Can I still make it into the ZEC?
The 2026 deadline, step by step
Under the rules published as of 25-10-2026, new entities of the Canary Islands Special Zone (ZEC) can only be authorised until 31 December 2026, unless that date is extended (art. 29.2 of Law 19/1994 and art. 59 of Regulation (EU) 651/2014). The Consortium has two months to decide and, if it does not, the application is deemed rejected. This page sets out what the rules say, what timeline is realistic from today and what to have ready.
Verification date: 25-10-2026
31-12-2026
Cut-off for authorising new entities, unless extended (art. 29.2 Law 19/1994)
2 months
For the Governing Board to decide; silence means rejection (art. 41.1)
18 months
To apply for registration after authorisation (art. 47.3 of the Regulations)
What the rules say today
Article 29.2 of Law 19/1994 provides that the authorisation of registration in the Official Register of ZEC Entities is limited by the date set in article 59 of Commission Regulation (EU) 651/2014 for the end of its validity, or by that of the rule replacing it. Article 59 of that Regulation states that it applies until 31 December 2026.
The tax incentives may be enjoyed for the six years immediately following the end of the validity of that Regulation or the rule replacing it, and may be extended if State-aid rules applicable to the Canary Islands so provide, following notice from the European Commission (art. 29.1). The continuation of the ZEC is in any event subject to the periodic reviews of the European Commission (art. 29.3).
In other words: for a new company, the date that matters is not the filing of the application but the authorisation by the Governing Board of the Consortium.
Sources: Law 19/1994 (BOE, consolidated text) · Royal Decree 1758/2007 (BOE) · Regulation (EU) 651/2014 (EUR-Lex)
Status of the extension
Verification date: 25-10-2026. Checked against the BOE and the Official Journal of the European Union.
- Article 29 of Law 19/1994 keeps the wording given to it by Royal Decree-Law 8/2023, in force since 29 December 2023. No rule published in the Spanish Official Gazette (BOE) in 2025 or 2026 amends it or extends the deadline for authorising new entities.
- Article 59 of Regulation (EU) 651/2014, in its consolidated version, still states that it applies until 31 December 2026. No regulation replacing it and no further extension has been published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
- In 2026 the European Commission consulted on a draft new General Block Exemption Regulation. A draft does not change the deadline: only a text published in the Official Journal would, and only on the terms it sets.
- Because article 29.2 refers to the validity of the Regulation "or of the rule replacing it", the cut-off date may move if an extension or a replacement regulation is published. Until then, 31 December 2026 is the date to plan around.
This information may change. It reflects the rules published on the verification date; before deciding, check the position on the date you intend to file the application.
A realistic timeline: from application to registration
These are the steps and time limits set by the rules. No timing is guaranteed beyond the statutory periods: the Governing Board's two months can be suspended, and everything else depends on the documents being complete.
1. Application for prior authorisation
Filed with the ZEC Consortium together with the descriptive report on the activity and a deposit or guarantee for the amount of the registration fee (art. 41.1 of Law 19/1994). Among other details, the application must state the registered office, the corporate purpose, the representatives and where they reside, the amount and location of the investment and the jobs to be created (art. 47.2 of the Regulations approved by Royal Decree 1758/2007).
2. Decision of the Governing Board: two months
The Governing Board (Consejo Rector) grants the authorisation expressly, after a favourable report from the Technical Committee, within two months of the Consortium receiving the application. That period can be suspended in the cases provided by law and, if it expires without an express decision, the application is deemed rejected (art. 41.1 of Law 19/1994).
3. Incorporation of the company
The company may be incorporated before the authorisation and still count as newly created, provided the incorporation is limited to the formal steps and there is no economic activity until registration (art. 41 of the Regulations).
4. Registration in the Official Register of ZEC Entities
Once authorised, there are eighteen months to apply for registration, with the tax identification number and the incorporation documents filed with the Commercial Registry (art. 47.3 of the Regulations). Registration is made within ten days of filing those documents, or the applicant is asked to correct any defects (art. 41.2 of the Law and art. 47.4 of the Regulations).
5. Jobs and investment
The minimum jobs must be created within six months of registration and the minimum investment made within the first two years (art. 31.2.d and e of Law 19/1994). Investments made from the filing of the registration application count (art. 43 of the Regulations).
What this means at the end of October 2026
The two-month period starts when the Consortium receives the application. It is a maximum: the Governing Board may decide sooner, but the law does not require it to. An application received at the end of October uses up that period at the end of December, and any suspension may push the decision beyond 31 December. Under the current rules the remaining margin is narrow and depends on the file being complete from day one.
The rules do not say expressly whether an entity authorised before 31 December may register after that date, within the eighteen months of article 47.3 of the Regulations. Until a published criterion exists, the prudent course is not to count on that margin: have the company incorporated and the documents ready to apply for registration as soon as the authorisation arrives.
If your entity is already authorised or registered
A registered entity may enjoy the incentives for the six years immediately following the end of the validity of Regulation (EU) 651/2014 or the rule replacing it (art. 29.1 of Law 19/1994). With the date currently in force, that period would end on 31 December 2032. It can be extended if State-aid rules so provide, and the continuation of the ZEC depends on the periodic reviews of the European Commission (art. 29.3).
