The Canary Islands government has approved a decree law outlining the minimum requirements for the tourist use of homes as a classified activity, following a proposal from the Ministry of Presidency, Public Administration, Justice and Security. This decree modifies the Law 6/2025 on the sustainable management of tourist housing and the Law 6/2019 on the territorial management of tourism activities in the Green Islands, clarifying the applicable regime and promoting measures for these islands.
With this approval, essential aspects of the regulatory framework for holiday homes are completed and clarified, establishing specific technical requirements, extending adaptation deadlines, and considering tailored solutions for the distinct realities of the islands. The aim is to facilitate an orderly transition to the new regulatory model and provide legal certainty to holiday home owners and the administrations responsible for their management and oversight.
The new regulation sets out the minimum content of the technical documentation that holiday home owners must submit to demonstrate compliance with classified activity regulations. Requirements include site and floor plans, photographs of the property, documentation related to initial occupancy, proof of structural safety where applicable, and fire protection measures such as smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and evacuation signage.
One of the key measures is the extension of the deadline for submitting prior communication of classified activity until 31 December 2027. This provision affects those who were already operating before the new regulations came into force and need to complete their administrative regularisation. The decree states that holiday homes failing to regularise within the stipulated timeframe may continue their activities for an additional five years.
Additionally, the regulation strengthens the inspection and verification roles of local councils and island councils, which must approve and begin implementing their inspection and control plans within a maximum of two years from the enactment of the classified activity regulations.
The government also reinforces specific measures for El Hierro, La Gomera, and La Palma, recognising the direct and preferential application of Law 14/2019 on the territorial management of tourism activities in these islands. The decree includes a specific provision for holiday homes destroyed by the volcanic eruption of 2021, allowing for their reconstruction and the resumption of tourist activities without the minimum age requirement stipulated in the new law.
This decree law will come into effect the day after its publication in the Official Bulletin of the Canary Islands, with retroactive effects from 13 December 2025.
