Formentera has closed the 2026 season of regulated vehicle access, circulation and parking with 48,038 applications processed and 40,988 authorisations granted.

The annual Formentera.eco system ran from June 1 to September 30, with the island applying a maximum vehicle ceiling designed to control traffic pressure during the busiest months.

Of the applications processed this year, 5,393 were rejected, while a further 1,657 were not completed or remained pending documentation.

More than 8,000 visitor permits for cars and motorcycles

Among the authorisations issued specifically for visitors, 8,317 were for cars and 1,287 were for motorcycles.

The figures also include authorisations for residents of other Balearic Islands. A total of 2,222 permits were granted for cars belonging to residents of Mallorca and Menorca, along with 572 for motorcycles.

For residents of Ibiza, the Consell granted 6,282 authorisations for cars and 1,223 for motorcycles during the 2026 season.

The 2026 system also recorded 652 authorisations for electric vehicles and 2,336 for hybrid vehicles.

These categories overlap with the wider authorisation system, so the figures should not be added together as if they represented separate groups of unique vehicles.

122 long-term authorisations revoked

One of the new measures introduced this season was the first review of certain long-term authorisations to check whether the vehicles were actually being used on Formentera.

Following these checks, the Consell revoked 122 authorisations linked to vehicles belonging to Ibiza residents and seasonal workers.

The permits were withdrawn after the vehicles were found not to have circulated on Formentera for 15 consecutive days.

The review is intended to ensure that long-duration permits are being used for their stated purpose rather than remaining active when the authorised vehicles are not actually on the island.

The vehicle ceiling has fallen since 2019

Formentera.eco was introduced in 2019 as a system for regulating the number of vehicles entering and circulating on the island.

For 2026, the maximum vehicle ceiling was set at 10,287 motor vehicles during the regulated period. The official Formentera.eco information includes this figure across the different categories covered by the system.

The Consell says the ceiling has fallen from 12,450 vehicles when the system was introduced to 10,287 today.

The reduction of more than 2,000 vehicles has been applied specifically to rental and visitor vehicles, according to the Consell.

The island says technical studies carried out during the years of regulation have recorded a reduction in average daily traffic intensity and improvements in the level of service on most sections of the road network studied. These are findings reported by the Consell and should be understood in the context of its evaluation of the Formentera.eco system.

The system could change for seasonal workers

With the eighth season now completed, the Consell is preparing proposals for the next stage of Formentera.eco.

One of the main changes under consideration concerns seasonal workers who travel to the island with their own vehicles.

At present, vehicles belonging to seasonal workers are counted within the visitor allocation. The Consell wants to propose that these vehicles should no longer be subject to a specific ceiling, arguing that seasonal staff are necessary to maintain the island's services and economic activity.

This is a proposal, not a change that has already been approved.

Second homes could receive one vehicle authorisation

The Consell is also considering a new approach to vehicles associated with second homes.

Its proposed model would establish one vehicle authorisation for each property or home.

The details of how this would work, including how eligibility would be demonstrated and how the measure would affect the overall number of authorised vehicles, have not yet been finalised.

Residents travelling between the islands

A third area under review concerns residents travelling between Formentera and the other Balearic Islands.

The Consell wants to study the possibility of removing specific vehicle quotas for movements between the islands, provided safeguards are introduced to prevent an uncontrolled increase in the number of vehicles on Formentera.

The proposals are expected to be worked on with opposition groups before being taken forward through the parliamentary process.

Residents will be asked about the system

The Consell is also seeking direct feedback from Formentera residents.

A survey is scheduled to run from October 1 to October 15, asking residents about their perception of traffic saturation, mobility, parking and their knowledge of and compliance with Formentera.eco.

The intention is to combine the results of the survey with technical studies and the experience accumulated over the eight seasons of vehicle regulation when deciding how the system should evolve.

Eight seasons of Formentera.eco

Formentera introduced its vehicle-regulation system in 2019, making it the first Balearic island to establish this type of seasonal control.

The Consell now argues that the model needs to continue evolving as the island's mobility needs change.

The proposals being considered for seasonal workers, second homes and inter-island residents are therefore part of a broader review rather than confirmed changes to the 2027 system.

Formentera.eco remains based on the same central principle: limiting the pressure created by vehicles during the busiest period of the year while maintaining access for residents, essential workers and other authorised users.