As of September 2026, no new holiday-rental licences are being granted in Ibiza: the acquisition of tourist bed places has been suspended since Decree-Law 3/2022 and will remain so at least until the island’s new planning framework sets the definitive cap. In practice, anyone wishing to operate a home legally today has one route: buying a property that already holds a valid, transferable licence — and transferring it properly.
What the ETV licence is and what it requires
In the Balearic Islands, marketing tourist stays in homes runs through the ETV licence, managed in Ibiza by the island council (Consell Insular d’Eivissa). It is activated by filing the responsible declaration of tourist activity (DRIAT) and results in a registration number in the island’s tourism register, which is publicly searchable and must appear in all advertising: a listing without a number is the first red flag, for travellers and inspectors alike. Operation also requires meeting habitability and safety standards and registering guests on Spain’s national ses.hospedajes platform, mandatory since December 2024.
Zoning and vintage: not all licences are equal
Two variables determine a licence’s real value. The first is island zoning: only homes in areas declared suitable can be marketed, with severe exclusions such as the outright ban on tourist flats in Ibiza Town. The second is the date: licences granted before 2017 do not expire, are taxed per property and were not made subject to later zoning; those granted from 2017 onwards must be renewed every five years, pay per bed place and depend on the area remaining suitable. Two identical homes can be worth very different amounts purely because of their licence regime.
The moratorium and the bed-place pool
Since February 2022, Decree-Law 3/2022 suspended the acquisition of new tourist bed places while each island defines its maximum capacity. In Ibiza that suspension still applies: there is no pool available for new ETVs, and renewals are prioritised over new registrations. Any unblocking will depend on the cap set by the island’s territorial plan, with no guaranteed date. Planning an investment around “the licence that will surely come” is, today, a textbook mistake.
Rustic land: the 2024 turning point
The amendment to the Island Territorial Plan (PTI) approved by the Consell d’Eivissa in September 2024 drastically restricted holiday rentals on rustic land: as a general rule, only homes built before 1956 may now be used for this activity, for a maximum of 60 days per year and up to three bedrooms. A large share of the rustic villas previously marketed fell outside the legal perimeter, and the consequences are already visible in enforcement files.
Buying a home “with a licence”: what to check before signing
Due diligence on an ETV goes well beyond asking for the number. You should verify in the island register that the licence is in force and in whose name; its regime (pre- or post-2017) and, where applicable, when the five-year renewal falls due; the number of bed places covered, which caps the occupancy you can market; that the home is still in a suitable zone; that no enforcement or deregistration files are pending; and that the transfer of the licence is expressly agreed in the deed of sale and notified to the Consell in time. A badly transferred licence can be lost — and with it a substantial part of the price paid.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for a new licence in Ibiza today?
As a general rule, no: the acquisition of bed places is suspended. Residual scenarios and regularisations of licences with issues exist and deserve case-by-case analysis.
Does the licence transfer automatically when I buy the house?
No. The transfer must be agreed and properly notified; buying without nailing this point down is a classic source of later litigation.
What is the difference between pre- and post-2017 licences?
Pre-2017 licences do not expire, are taxed per property and do not depend on zoning; later ones renew every five years, pay per bed place and require a suitable zone. The value difference is substantial.
Can I rent out my villa on rustic land?
Only in the limited scenarios allowed after the 2024 PTI amendment (in general, built before 1956, a maximum of 60 days per year and three bedrooms). Outside them, the activity is punishable.