Guide
Mid-Term Rentals in Barcelona — What Actually Works in 2026
Barcelona is the strictest big city in Europe when it comes to tourist apartments. In 2024 the city announced that all 10,101 tourist-flat licences (HUTs) will not be renewed when they expire in November 2028. If you're planning to stay between one month and one year, the legal route is a temporary residential lease (a contrato de temporada) — not a tourist rental. This is what every platform calling itself 'mid-term' actually offers.
Three legal categories
Tourist (under 31 days): requires a HUT licence, which the city is phasing out. Temporary residential (32 days to 11 months): the mid-term lease — this is what you want. Standard residential (12 months+): the long lease, governed by the LAU and the 2023 housing law.
Why mid-term is the only honest short-term option
An unlicensed flat advertised for two weeks is illegal. The city fines both the operator and, increasingly, the platform. A temporary residential lease of 32+ days is fully legal, requires no licence, and is what serious platforms verify.
What changes in November 2028
All existing HUT licences expire and will not be renewed. After that date, no apartment in Barcelona can legally be rented for fewer than 32 days unless the owner lives in it (the home-sharing case). If you're booking a 'tourist apartment' for a six-month stay today, you're already on a temporary lease — the platform just hasn't said so.
What to ask a platform
Is this listing offered as a temporary residential lease (contrato de temporada)? Is the contract signed online before I pay? Is payment held until check-in? Who is the legal landlord? A serious mid-term platform will answer all four in writing.
FAQ
Can I rent for two weeks legally?
Only in a licensed tourist flat (HUT) or in a hotel/aparthotel. Both are scarce and expensive; the licences are being phased out. For anything from one month, switch to a mid-term lease.
Do I need an NIE for a 32-day rental?
No. An NIE is required for stays over 90 days or to sign a long lease. A passport is enough for a short temporary lease.
Is the deposit different for mid-term?
Usually one month for a temporary lease, sometimes two. For a 12-month residential lease the deposit is one month by law plus additional guarantees the landlord can request.
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