On 31 March 2026, the plenary session of Valencia City Council (Ayuntamiento de València) gave final approval to an amendment of the planning rules in its General Urban Development Plan (PGOU) governing hotel-type tertiary uses, which include tourist apartments. The rules were published in the Official Provincial Gazette (BOP) on 4 May and have applied since 25 May 2026. They replace the moratorium on licences that the city had maintained since May 2024.

Important:

This is a municipal planning rule and it is already under legal challenge. The Federation of Neighbourhood Associations of València (FAAVV) has appealed it and the High Court of Justice of the Valencian Community (TSJ) has admitted the appeal for processing. The rule does not replace regional legislation on tourist dwellings.

What has Valencia approved?

The City Council presents the reform as a change of model: moving from a period without clear limits to a system that balances residential use, local shops and tourist supply. It also argues that the rules open the door to incentives for converting tourist apartments back into residential housing.

The approval did not have the backing of the municipal opposition (Compromís and PSPV-PSOE voted against) or of the FAAVV, which considers the text full of gaps and exceptions.

Three caps that apply at the same time

The rules introduce three cumulative saturation thresholds. If any one of them is exceeded in an area, new tourist uses are blocked there, even if the other two are below their limits.

  • 8% of tourist beds: total tourist beds (hotels, apartments and tourist dwellings) may not exceed 8% of the registered population of each neighbourhood and district.
  • 2% of homes: tourist homes and apartments may not exceed 2% of the total housing stock of each neighbourhood and district.
  • 15% at ground level: in each city block, tourist use may not exceed 15% of the ground-floor units, in order to protect local shops.

For owners and investors: the 2% cap applies to the neighbourhood as a whole; it is not an individual entitlement. Once an area reaches the limit, no further tourist uses can be set up. Before buying, refurbishing or applying for an authorisation, check the situation of the specific area against all three thresholds.

Location and access requirements

Even in a neighbourhood that has not reached the caps, new tourist apartments in mixed-use buildings can only be set up if they meet these conditions:

  • They must be located on the ground floor or first floor, always below any residential use.
  • They must not share a landing with residential homes.
  • They must have independent access from the street, with their own stairs and lift, separate from those of the other residents.

These requirements shape how tourist use can be set up in each building, so the layout and legal status of the property should be reviewed before any transaction.

What is excluded and what remains unclear

  • Ciutat Vella: the historic centre is outside these rules because it has its own, earlier Special Plan.
  • Homes already authorised: the sources we reviewed describe the caps as blocking new tourist uses. How the rules affect tourist homes that already hold an authorisation, their transfer or their refurbishment needs to be analysed against the published text and case by case.
  • Conversion to residential use: according to local press reports on the text presented to the FAAVV before final approval, the rules provided a one-year period from entry into force and four scenarios with more flexible conditions. This should be checked against the final text.
  • Regional framework: regional legislation on tourist dwellings remains in force (for example, Decree-Law 9/2024 of 2 August of the Valencian Government, the Consell). The municipal planning rules operate alongside it and do not replace it.

The public census of tourist accommodation

The amendment creates the Census of Tourist Accommodation of Valencia City Council (CATAV). According to the City Council, it will allow the public to consult the city's lawful tourist accommodation supply and will cover hotels, apartment blocks and complexes, tourist dwellings, rural tourist accommodation and hostels that hold a municipal authorisation. The City Council announced that its legal framework would be approved by the Local Government Board at the same time as the rules entered into force.

An appeal that could change the picture

According to press reports, the Administrative Chamber of the TSJ of the Valencian Community admitted the FAAVV's appeal for processing and asked the City Council for the full file on the rules. Among its arguments, the federation says that the definition of hotel-type tertiary use is limited to strictly tourist accommodation, and that this may make it easier to disguise tourist homes as seasonal lets or stays of weeks and months.

This is the position of the appellant, not a court decision. In the sources we reviewed we did not find a ruling on the merits.

What should owners do?

  • Check the area (neighbourhood, district and block) against the three thresholds, and confirm that the property meets the location and independent-access requirements, before buying, refurbishing or applying for an authorisation.
  • Keep the documentation proving the property's authorisation and use.
  • Do not assume that a seasonal or mid-term let falls outside the rules: classification depends on the actual activity and the applicable law, and it is one of the points disputed in the appeal.
  • Consider the municipal planning rules, the regional tourism legislation and, where relevant, the condominium statutes separately.
  • Follow the progress of the appeal before the TSJ of the Valencian Community.

Valencia is reinforcing the role of urban planning, and not only of tourist licensing, in regulating short-term rentals. For owners and investors, the key is to verify the framework that applies to each specific property before acting. This article is for information purposes only and does not replace personalised legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

How many tourist homes does Valencia allow per neighbourhood?

The rules set that tourist homes and apartments may not exceed 2% of the total housing stock of each neighbourhood and district. In addition, total tourist beds may not exceed 8% of the registered population and, in each city block, tourist use may not exceed 15% of the ground-floor units. If any of the three caps is exceeded, new tourist uses are blocked in that area.

Since when does the 2% cap apply in Valencia?

The City Council's plenary session approved the rules on 31 March 2026, they were published in the Official Provincial Gazette on 4 May and they have applied since 25 May 2026. They replace the moratorium on licences in place since May 2024.

Can a tourist apartment be opened on any floor?

No. In mixed-use buildings, new tourist apartments can only be located on the ground or first floor, always below any residential use, without sharing a landing with residential homes and with independent street access, with their own stairs and lift.

Do these rules affect Ciutat Vella?

No. Ciutat Vella is outside these rules because it has its own, earlier Special Plan for the historic centre.

What happens to tourist homes that already hold an authorisation?

The sources we reviewed describe the caps as blocking new tourist uses. The effect on homes that are already authorised, on their transfer or on their refurbishment needs to be analysed against the published text and case by case.

Are Valencia's rules under legal challenge?

Yes. The Federation of Neighbourhood Associations of València (FAAVV) has appealed them and, according to press reports, the TSJ of the Valencian Community admitted the appeal for processing. In the sources we reviewed we did not find a ruling on the merits.

Sources

This article is based on the following public and press sources (in Spanish):