Florida Short-Term Rental Laws by City (2026)
Short-term rental rules in Florida are set city by city — a property that is legal to rent nightly in one town can be prohibited a few miles away. The table below covers 18 Florida cities (18 human-verified against official sources), with each city's legal status, permit cost, and last-verified date.
Statewide short-term rental rules in Florida
Florida allows short-term rentals statewide and preempts cities and counties from banning vacation rentals or regulating how long or how often they can be rented, though local ordinances adopted on or before June 1, 2011 are grandfathered. Every vacation rental (a whole condo/co-op unit or a house of up to four units rented more than three times a year for stays under 30 days, or held out as such) must hold a state license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) — roughly $230 all-in for a single unit's first full year, renewed annually. Stays of six months or less owe Florida's 6% state sales tax plus a county discretionary surtax, both of which major platforms like Airbnb collect and remit; county tourist development taxes apply on top. City and county rules apply on top of state law — check your local market's page.
Full statewide rules: permits, taxes & enforcement
Florida allows short-term rentals statewide and preempts cities and counties from banning vacation rentals or regulating how long or how often they can be rented, though local ordinances adopted on or before June 1, 2011 are grandfathered. Every vacation rental (a whole condo/co-op unit or a house of up to four units rented more than three times a year for stays under 30 days, or held out as such) must hold a state license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) — roughly $230 all-in for a single unit's first full year, renewed annually. Stays of six months or less owe Florida's 6% state sales tax plus a county discretionary surtax, both of which major platforms like Airbnb collect and remit; county tourist development taxes apply on top. City and county rules apply on top of state law — check your local market's page.
Reviewed by the STR Rule Watch research team against 9 official sources. How we verify data
Florida statewide STR rules at a glance
| Legal status | Allowed with permit |
|---|---|
| Permit required | Yes |
| Permit name | DBPR Vacation Rental License (Vacation Rental – Dwelling or Vacation Rental – Condominium) |
| Permit fee | $230 |
| Renewal | Annual |
| Total occupancy taxes | ~6.5% of gross revenue |
| Insurance | None — Florida imposes no statewide insurance mandate specific to vacation rentals. |
| Enforcement | The DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants licenses and enforces vacation rental rules. |
| Current rules effective | 2014-07-01 |
State law & local authority
Strong but partial state preemption under Fla. Stat. § 509.032(7). Subsection (7)(a) preempts the licensing/regulation (sanitation, inspections, personnel training) of public lodging establishments to the state. Subsection (7)(b) bars any local law from prohibiting vacation rentals or regulating the duration or frequency of rentals — but expressly does not apply to local ordinances adopted on or before June 1, 2011 (grandfather clause), so pre-2011 city bans and minimum-stay rules (e.g., in some beach towns) remain enforceable. Localities may still regulate vacation rentals through generally applicable rules and non-duration measures: local registration programs, noise, parking, trash, occupancy and life-safety standards — as long as they do not single out vacation rentals for prohibition or duration/frequency limits. A narrow exception in (7)(c) allows property-valuation-based rules in areas of critical state concern (e.g., the Florida Keys).
State-level taxes
| Tax | Rate | Who collects |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Transient Rental Tax (state sales tax on accommodations)6% state sales tax applies to rentals of living/sleeping accommodations for six months (182 days) or less. Airbnb and other major platforms collect and remit it statewide; hosts taking direct bookings must register with the Florida Department of Revenue and remit it themselves. | 6% | platform |
| Discretionary Sales Surtax (county-levied, state-administered with sales tax)County surtax of 0.5%–2% depending on county (most counties levy 0.5%–1.5%; Hamilton County is at 2% since Jan 1, 2025, and only Citrus and Collier levy none per DOR Form DR-15DSS for 2025–2026), remitted to the Florida DOR together with the 6% state tax; platforms collect it statewide. Separately, county Tourist Development Taxes (typically 2%–6%) are local taxes that apply on top of these state-administered taxes — platform collection of TDT varies by county. | 0.5% | platform |
Enforcement & penalties
The DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants licenses and enforces vacation rental rules. No inspection is required at initial application; vacation rentals are exempt from the routine inspection schedule that applies to hotels and motels (Fla. Stat. § 509.032(2)(a): units 'shall be made available to the division upon request'), so inspections are complaint-driven or on division request. Licenses must be displayed conspicuously, units must have smoke detectors, and establishments must comply with applicable NFPA fire-safety codes and sanitation rules (dishware sanitization or posted notice).
Under Fla. Stat. § 509.261, operating in violation of ch. 509 (including without a license) can draw administrative fines not to exceed $1,000 per offense plus license suspension (up to 12 months), revocation, or refusal.
Statewide sources
- Fla. Stat. § 509.032 (2025) — Duties; preemption (Online Sunshine, Florida Legislature)retrieved July 10, 2026
- Fla. Stat. § 509.261 (2025) — Revocation or suspension of licenses; finesretrieved July 10, 2026
- Fla. Stat. § 509.242 (2025) — Public lodging establishments; classifications (vacation rental definition)retrieved July 10, 2026
- Florida DBPR — Guide to Vacation Rentals and Timeshare Projects (licensing, fees)retrieved July 10, 2026
- Florida Department of Revenue — Sales and Use Tax (6% rate; transient rental taxes)retrieved July 10, 2026
- Florida Department of Revenue — Form DR-15DSS, Discretionary Sales Surtax Information for Calendar Year 2026 (county-by-county rates)retrieved July 11, 2026
- Florida Senate — SB 658 (2026): Water Safety Requirements for Rental of Residential and Vacation Properties (died in messages)retrieved July 10, 2026
- Airbnb Help Center — Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Floridaretrieved July 10, 2026
- Florida Phoenix — Short-term vacation rental bill sponsor won't pick up the mantle in 2025 (SB 280 veto aftermath)retrieved July 10, 2026
| City | Status | Permit fee | Last verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport | Permit required | $220 | July 21, 2026 |
| Destin | Permit required | $500 | July 10, 2026 |
| Fort Lauderdale | Permit required | $880 | July 13, 2026 |
| Jacksonville | Permit required | $170 | July 21, 2026 |
| Key West | Restricted | $34.03 | July 21, 2026 |
| Kissimmee | Restricted | $50 | July 10, 2026 |
| Miami | Restricted | — | July 10, 2026 |
| Miami Beach | Restricted | — | July 10, 2026 |
| Monroe County | Restricted | $490 | July 12, 2026 |
| Orlando | Primary residence only | $275 | July 10, 2026 |
| Osceola County | Restricted | $30 | July 12, 2026 |
| Panama City Beach | Permit required | $250 | July 10, 2026 |
| Santa Rosa Beach | