Building Permits and Renovation Rules in Mallorca: What Foreign Owners Need to Know

Renovating a property in Mallorca — whether it is a crumbling townhouse in Pollença, a dated apartment in Palma, or a stone finca on rustic land — can be hugely rewarding. But Mallorca’s planning system is a labyrinth of municipal regulations, protected zones, and bureaucratic timelines that catches even experienced developers off guard. Getting the permits wrong can mean demolished works, heavy fines, and months of delays. This guide explains exactly what you need, how much it costs, and how long it takes, so you can renovate with confidence rather than anxiety.

The Planning Framework: Who Controls What

Understanding the regulatory structure is the first step. In Mallorca, planning and building control operates at multiple levels, and they do not always agree with one another:

• Balearic Government (Govern Balear): Sets island-wide environmental and land-use policy, including coastal protection zones, protected natural areas (Parcs Naturals), and the classification of rustic land.
• Insular Council (Consell de Mallorca): Administers the Territorial Plan (Plan Territorial de Mallorca) and has authority over heritage-listed buildings and certain environmental approvals.
• Municipality (Ajuntament): The most important level for most renovations. Each of Mallorca’s 53 municipalities has its own General Urban Development Plan (Plan General de Ordenación Urbana, or PGOU), which dictates what you can and cannot do with a property. Building permits are issued by your local town hall.

The PGOU is the document that matters most. It defines zoning, maximum building heights, plot ratios (buildable area as a percentage of plot size), setbacks from boundaries, permitted uses, and aesthetic requirements. Every municipality’s PGOU is different, and they are frequently updated — the rules that applied when your neighbour renovated five years ago may no longer apply to you.

Types of Building Permits

Spanish building regulations distinguish between two main categories of building permit, and choosing the wrong one is a surprisingly common mistake that can invalidate your entire project.

Licencia de Obra Menor (Minor Works Licence)

This covers smaller-scale works that do not affect the structure, external appearance, or use of the building. Examples include:

• Internal painting and decorating
• Replacing kitchen units and bathroom fittings (without moving plumbing)
• Replacing like-for-like flooring
• Internal plastering and tiling
• Replacing windows and doors with identical dimensions and style
• Minor electrical upgrades (adding sockets, replacing light fittings)
• Small-scale garden landscaping

Requirements:

• Application to the local ajuntament with a description of works
• An architect is not usually required, though a technical description (memoria descriptiva) may be needed
• Municipal tax (tasa) of approximately 1–4% of the declared budget
• ICIO tax (Impuesto sobre Construcciones, Instalaciones y Obras) of typically 2–4% of declared costs

Timeline: 2–6 weeks in most municipalities. Some town halls process minor works as a comunicación previa (prior notification), which can be faster — in theory, you can begin works once the notification is acknowledged.

Cost: €200–1,000 in taxes and administrative fees, depending on the declared budget and municipality.

Licencia de Obra Mayor (Major Works Licence)

This is required for any work that affects the structure, external appearance, volume, or use of a building. Examples include:

• Adding or removing internal walls (even non-load-bearing ones, in many municipalities)
• Building an extension or adding a floor
• Installing or significantly modifying a swimming pool
• Changing the external façade (windows, balconies, cladding)
• Converting a commercial premises to residential use (or vice versa)
• New construction on an empty plot
• Significant structural alterations (opening up walls, underpinning, roof replacement)
• Installing solar panels (in some municipalities)
• Major plumbing or electrical rewiring that involves structural work

Requirements:

• A full project (proyecto básico y de ejecución) prepared by a qualified architect (arquitecto)
• The project must be endorsed (visado) by the relevant professional college (Colegio de Arquitectos de Baleares)
• A technical architect (aparejador or arquitecto técnico) must be appointed as site director
• Structural calculations, if applicable, prepared by a qualified engineer
• Energy efficiency certificate for the proposed works
• ICIO tax, typically 3–4% of the total project budget
• A construction guarantee (deposit or bank guarantee) may be required, refundable upon completion
• Proof of waste management arrangements (gestión de residuos)

Timeline: 3–8 months from application to licence grant. Some municipalities in Mallorca are significantly slower; Palma and Calvià can take 4–6 months even for straightforward applications. Complex projects or those requiring additional environmental or heritage approvals can take 12+ months.

Cost: Architect fees alone typically run 6–12% of construction costs for a full renovation project. The technical architect charges an additional 2–4%. Taxes and administrative fees add 3–6% on top. As a rough guide, the total “soft costs” (professionals, permits, taxes, insurance) for a major renovation in Mallorca amount to 15–25% of construction costs.

