If you want to rent an apartment to tourists in the Comunitat Valenciana, one document comes before almost everything else: the municipal compatibility report (informe municipal de compatibilidad urbanística para uso turístico). Without a favourable one, the Generalitat will not register the home. With the wrong expectations about it, owners lose weeks.
This guide explains what the report is, what it contains, what it does not do, and where it comes back later, at renewal and at a change of owner. It is based on the regional decree-law and the Generalitat's owner FAQ, both linked below. We could not confirm the exact form, fee or processing time used by individual town halls such as Torrevieja or Orihuela, so we have left those out. Ask your ayuntamiento for the current procedure.
What the report is
The report comes from the town hall of the municipality where the home is located. Its purpose is narrow. According to Article 47 bis of the accommodation decree, added by Decree-Law 9/2024 of 2 August (DOGV, decree-law text), the town hall issues it so that the regional tourism department has a record that tourist use is compatible with the local urban plan.
The decree-law says the report must contain at least:
- the identification of the property, including its full address;
- its single cadastral reference (or, failing that, its unique registry code);
- the classification of the land;
- the urban use that is permitted;
- the outcome of the report (favourable or not).
The law defines a tourist home as a whole property let for 10 days or fewer to the same guest, and it requires that home to have a favourable compatibility report, or an equivalent document. So the report is part of the legal definition, not an optional extra.
What the report does not do
Be careful here. The decree-law is explicit that issuing the report, even a favourable one, does not replace any other licence, authorisation or urban, environmental or opening permit that the use may require. A favourable report tells the tourism department the plan allows the use. It does not mean the building, the community or the town hall has approved everything else.
It also does not replace the rules of your community of owners. Our post on what the NRA ruling changed recaps which Valencian requirements are still in force.
The alternative: an ECUV certificate
The decree-law offers a second route. Instead of the town hall's report, you may provide a favourable certificate from an entidad colaboradora de la Administración municipal en la verificación de actuaciones urbanísticas (ECUV), a licensed verification body. It has the same validity and effects, and must contain the same minimum information.
There is a condition: this route is only open where the municipal planning is zoned and contains provisions on tourist homes. Ask the town hall whether that applies where you own. We have not confirmed it for any specific municipality in this area.
The same decree-law also adds a power for municipalities to issue these reports, provided their planning is zoned and includes provisions on tourist homes.
Homes on rural land
If the property is on non-developable land (suelo no urbanizable), the report alone is not enough. Before registration you also need a declaration of community interest allowing the tourist use, or proof that an exemption has been processed, plus any environmental permit required under planning law. This matters for rural houses and for some villas outside urban areas.
Where the report is needed
According to the Generalitat's owner FAQ (version of 16 October 2025, Generalitat Valenciana FAQ, PDF), the report is the mandatory document for a new registration, and the tourism service checks it when you file. If the paperwork is incomplete, the service sends a request to correct it and gives you 10 working days.
The FAQ also states that where a municipality has suspended licences or has modified its planning, the report cannot be more than six months old when you file the declaration.
It comes back at two later moments:
- Renewal. Homes registered from 8 July 2018 need an updated favourable report with their renewal declaration. Our guide to the 5-year renewal sets out the three cases.
- Change of owner. If a home was bought on or after 8 August 2024, the new owner must file the change-of-owner declaration with a favourable report, whatever date the registration itself has.
Step by step
- Gather your property details. You need the full address and the cadastral reference (it is on your IBI bill and deed).
- Ask the town hall how to request the compatibility report for tourist use, and what it needs from you. If your area is covered, ask also about the ECUV alternative.
- Check what else the use needs. A favourable report is not the end of it: confirm any other licences with the town hall, and the rules of your community.
- Keep the report current. Note the date. You will need a new one at renewal, and possibly sooner if the town hall changes its planning.
- Attach it to your Generalitat filing. Registrations, renewals and owner changes all go through the Generalitat's online self-registration service.
What we would watch for
- Timing. Town halls are the ones who issue the report, so build in time before a buying decision or a high-season start.
- Buying "with licence". If the seller's registration predates August 2024, a new owner still has to file the change-of-owner declaration with a favourable report.
- Old reports. A report prepared years ago may not satisfy a renewal or a new filing. Request a fresh one.
If you would rather not manage this yourself, we handle the paperwork for owners in Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa and Alicante. Our tourist licence page explains what is involved, and you can send us your address and we will tell you what to ask the town hall for.
Rules can change. The Generalitat lists newer versions of its FAQ, so check the current text before you file.
Frequently asked questions
What is the municipal compatibility report?
A document from the town hall confirming that tourist use of a specific home is compatible with the local urban plan. It states the address, cadastral reference, land classification, permitted use and whether the report is favourable.
Do I need it to register a holiday apartment in the Comunitat Valenciana?
Yes. The Generalitat's FAQ calls it the mandatory document for a new registration, and the decree-law makes a favourable report (or an equivalent document) part of the definition of a tourist home.
Does a favourable report mean my rental is fully legal?
No. The decree-law says the report does not replace other licences, authorisations or permits that the use may need. It only records that the urban plan allows the use.
Is there an alternative to the town hall's report?
Yes, in some areas. A favourable certificate from an ECUV verification body has the same validity, but only where the municipal planning is zoned and has provisions on tourist homes.
Do I need a new report when I renew or buy?
Yes, in most cases. Homes registered from 8 July 2018 need an updated report at renewal, and homes bought on or after 8 August 2024 need a favourable report with the change-of-owner declaration.