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"The rental income pays the mortgage" — you hear that a lot, but tourist rental in the Comunidad Valenciana is now tightly regulated. Here is what is actually involved: registration, tax, and an honest estimate of the returns on the Costa Blanca.
Tourist rental is officially any let of up to 10 consecutive days to the same tenant. Anyone wanting to let that way — by the night, the week, or a short stay — in the Valencia region needs registration in the Registro de Turismo de la Comunitat Valenciana: the so-called VT number. Since the rules were tightened in 2024 this is no longer a formality. Expect, among other things:
Advertising on Airbnb or Booking without a valid registration is a risk of fines that can mount up seriously — the region actively monitors the platforms. And importantly: these rules change regularly. Have the current position confirmed by an adviser before you buy, certainly if rental income is part of your calculation. More risks worth knowing in advance are on our pitfalls page.
As long as you are tax resident in your home country, you are a non-resident in Spain. For rental income the position is then (indicative, as at August 2026):
| Situation | Rate | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| EU/EEA resident | 19% | Net rental income — costs such as maintenance, IBI, insurance and management are deductible pro rata |
| Non-EU/EEA resident (incl. the UK since Brexit) | 24% | Gross rental income — no deductions. The Audiencia Nacional ruled on 28 July 2025 that non-EU residents may also claim cost deductions, but the ruling is under cassation appeal and the Spanish tax authority does not yet apply it. |
| No letting | 19% (EU/EEA) / 24% (other) | Notional benefit: usually 1.1% or 2% of the cadastral value per year |
That last line surprises many buyers: even if you never let the property, as a non-resident you file an annual return on a notional benefit from your home. The amount is usually modest (often a few hundred euros a year), but forgetting it leads to back assessments. Build it into your annual running costs — alongside the other recurring items in our cost overview.
If you let for more than 10 consecutive days to the same tenant, you do not need a VT number — you then fall under the Spanish tenancy law (LAU). Note that this is not a single, uniform regime. Let the property as a tenant's main home and the LAU protects them firmly: contracts are generally extendable by the tenant for five years (seven where the landlord is a company), and a tenant who will not leave is not easily removed. Winter guests who rent for 1 to 6 months usually rent under a seasonal tenancy (arrendamiento de temporada): this also falls under the LAU, but without a tourist licence and with far less tenant protection than a main-home contract — it simply ends on the agreed date, with no statutory right for the tenant to extend it. For anyone wanting to use the property themselves part of the year, this is usually the more suitable route.
The Costa Blanca is extremely seasonal. July and August are close to fully booked at top rates; June and September are reasonable; from November to March demand is limited. In the Jávea/Moraira corridor, well-located properties often achieve 20 to 30 rental weeks a year — not 52. Deduct management and cleaning costs (allow 20-25% of turnover if you outsource), platform commission, maintenance and tax, and a net return of 2 to 4% on the property value is more realistic than the gross 6-8% sellers like to quote. To see how the area itself performs, read our page on Jávea and Moraira and work out your total picture with the calculator.
In short: rental income can make a welcome contribution to the running costs, but do not buy a house you can only afford if the letting works out.
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