Spain's national regulations have expanded the mandatory data that tourism professionals must collect and transmit. Here is exactly what changes, what you have to do, and how we handle it at MyRentalHost so that you comply without having to look into it.
What changes in the national regulations
Royal Decree 933/2021 requires hotels, tourist apartments, intermediation platforms and vehicle rental companies to register and transmit guest data to the authorities. The recent update expands two things at once: what data must be collected and who is obliged to collect it.
1. More data required
Identifying the guest used to be enough (ID card or passport, name, check-in date). Now you also have to transmit additional information about the stay and the contract — data that was previously never sent to the competent authority.
2. Updated responsibilities
Tourism operators — including apartment managers like us — are now directly responsible for collecting the data correctly, transmitting it on time and storing it. Failing to register a guest, or sending incomplete data, is a punishable offence.
What this means for you as an owner
If you manage your flat yourself, you are the one responsible for compliance. If you work with MyRentalHost, we take it on. Every guest who arrives at your flat goes through our digital check-in system, which registers and transmits the data to the authorities automatically — without you doing anything.
The NIRTC and how to obtain it
The NIRTC (identification number in the Catalan Tourism Register) is a unique code assigned to every tourist establishment. You obtain it by registering the property with the Government of Catalonia, providing details such as location, capacity, HUTB licence number and cadastral reference.
If your flat does not have a NIRTC yet, guest transmission will fail. We check it during onboarding and tell you exactly what is missing and where to request it. We explain it step by step in our NIRTC guide.
Handling problems: the foreign postcode case
One operational detail: when a guest is domiciled outside Spain, the system sometimes rejects the postcode because of its format. Until the issue is resolved, we recommend using the code 0.0.0 to avoid transmission errors. It is one of many temporary workarounds we have put in place to ease the transition.
How to handle check-in and check-out
You do not need slots as strict as a hotel's, but they do need to be clear. What we recommend: a general window (e.g. check-in 16:00–22:00, check-out until 11:00) communicated in advance in the contract and in the booking confirmation. It prevents misunderstandings and simplifies cleaning coordination.
The contract number and how it differs from the booking
Concepts worth keeping clear, because the regulations require them to be distinguished:
- Booking — the prior agreement, before the guest arrives. It is what an OTA such as Airbnb or Booking confirms.
- Contract in progress — the booking becomes a contract when the guest arrives and checks in. That is the moment the obligation to transmit data begins.
- Contract number — the unique reference for each confirmed booking. It can be the OTA code or an internal one for direct bookings.
How does this affect you as an owner?
As an owner working with MyRentalHost, it does not affect you operationally — we take on the entire compliance process. We guarantee you three things:
- Your property meets every legal requirement at all times, even when the rules change.
- Guests are registered correctly and the data is transmitted on time.
- If there is an inspection or a formal request, we have the documentation ready.
How do the new rules affect the day-to-day running of a tourist apartment?
What happens if I do not transmit the data on time?
When registering the property the NIRTC returned an error and I used the cadastral reference. How do I fix it?
HUTB-XXXXXX-XX in the report, where the numeric part is your licence number. If you manage with us, we fix it without you having to do anything.What if my flat is in Madrid? Do the same rules apply?
What is the deadline for sending the guest's data?
Please note. This guide is indicative and reflects the rules published on the date of updating. Municipal conditions change and each town hall applies its own: always confirm your specific case with the town hall where the property is located before making decisions. It does not constitute legal advice.