Throughout that period the requirements of article 31 must still be met: among others, keeping the annual average headcount and holding the assets of the minimum investment for the period in which the regime is enjoyed, or for their useful life if shorter.
If the entity is authorised but not yet registered, article 47.3 of the Regulations allows eighteen months to apply for registration. With the 2026 limit in sight, it is better not to use them up.
If you do not make it in time
Under the current rules, the Consortium could not authorise new registrations from 1 January 2027, unless an extension or a regulation replacing Regulation 651/2014 is published. If the application has been filed and the period expires without an express authorisation, it is deemed rejected (art. 41.1 of Law 19/1994).
If an extension or a replacement regulation is published, its text will have to be read to see what date it sets and on what conditions.
The firm can look at which other structures in the Canary Islands may suit your project, each with its own requirements.
What to prepare now
These are the requirements of article 31.2 of Law 19/1994 and the details the application must contain under the Regulations. Having them ready is what most shortens the time to a complete file.
- Registered office and place of effective management in the Canary Islands (art. 31.2.a of Law 19/1994).
- At least one director resident in the Canary Islands or, for branches, a legal representative (art. 31.2.b).
- A corporate purpose made up of activities listed in the annex to Law 19/1994 (art. 31.2.c).
- Investment plan: €100,000 on Gran Canaria and Tenerife or €50,000 on El Hierro, Fuerteventura, La Gomera, Lanzarote and La Palma, in tangible or intangible fixed assets, within the first two years from registration (art. 31.2.d). Authorisation without that investment is possible if the jobs to be created and the annual average headcount exceed the minimum.
- Employment plan: 5 jobs on Gran Canaria and Tenerife or 3 on the other islands, created within six months of registration and maintained as an annual average headcount (art. 31.2.e). If the same activity was carried on before, that figure applies as net job creation.
- A descriptive report on the activities supporting their solvency, viability, international competitiveness and contribution to the economic and social development of the Canary Islands. Its content is binding on the entity (art. 31.2.f).
- The application details required by art. 47.2 of the Regulations: intended company name, jobs to be created in the first six months and expected average headcount for the first three years and, if the same activity was carried on before under the same or another owner, a statement to that effect with the average headcount for the previous financial year.
- The deposit or guarantee for the amount of the registration fee, filed with the application (art. 41.1 of Law 19/1994).
For the wider picture of the regime, see the ZEC FAQ.
Frequently asked questions about the ZEC deadline
Until what date can a new ZEC entity be authorised?
Under the rules published as of 25-10-2026, until 31 December 2026, unless extended. Article 29.2 of Law 19/1994 sets as the limit for authorising registration the date on which Regulation (EU) 651/2014, or the rule replacing it, ceases to apply, and article 59 of that Regulation states that it applies until 31 December 2026.
Is it enough to file the application before 31 December 2026?
The law places the limit on the authorisation, not on the filing of the application (art. 29.2 of Law 19/1994). The Governing Board has two months from the Consortium receiving the application to grant the authorisation expressly, and that period can be suspended (art. 41.1). An application received at the end of October uses up that period at the end of December, so the margin is narrow and depends on the file being complete.
What happens if the Consortium does not decide in time?
If the two-month period expires without an express decision, the application for authorisation is deemed rejected (art. 41.1 of Law 19/1994). Silence counts as a refusal: there is no authorisation simply because time has passed.
Do I need to incorporate the company before applying?
It is not compulsory. The company may be incorporated beforehand and still count as newly created if the incorporation is limited to the formal steps and there is no economic activity until registration (art. 41 of the Regulations approved by Royal Decree 1758/2007). After authorisation there are eighteen months to apply for registration with the incorporation documents (art. 47.3). With the 2026 cut-off, having the company ready avoids relying on that margin.
If I am authorised before 31 December, can I register afterwards?
The rules do not answer this expressly: article 29.2 of Law 19/1994 limits the authorisation, and article 47.3 of the Regulations allows eighteen months to apply for registration once authorised. Until a published criterion exists, the prudent course is not to count on that margin and to apply for registration as soon as the authorisation arrives.
What happens to companies already registered in the ZEC?
They may enjoy the incentives for the six years immediately following the end of the validity of Regulation (EU) 651/2014 or the rule replacing it (art. 29.1 of Law 19/1994). With the date currently in force, that period would end on 31 December 2032. It can be extended if State-aid rules so provide, and the continuation of the ZEC depends on the European Commission reviews (art. 29.3). The entity must keep meeting the requirements of art. 31, such as the annual average headcount.
Will the ZEC deadline be extended?
As of 25-10-2026, no rule extending the deadline or replacing Regulation (EU) 651/2014 has been published in either the BOE or the Official Journal of the European Union. The European Commission consulted on a draft new regulation in 2026, but a draft does not change the date. If an extension or a replacement regulation is published, the limit in art. 29.2 would move on the terms that text sets.
What documents should I have ready now?
The descriptive report on the activities (art. 31.2.f of Law 19/1994), the details the application requires (art. 47.2 of the Regulations: registered office, corporate purpose, representatives and where they reside, amount and location of the investment, jobs to be created), the investment and employment plan for the island concerned, and the deposit or guarantee for the registration fee (art. 41.1).
Want to know whether your project can still make it?
Tell us about your case. The firm reviews the request and offers you a date and time to go through the file and the timeline. Your first consultation fee is deducted from our fees if you instruct us.
Request an appointment