Protected Buildings and Heritage Restrictions

Mallorca has a large number of protected buildings, particularly in historic town centres (cascos antiguos). If your property is listed or sits within a protected zone, additional rules apply:

BIC (Bien de Interés Cultural)

The highest level of protection. Any work on a BIC-listed building requires approval from the Consell de Mallorca’s heritage department, in addition to the municipal permit. This adds months to the timeline and imposes strict requirements on materials, techniques, and design. You may be required to use traditional construction methods (lime mortar instead of cement, handmade roof tiles, specific stone types).

Catalogue Protection

Many municipalities maintain a catálogo de protección that classifies buildings into protection levels (typically A, B, C, or similar). Higher levels restrict what you can change externally and sometimes internally. Even a Level C listing may prohibit changes to the façade, roof profile, or building height.

Historic Centre Regulations

Properties within the casco antiguo (old town) of municipalities like Pollença, Alcúdia, Sóller, and Palma are subject to special aesthetic rules even if the individual building is not listed. These typically cover:

• Permitted exterior colours (usually earth tones — white, ochre, terracotta)
• Window and door styles (traditional wooden shutters, specific proportions)
• Roof materials (traditional clay tiles, not modern alternatives)
• Signage restrictions
• Prohibition on external air conditioning units visible from the street
• Height and volume restrictions

If you are buying a property in a historic centre with renovation in mind, budget for higher-than-usual material costs. Traditional Mallorcan stone, mares sandstone, handmade tiles, and period-appropriate fittings are significantly more expensive than modern alternatives.

Rustic Land: The Most Complex Scenario

If your property sits on suelo rústico (rustic or rural land), you are entering the most heavily regulated part of Mallorca’s planning system. The Balearic Agrarian Law and the Territorial Plan impose strict limitations on what can be built, extended, or renovated on rural land.

Key Rules for Rustic Land

• Minimum plot size for new construction: Typically 14,000 m² (1.4 hectares) in common rustic land, and up to 50,000 m² in protected rustic land (rústico protegido). These thresholds vary by municipality.
• Maximum buildable area: Usually 1.5–3% of the plot size, depending on the zone and municipality. On a 14,000 m² plot, you might be limited to a 210–420 m² building footprint.
• Height restrictions: Typically two floors maximum, with specific height limits in metres.
• Existing buildings (fuera de ordenación): Many rural buildings pre-date current planning rules and are classified as “out of planning”. This means they are legal but non-conforming — you can maintain and repair them, but increasing the volume, footprint, or changing the use may be prohibited or require special approval.
• Agricultural requirement: In some zones, construction on rustic land is only permitted for agricultural purposes. A residential declaration of interest (declaración de interés general) may be needed to justify non-agricultural use.
• Environmental impact assessment: Required for projects above certain size thresholds or in protected areas.

Renovating an Existing Finca

Renovating a traditional Mallorcan finca (country house) is a popular project but one fraught with regulatory complexity. Before purchasing a finca for renovation, verify the following:

• Is the building registered? Many older rural buildings lack proper registration or have discrepancies between the escritura (deed), the catastro (cadastral registry), and the registro de la propiedad (land registry). These must be resolved before permits are granted.
• What is the legal buildable volume? This determines how much of the existing structure you can retain and whether you can extend.
• Are there illegal additions? Previous owners may have added extensions, pools, or outbuildings without permits. These can create problems for your renovation approval and may need to be regularised or demolished.
• Is there a certificate of habitability (cédula de habitabilidad)? Without one, the property cannot legally be occupied as a residence. Obtaining one retrospectively requires meeting current standards for water, electricity, drainage, and safety.

PGOU Restrictions You Should Know About

The Plan General de Ordenación Urbana of each municipality contains hundreds of pages of specific rules. Here are the most commonly relevant restrictions that catch foreign buyers:

• Maximum occupancy (ocupación): The percentage of a plot that can be covered by buildings. In urban areas, typically 40–60%. In rustic areas, 1.5–3%.
• Maximum buildability (edificabilidad): The total permitted floor area relative to plot size, expressed as m² per m² of plot. Different from occupancy — a two-storey building with 40% footprint occupancy has double the buildability of a single-storey one.
• Retranqueos (setbacks): Minimum distances from plot boundaries. Typically 3–5 metres from each boundary in residential zones, more on rustic land.
• Parking requirements: New builds and major renovations may be required to provide on-site parking (one space per dwelling unit is common).
• Drainage and sewage: Properties must connect to the municipal sewer network where available. Where not available (common on rustic land), a legal septic system (fosa séptica) with proper permits is required.
• Coastal setback (servidumbre de protección litoral): A 100-metre strip from the coast where new construction is prohibited. For existing buildings within this zone, renovation is possible but extension is severely restricted.

