Smoke and CO alarms, fire extinguisher and evacuation plan at your property: what is mandatory (Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece, 2026)

Updated: 10 November 2026

A smoke alarm costs little. A fire without one costs a lot. More and more rules, and Airbnb and Booking.com, ask about them. We read the Andalusian rules, Spain's fire-protection regulation, Turismo de Portugal's guide, the Italian and Greek laws and the official help pages of Airbnb and Booking.com (links at the end). Where we could not confirm something we say so. This is not legal advice: check with your adviser or installer.

Andalusia: holiday homes (Decree 28/2016)

Art. 6.1.g refers to the annex, which applies to every holiday home. It requires:

A first-aid kit.
«Some type of smoke detectors near the kitchen».
A fire extinguisher.
An evacuation plan on the door, if one exists for the building (art. 6.2.d).
No carbon monoxide detector is required. If you have a gas boiler, heater or hob, fit one anyway: it is cheap and Airbnb recommends it.

Spain: extinguisher maintenance (Royal Decree 513/2017)

Spain's fire-protection installations regulation (RIPCI) says, among other things:

Maintenance is done by an authorised maintenance company (art. 14).
Each extinguisher carries a label with the date of the service and the next one (art. 17).
Extinguishers must be signposted and no more than 15 m away horizontally (annex I).
In single-family homes or premises up to 100 m², the user may place portable extinguishers (art. 9).
Annex II intervals: every three months, you (or the maintenance company) check that the extinguisher is in place and undamaged; every year, a service by the authorised maintenance company under standard UNE 23120; every five years, a pressure re-test, up to a maximum of three.
Service records are kept for five years. An accredited inspection body inspects at least every ten years (art. 22), with exemptions such as residential homes.

Spain: hotels

In the part of Andalusia's hotel Decree-Law 13/2020 we read, we found no fire-safety requirements.
Hotels follow the Building Code (DB-SI) and the RIPCI. We could not open the DB-SI: no figures given.
Your technical project and maintenance company know which detection, alarm and extinguishers apply.
RIPCI, DB-SI and the new self-protection plan rules (Order INT/1068/2026) for hotels, hostels, apartments and holiday homes: see /fire-safety-rules-hotels-hostels-apartments-holiday-rentals-spain-andalusia-2026.

Portugal: alojamento local

Turismo de Portugal's technical guide (February 2021) says:

More than 10 guests: fire-safety rules of Decree-Law 220/2008 and Portaria 1532/2008.
Up to 10 guests: accessible extinguisher and fire blanket, accessible first-aid kit and 112 displayed.
We have not confirmed the exact article of Decree-Law 128/2014 or later changes.

Italy: short lets and hotels

Art. 13-ter of Decree-Law 145/2023 (Law 191/2023): in all cases, working combustible-gas and carbon monoxide detectors.
Portable extinguishers in visible, accessible places: one per 200 m² or part, at least one per floor.
Fine of EUR 600 to 6,000 per breach, according to the 2023 text.
Hotels: the fire brigade applies Ministerial Decree 9-4-1994 to all accommodation; above 25 beds there are checks and a fire SCIA.

Greece: short-term rentals (Law 5170/2025)

Art. 3(1) requires, among other things:

Fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.
An electrician's declaration, a residual-current device and exit signs.
A first-aid kit and a guide with emergency numbers.
Civil liability insurance.
It does not say how many extinguishers or require a CO detector. We have not confirmed dates or fire-service rules for hotels.

Airbnb and Booking.com

Airbnb strongly urges smoke and CO alarms in spaces with fuel-burning appliances.
You declare them in the Listing editor, under Guest safety > Safety devices.
If you only have electric appliances and no attached garage, you can mark a CO alarm as not necessary.
Airbnb asks hosts to state whether alarms are present, keep them working and test them regularly.
Booking.com advises an accessible, checked extinguisher, smoke and CO detectors on all floors and a clear emergency exit.

Quick checklist (good practice)

One smoke alarm per floor and one near the kitchen.
A CO alarm if there is gas, a wood burner or a garage.
A visible, serviced extinguisher with a valid label.
A fire blanket in the kitchen and a first-aid kit.
112 and an exit plan on the door. Test alarms before each season.

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Frequently asked questions

Is a smoke detector mandatory in an Andalusian holiday home?

Yes. The annex of Decree 28/2016 requires some type of smoke detector near the kitchen, plus an extinguisher and a first-aid kit.

What about a carbon monoxide detector?

The Andalusian rules do not require one. Italy requires gas and CO detectors. Airbnb recommends one wherever there are fuel-burning appliances.

Who services the extinguisher?

In Spain, an authorised maintenance company, which leaves a label with the next service date (Royal Decree 513/2017).

Sources

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