The Dénia Town Hall has taken an important step that will change the city’s short-term tourist rental map over the coming years. The new bylaw governing homes for tourist use puts the well-being of residents of the urban core and the right to housing first, and divides the city centre into three zones with very different rules depending on the neighbourhood. Garrido
If you have a tourist home in Dénia, are thinking about buying one for that purpose, or simply want to understand where the market is heading, this news is for you. Here’s what changes, where it applies, and from when.
Which areas are affected?
The new bylaw focuses exclusively on the urban core, without affecting areas such as Les Rotes, Les Marines, the Montgó or La Xara—meaning the main residential and tourist areas outside the centre continue to work as they do today. Deia
Within the urban core, the Town Hall has defined three areas with different treatment:
Area A (north of the urban core): this is the only zone where tourist homes may continue to grow. New certifications will be allowed up to a maximum of 217 homes, 65 more than the current figure. kpmg
Area B: includes areas such as El Raset, Font, Sandunga-Fontanella, Marqués de Campo and Colón. Here, existing businesses may continue, but their number cannot increase compared with the current situation. Poder Judicial
Area C — the most restrictive: includes the historic centre, the Les Roques neighbourhood, the groups of sailors/sea workers, part of Baix la Mar, València Avenue, Patricio Ferrándiz, Alicante Avenue and París-Pedrera, as well as the urban core of Jesús Pobre. In these areas, no new registrations for tourist homes will be allowed. Garrido
What happens to homes that already have a licence?
This is the point that any owner or investor should pay the most attention to. Homes that obtained their licence before June 2018 keep it indefinitely, since the Generalitat protected them against potential claims. However, licences obtained after 2018 are valid for only five years. Poder Judicial
This means that, in Area C, when these licences issued after 2018 expire from 2029 onwards, they cannot be renewed. The result—according to the Town Hall’s own calculations—is clear-cut: the number of tourist homes in the urban core will go from the current 639 to a maximum of 344—practically half. Garridokpmg
And if I buy a home with a licence issued before 2018?
This is one of the aspects investors ask about most, and it’s best not to simplify it. Protection against expiry due to age applies to the original licence issued before 2018, but the Valencian regulations tie the licence to the owner, not to the property: if the home changes hands, it is mandatory to process the renewal in the name of the new titleholder. Depending on the case, that change-of-ownership procedure may require an urban planning compatibility report—something that before August 2024 was not always required. expediaElperiodicodeaqui
In practice, this means that buying a home with an older licence is not an automatic transaction: you need to review each case individually before assuming the licence will remain the same after the change of owner. If you’re considering buying this kind of property in the urban core of Dénia, we recommend reviewing it in detail before signing.
Why does the Town Hall do this?
The councillor for Territory, Maria Josep Ripoll, has explained the aim of the measure: "We want to prioritise access to housing in neighbourhoods of permanent residence and encourage sustainable, balanced tourism that respects the territory." Deia
The regulations respond to a trend that the Town Hall itself recognises as relatively new and growing quickly: the expansion of tourist homes into neighbourhoods that traditionally had never had this type of accommodation. Poder Judicial
A debate that is still open
The bylaw has not been free of controversy in the municipal plenary session. The opposition has called it prohibitionist and argued that many properties in neighbourhoods such as Baix la Mar and Les Roques have been renovated thanks precisely to the profitability of short-term tourist rentals, calling for regulatory stability so as not to harm those investments. airbnb
From the municipal government, the response has been clear: the Town Hall defends its authority to regulate the territory, and although the tourism business is important, coexisting in the neighbourhoods is essential. airbnb
The councillor herself has also wanted to convey room for adjustment: the bylaw is not rigid and will be flexible to changes in society, and the Town Hall commits to publishing, on a regular basis, the vacancies that may arise in areas where tourism and residency can continue to coexist. kpmg
What does this mean for owners and investors?
If you already have or are considering buying a tourist home in Dénia, this bylaw marks a before-and-after in mid-term planning:
If your home is in Les Rotes, Les Marines or the Montgó, this regulation does not affect you—at least, not in its current wording.
If your home is in the urban core, especially in Les Roques, the seafarers’ neighbourhood, or areas such as Saladar, Patricio Ferrándiz, or the avenues of Alicante and València, it’s advisable to check the date of your licence. If it is after 2018, its renewal from 2029 onwards may not be possible if your area falls within Area C.
If you are thinking about buying for tourist rental in the urban core, this bylaw—and the complexity involved in changing the ownership of licences issued earlier—must be part of your long-term profitability analysis.
At COSBA, we keep a close watch on how this regulation evolves and how it is applied in each area of Dénia. If you have any questions about how it might affect a specific property—yours or one you’re considering buying—ask us without obligation.
Information based on the documentation submitted to the municipal plenary session in June 2026. The bylaw is currently in the public consultation phase and may be modified before final approval.