The Architect: Your Most Important Hire

For any obra mayor, appointing the right architect is the single most consequential decision you will make. In Spain, the architect is not merely a designer — they are the legally responsible professional who certifies that the project complies with all applicable regulations.

What to Look For

• Local experience: An architect who has worked extensively in your municipality understands the specific PGOU, knows the town hall planning department, and can anticipate issues before they arise. A brilliant architect from Barcelona who has never worked in Andratx will struggle with local peculiarities.
• Renovation specialism: New construction and renovation are very different disciplines. If you are renovating an old townhouse or finca, you want an architect experienced in heritage and traditional construction.
• Language: Your architect will need to communicate with you in English and with the town hall in Spanish/Catalan. Bilingual architects are common in Mallorca but not universal.
• Project management capability: Some architects focus on design and permits, leaving you to manage the builder. Others offer full project management, acting as your representative on site. For remote owners, the latter is strongly recommended.

Fees

Architect fees in Mallorca are no longer regulated (the old scale of minimum fees was abolished), so they are negotiable. Typical ranges:

• Full renovation project (design + permits + site supervision): 8–15% of construction costs
• Design and permits only: 5–8% of construction costs
• Technical architect (aparejador) for site supervision: 2–4% of construction costs
• Minimum fee for small projects: €3,000–6,000 regardless of construction cost

Be wary of architects who quote significantly below these ranges. The permit application alone requires substantial technical documentation, and cutting corners at this stage can result in rejected applications, delays, and costly redesigns.

Timelines: How Long Will It Really Take?

One of the most common frustrations for foreign renovators in Mallorca is the timeline. Here is a realistic breakdown:

Phase	Typical Duration
Architect design and project documentation	2–4 months
Visado (professional college endorsement)	2–4 weeks
Municipal licence application and approval	3–8 months (longer for heritage or environmental reviews)
Construction (typical apartment renovation)	3–6 months
Construction (full finca renovation)	8–18 months
Final inspection and licencia de primera ocupación	1–3 months

From first meeting with your architect to moving into a renovated property, 12–24 months is normal for a significant project. Factor this into your financial planning — you will be paying mortgage or ownership costs throughout this period without rental income.

Common Pitfalls: Mistakes That Cost Time and Money

Having spoken with dozens of foreign owners who have renovated in Mallorca, these are the pitfalls that come up time and again:

• Starting work without a permit. It happens more often than you would think. “It’s just internal work” is not a defence if the town hall decides it required a permit. Fines are typically 2–15% of the construction value, and you may be ordered to demolish the work.
• Underestimating costs by 30–50%. Construction costs in Mallorca are higher than the mainland due to island logistics, labour shortages, and material transport costs. Budget €1,200–2,000/m² for a quality renovation; €2,000–3,500/m² for high-end finishes.
• Hiring a builder before getting the permit. Builders in Mallorca are in high demand and will often pressure you to commit before the licence is granted. If the licence is modified or delayed, you face contractual complications.
• Ignoring the community of owners. If your property is in a comunidad, certain works (especially anything affecting the structure, façade, or common areas) require community approval at a general meeting. Proceeding without this approval can result in the community taking legal action to reverse your work.
• Not checking for existing infractions. The previous owner’s unpermitted works become your problem. Before buying, ask your solicitor to check the property’s planning history for any open infractions or compliance orders.
• Assuming the catastro is accurate. Discrepancies between the cadastral record and reality are common in Mallorca, especially for older properties. These must be resolved (via a topographic survey and declaración catastral) before permits are issued.
• Forgetting the licencia de primera ocupación. After completing works, you need a final occupancy licence from the town hall before the property can be legally occupied or rented. Without it, you cannot connect utilities or obtain a habitability certificate.

One Final Word: Get Professional Advice Before You Buy

If you are purchasing a property in Mallorca with renovation in mind, the time to engage an architect and a planning-savvy solicitor is before you sign the purchase contract, not after. A pre-purchase planning assessment (€500–1,500) will tell you what is feasible, what permits are needed, and what it will realistically cost. This small investment can save you tens of thousands by preventing you from buying a property where your renovation vision is simply not achievable under current planning rules.