Building Permits, Land & New Construction
*What may be built where — and which guarantees protect you in a new build? Land classification, building permits, coastal law and developer guarantees.*
Land classification (Ley 12/2017, LUIB)#
Balearic urban-planning law Ley 12/2017 de Urbanismo de les Illes Balears (LUIB).
| Land | Meaning |
|---|---|
suelo urbano | developed/serviced urban land — buildable |
suelo urbanizable | development land (buildable in the future) |
suelo rústico común | rural, limited building rights (with a permit) |
suelo rústico protegido | specially protected (ANEI/ARIP/ANIT/AANP) — barely/not buildable |
solar= building-ready urban plot (all servicing requirements met).- Building on
rústico— minimum plot size (parcela mínima) by category (PTIM): 14,000 m²
in AIA / AT-H / SRG; 50,000 m² in ARIP and SRG-F (forestry); in ANEI, AANP, ARIP-B, APT residential new construction is prohibited ✅ (🔎 no "20 ha"/"200,000 m²" — simply a ban). Usually only 1 dwelling per plot. 🟡 Edge case Palma: a municipal increase to up to 100,000 m² has been discussed/adopted (Palma only).
- Built area: footprint (
ocupación) max. 3 % of the plot (SRG) or 2 % (ARIP);
total dwelling volume 🟡 max. ~1,500 m³. 🔴 Specific setbacks (retranqueos)/heights vary by PTIM + municipality — do not generalise.
declaración de interés general(DIG, Ley 6/1997): preliminary step for non-agricultural
uses; application to the Ayuntamiento → declaration by the Consell, información pública 15 days, total deadline ~3 months.
Protected zones#
ANEI (natural area of special interest), ARIP (rural landscape protection), ANIT, AANP — basis Ley 1/1991 (LEN). EU protection: Red Natura 2000 (LIC/ZEC, ZEPA). Heritage protection: BIC (Bien de Interés Cultural), municipal catálogo. Serra de Tramuntana: UNESCO World Heritage (since 2011) + ANEI → strictest building requirements.
Ley de Costas (Coastal Law, Ley 22/1988)#
dominio público marítimo-terrestre(DPMT): public coastal strip that cannot be privatised
— use only by concession (concesión administrativa).
servidumbre de protección: building/use restriction on private land: 100 m from the shoreline
(rule), 20 m in areas that were suelo urbano before 1 January 1988.
servidumbre de tránsito: 6 m passage strip to be kept clear.zona de influencia: at least 500 m (new buildings must blend in).deslinde: official demarcation of the DPMT boundary.
Building permits (LUIB)#
licencia de obra mayor(major building permit): prior municipal approval for new construction and
all works that require a technical project (LOE) (Art. 146 LUIB).
licencia de obra menor/comunicación previa: simple works without a project requirement
(Art. 148).
declaración responsable de obras: self-declaration, immediate start, control a posteriori.proyecto básico(for the permit) vs.proyecto de ejecución(execution design;
🟡 to be submitted within ~6 months, Art. 152). visado by the architects' association COAIB.
licencia de segregación/agrupación(division/merger) — very sensitive onrústico;
illegal parcellations are null and void.
cambio de uso(e.g.local→vivienda): obra mayor + project + then cédula.ITE(Inspección Técnica de Edificios) /IEE: mandatory inspection of older buildings
(🟡 thresholds 30/50 years, municipal; in Palma ITE from 50 years, every 10 years).
- Pool (
piscina) onrústico: 🟡 max. 1 per finca, water surface ≤ 35 m², volume ≤ 60 m³. - Solar panels (
placas): self-consumption onrústicopermitted, often an IBI rebate (depends on the municipality).
New build / off-plan & guarantees (LOE, Ley 38/1999) ✅#
compra sobre plano(purchase off-plan): buyer protection hinges on the **mandatory guarantee for
deposits**.
aval bancario/seguro de cantidades anticipadas✅: mandatory — the developer must
secure the instalments paid (+ interest) (Disp. adic. 1ª Ley 38/1999 as amended by Ley 20/2015); payments into a special account. Do not pay any instalment without a valid aval.
seguro decenal(10-year structural cover) ✅ mandatory; trienal (3 yrs habitability) and anual
(1 yr execution) 🟡 not necessarily insured, but liability under Art. 17 LOE still applies.
certificado final de obra(CFO) (architect + building technician) + **
licencia de primera ocupación** = prerequisite for utilities, obra-nueva registration and release of the aval.
libro del edificio(building book, Art. 7 LOE).
In depth#
Permit: deadlines & silencio administrativo ✅#
The municipality must decide on the licencia urbanística within 3 months (Art. 151 LUIB). Important: For new construction (as well as earthworks and parcellations) the silencio is negative (rejection) — positive silencio is only the general rule with major exceptions, and never against the spatial planning. proyecto de ejecución: the municipality reviews for 1 month (Art. 152, amended by DL 3/2024).
Costas — concession & deslinde (buying by the sea) ✅#
deslinde(demarcation of the DPMT boundary): decision within 24 months; if part of the
finca falls within the DPMT, the owner loses ownership there and receives a concession. Costas exposure has been registrable in the Land Registry since 2013/2015 — check it.
concesión administrativa: term max. 75 years, transferable **only with
administrative approval. The buyer of a concession property does not acquire full ownership**, but a time-limited right — central to valuation/financing.
❓ FAQ#
May I build on a finca plot on Mallorca? Only under strict conditions: minimum plot size (14,000–50,000 m²), usually only one house, observing protected zones (ANEI/ARIP). On protected rústico, new construction is effectively ruled out.
What protects me when buying a new-build apartment from a developer? The statutory deposit guarantee (aval/seguro de cantidades anticipadas, Ley 38/1999 + Ley 20/2015) and the seguro decenal. Do not pay a deposit without a valid guarantee.
Sources (selection)#
- Ley 12/2017 (LUIB), Art. 146/148/152 · Ley 1/1991 (LEN) · Ley 22/1988 (Costas)
- Ley 38/1999 (LOE), Art. 7/17/19 + Disp. adic. 1ª · Ley 20/2015 · COAIB