to €80,000 | 8 to 12 weeks high season |
| 4-bed villa with licence (sea view) | €6,000 to €15,000/wk | €80,000 to €150,000 | Premium location, 8 to 10 weeks |
| Luxury villa 5 to 6 bed (south/west) | €15,000 to €50,000+/wk | €150,000 to €400,000+ | Es Cubells, Cala Jondal and similar |
| Apartment (long-term annual) | €1,500 to €3,500/mo | €18,000 to €42,000 | No licence required |
| Villa (long-term annual) | €3,500 to €12,000/mo | €42,000 to €144,000 | No licence required |
Indicative gross income before management fees (typically 15 to 25%), maintenance, insurance, cleaning, platform fees and taxes. Net yield varies significantly by property and management approach.
Tax
What you pay on the income
Tax treatment depends on your residency status. Non-residents pay tax on Ibiza rental income in Spain under the IRNR system, filing quarterly or annually via Modelo 210.
| Situation | Tax rate | Deductible expenses? | Filing |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU/EEA non-resident | 19% on net income | Yes: maintenance, insurance, mortgage interest, management fees, depreciation | Quarterly or annually, Modelo 210 |
| Non-EU non-resident | 24% on gross income | No deductions allowed | Quarterly or annually, Modelo 210 |
| Spanish fiscal resident | Progressive IRPF rate | Yes: all allowable costs | Annual IRPF declaration |
EU and EEA residents can deduct every cost directly tied to the rental: mortgage interest, management fees, cleaning, maintenance, insurance and proportional depreciation. Keep every receipt, it can lower the tax base by 40 to 60%.
For the periods when the property is not rented, whether you use it yourself or leave it empty, non-residents still pay imputed income tax, typically 19% on 1.1 to 2% of the cadastral value, reported annually via Modelo 210.
Before you rent
A quick checklist
Run through this before you let a property, or before you buy one to let.
- Verify the ETV number at registreturistic.conselldeivissa.es: valid, not revoked, transferable.
- Read the community minutes: has tourist activity been banned in the building?
- Get the licence transfer written into the deed, with the Consell approval started within 60 days.
- Show your regional ETV number on every listing.
- Register for ses.hospedajes and report guests within 24 hours of check-in.
- Check that your insurance actually covers tourist-rental use. Standard home policies usually do not.
- Line up a local property manager and a tax adviser for your Modelo 210 and IEET filings.
Looking for a property with an existing rental licence?
We can show you current listings that already hold a valid ETV licence, give you a realistic yield forecast for a specific property, and connect you with trusted property managers and tax advisers on the island.