Short answer: in Torrevieja and the towns around it, a new private pool needs a major works licence (licencia de obra mayor) backed by a technical project. The town hall charges two things: the ICIO tax, up to 4% of the construction budget (Torrevieja applies the full 4%), and a licence fee, which was €718.45 in recent Torrevieja pool licences. For an 8×4 m pool that adds up to roughly €1,400. Getting the licence takes from a few weeks to a couple of months, depending on the town hall. Creator Pools draws up the project and files it for you.
Does a pool need a licence in Spain?
Yes. A pool is building work: it involves excavation, a reinforced concrete structure and connections to water and electricity. In Torrevieja the council grants pools as obra mayor, the category for works that need a project signed by a technician. Its Local Government Board minutes list them one by one, for example a licence for a private pool of 32 m² and others in Los Balcones, Altos del Limonar and El Chaparral (Torrevieja open-government portal).
Some councils process smaller works through a responsible declaration (declaración responsable) instead of a full licence. Which route applies to your pool depends on the municipality and the project, so we check it with the town hall before anything is filed.
What the town hall charges
There are two municipal charges, and both are set by each council’s tax ordinance:
- ICIO (impuesto sobre construcciones, instalaciones y obras). A percentage of the construction budget. Spanish law caps it at 4%, and Torrevieja applies 4%.
- Licence fee (tasa por licencia urbanística). In Torrevieja’s recent pool licences it was €718.45; a smaller job in 2024 paid €178.65, so the fee is not identical for every type of work.
Two real pool licences from Torrevieja’s published minutes show how it adds up:
| Torrevieja pool licence | Budget (tax base) | ICIO 4% | Licence fee | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private pool, El Chaparral (2023) | €7,570 | €302.80 | €718.45 | €1,021.25 |
| Pool licence settled in 2025 | €17,195 | €687.80 | €718.45 | €1,406.25 |
Applied to our own prices, an 8×4 m pool from €16,500 would pay around €660 of ICIO plus the fee, so about €1,380; a 6×3 m pool from €11,000 about €440 plus the fee, so about €1,160. The exact figure depends on the budget declared in the project. These charges are paid to the council and appear as a separate line in our quote, not inside the price of the pool.
How long it takes
From our own work across the area, getting the licence takes from a few weeks to a couple of months, depending on the town hall and the time of year. Building then takes about four to six weeks on site. That is why the best time to start is autumn or winter: the licence and the works are done before the swimming season instead of during it.
Once granted, a Torrevieja licence has conditions of its own. According to the council’s published conditions, it lapses after six months if works do not start or stop for that long, and the works must be finished within 24 months of the grant.
What is needed to apply
The application usually needs:
- the technical project for the pool: drawings, specifications and budget, signed by a technician;
- proof of ownership of the plot, such as the title deed or a land-registry extract (nota simple), and the cadastral reference;
- the owner’s identification, for foreign owners the NIE;
- payment of the ICIO and the licence fee.
Councils can ask for more, for example where the plot is in a protected area or the pool sits near a boundary. We tell you what your council needs before the project is drawn.
Other towns: Orihuela Costa, Rojales, Guardamar and the Murcia side
Every council sets its own ICIO rate and licence fee, always within the 4% legal cap. Many popular areas belong to a council other than the one in their name: Los Dolses, Cabo Roig, La Zenia and Villamartín are part of Orihuela, while Ciudad Quesada belongs to Rojales. On the Murcia side, San Javier approved a new ICIO ordinance in December 2024, and Torre Pacheco and Los Alcázares have their own. Because rates and fees change, we check the ordinance in force for each job rather than quoting from memory.
What if a pool was built without a licence?
An existing pool can be legalised. Torrevieja’s minutes include licences granted to legalise pools, for example one in Los Balcones. It works much like a new application, with a project describing the pool as built, and the same taxes apply. If you are buying a house with a pool, it is worth checking whether it has a licence before signing.
What Creator Pools handles for you
For every pool we build, we prepare the technical project, file the licence application, follow it up with the town hall and handle the completion paperwork at the end. You sign and pay the municipal charges; we deal with the rest. More on this on our pool licences and paperwork page.
To see what the pool itself costs, use the pool cost calculator or read how much it costs to build a pool in Spain.
Planning a pool and unsure about the licence? Call +34 634 928 081 or send us the address, and we will tell you which council handles it and what it will charge. We answer in English, Spanish, Polish and Russian, Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 17:00.
Figures checked in October 2026 against Torrevieja’s published Local Government Board minutes. Municipal rates and fees can change; the current ordinance of each council is what applies.
