Guideline

Nerja and Axarquía — open territory for new VUT registrations: no moratorium or restrictive ordinances

As of August 2026, Nerja and the municipalities of the Axarquía have no active moratorium or municipal ordinance restricting or limiting new VUT registrations. The territory is open for new tourist licences, unlike Málaga city (moratorium until August 2028). New VUTs in Nerja and the Axarquía need only comply with standard Andalusian regional regulations.

⚠️ Legal notice: This article is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and does not replace consultation with a qualified professional. Always verify current regulations with a specialist lawyer.
Municipal regulatory status of Nerja and the Axarquía region regarding Tourist Use Properties — August 2026 — BOP Málaga (July-August 2026 editions) — no relevant VUT publications for Nerja or the Axarquía Decreto-ley 1/2025 (BOJA no. 41, 03/03/2025) — legal basis for possible future municipal moratoriums Ayuntamiento de Nerja — no specific VUT ordinance active a
In force from 2026-08-01
Official source →

As of August 2026, Nerja and the municipalities of the Axarquía region have no active moratorium or specific municipal ordinance restricting, limiting or conditioning new Tourist Use Property (VUT) registrations. This status has been verified in the official BOP Málaga bulletins and available municipal sources.

Contrast with Málaga city

This situation contrasts sharply with Málaga city, where a three-year moratorium on new VUT licences (until August 2028) was approved in August 2025 as part of an amendment to its General Urban Planning Plan (PGOU). Nerja, Torrox, Frigiliana, Cómpeta, Sayalonga and the other municipalities of the Axarquía are not affected by this moratorium.

Which regulations apply in Nerja and the Axarquía

New VUTs in Nerja and the Axarquía must comply exclusively with the standard Andalusian regional regulations:

  • Registration in the Andalusian Tourism Register (RTA) via an online responsible declaration.
  • Compatibility with the local PGOU (residential land, habitability certificate).
  • Compliance with the material requirements of Decree 28/2016 and Decree 31/2024.
  • For VUTs post-3 April 2025 in buildings under horizontal property regime: owners' community resolution (3/5 majority).
  • Traveller reporting through SES.HOSPEDAJES within 24 hours of check-in.

Enabling tool of Decree-law 1/2025

Decree-law 1/2025 grants any Andalusian municipality the power to exceptionally suspend new VUT licences during the drafting or revision of planning instruments, for compelling reasons of general interest. As of August 2026, no Axarquía municipality has activated this clause. Any future activation would be published in the BOP Málaga.

Context: Junta investment in Nerja

The Junta de Andalucía has included Nerja among the municipalities receiving Tourism Sustainability Plans (Planes de Sostenibilidad Turística en Destinación, PSTD), with over €37 million invested across the province of Málaga for tourism modernisation and sustainability. This active Junta presence makes VUT restrictions in the short term unlikely.

How to stay informed

The BOP Málaga is the official source for detecting any new municipal ordinance or VUT licence suspension agreement in Nerja and the Axarquía. The BOP Málaga portal allows searches by municipality. Andalusiamalaga.com monitors the BOP weekly and updates this content whenever a relevant change occurs.

Nerja Tourist rental
This content is for informational purposes only. Andalusiamalaga.com is not an official legal or legislative source. The information published is based on publicly available sources (BOE, BOJA, BOP, published case law) and may not reflect the most recent regulatory changes. Before making any legal, tax or operational decision, please consult a qualified lawyer or specialist adviser.