If you are buying a property in Lanzarote to rent it out to holidaymakers, the rules changed on 13 December 2025, when Law 6/2025 on the Sustainable Regulation of the Tourist Use of Housing came into force across the Canary Islands. The short version: a vacation-rental licence is no longer a sure thing, and whether you can get one now depends on where the property sits and on the town hall’s planning. Below are the questions buyers ask most, answered in plain terms.
Can you still get a vacation rental licence in Lanzarote in 2026?
Sometimes, but not automatically. Under Law 6/2025, a property can only be used as a vacation rental where the municipal urban plan expressly allows tourist use in that zone. Until each Lanzarote town hall has approved that planning, new licences are effectively on hold. In practice, this means: do not assume a property can be licensed just because the seller says it could be in the past.
Do you need planning permission for a holiday let in Lanzarote?
In effect, yes. The decisive factor is now urban planning, not a simple registration. Two things have to line up:
- The location must be in a zone where the town hall permits tourist use.
- The municipality has a 10% cap: at least 90% of its residential building capacity must stay residential, and only 10% can go to vacation rentals. Lanzarote is subject to this 10% cap (the larger 20% cap applies only to El Hierro, La Gomera and La Palma).
Once a town hall hits its cap, further licences in that area stop, even if the property itself is suitable.
What if the property already has a vacation rental license?
That helps, but check it carefully. A property already licensed before the law may qualify for a consolidated tourist use declaration, which lets the tourist use continue with no time limit. The catch: this generally requires the seller to be both the owner and the holder of the original responsible declaration, and there is a five-year window to apply. Confirm the licence is genuinely transferable to you as the new owner before you rely on it in your numbers.
What requirements does a vacation rental property have to meet?
The law raises the technical bar. Expect requirements such as:
- A minimum surface area of around 35 m².
- Energy-efficiency standards.
- Accessibility requirements.
- A valid certificate of occupancy.
- A ban on using sub-standard dwellings for tourist purposes.
The final detail will be set by an implementing regulation that has not yet been published, so the exact thresholds may still move.
Are there areas of Lanzarote where you can’t run a holiday let?
Yes. Protected areas are the clearest case. In Famara and Caleta de Sebo (La Graciosa), inside the Chinijo Archipelago Natural Park, licensing depends on the specific planning for those protected spaces, and approval is far from guaranteed. If you are buying in or near a protected area, treat the licence as unproven until verified.
Can the homeowners’ association stop you renting to tourists?
Yes. Since the reform of the Horizontal Property Law (in force from 3 April 2025), a homeowners’ association can vote to limit or ban tourist rentals in the building. If the property is in a community of owners, read the bylaws and recent resolutions before you buy, not after.
What due diligence should a buyer do before signing?
Before committing to a purchase you plan to run as a vacation rental, get a lawyer to confirm:
- The property’s planning status and whether tourist use is allowed at its exact location.
- Whether any existing licence is valid, transferable and eligible for consolidation.
- Compliance with the technical requirements (surface area, energy, accessibility, occupancy certificate).
- The homeowners’ association bylaws and resolutions.
- The risk of the property falling outside the municipality’s 10% cap once planning is approved.
Skipping this is the single most expensive mistake a foreign buyer can make here: paying a vacation-rental price for a property that cannot legally be a vacation rental.
Is the law final, or could it still change?
It could still change. The Canary Islands Government announced an amendment for early 2026, centred on the contentious “classified activity” licensing step, on transmission of the licence on the owner’s death, and on properties inside tourist complexes. As of mid-2026 that reform has not been approved and has repeatedly slipped. The implementing regulation is also pending. Build a margin of regulatory uncertainty into any plan.
The bottom line for buyers
A vacation rental in Lanzarote can still be a sound investment, but it is no longer automatic. Whether you can operate one depends on location, municipal planning and the licence history of the specific property. The safest move is a planning and legal review before you sign, so you know exactly what you are buying.
If you are weighing up a vacation rental purchase in Lanzarote, an individual legal check of the property is the best protection for your investment.
