The Canary Islands Government has extended the deadline for compliance with holiday-let regulations: existing properties must submit fire safety certificates, technical documentation and, in the case of swimming pools, safety certificates by 31 December 2027. A second decree also relaxes the regulations for agricultural holdings.
This documentation is a prerequisite for classification as an activity requiring authorisation. On fire safety, the government requires, as a minimum, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and signage indicating escape routes. For swimming pools, documentation relating to water treatment is also required. Originally, existing holiday lets were required to submit their notification by 31 July 2027. The government is extending the deadline because it was late in specifying the requirements. Operators who also miss the new deadline will be allowed to let their properties for a maximum of five further years, after which they must close. The decree supplements the controversial Law 6/2025 on the tourist letting of flats. It applies retrospectively from 13 December 2025, the date on which the law came into force. The full text is published in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands.
Operators of existing and new holiday lettings must submit the notification to their local council. They must enclose a technical report from a qualified professional. Local councils and Island Councils check whether the requirements are being met. The government estimates that in 2024 there were 60,000 tourist accommodation units with a total of 250,000 beds. Of these, 3,000, with a capacity of 12,000 beds, are located on El Hierro, La Gomera and La Palma. On these three islands, the territorial and urban planning provisions of the law will not come into force until 13 December 2030. Holiday homes rebuilt on La Palma following the volcanic eruption of 19 September 2021 will retain the age and legal status of the destroyed buildings. The second decree in the same issue concerns rural farmsteads and administrative fine proceedings in the industrial sector:
Canary Islands: Agricultural businesses no longer require a local authority licence
From Thursday, agricultural uses on rural land that form part of a farm will no longer require a local authority permit for activities subject to authorisation. Where necessary, the local authority will instead carry out an assessment in a report to determine whether the project complies with local regulations. For new administrative penalty proceedings in the industrial sector for which no specific time limit is laid down by law, the authorities must, for the first time, reach a decision and notify the parties within one year. Proceedings already in progress will continue to be governed by the previous rules.
The decree issued by the Canary Islands Government amends a total of 19 regulations, most of which are already in force, across a number of areas, including rules on public events. The relevant ministries may issue further regulations by order to implement the changes. The text is available in the Official Gazette here.
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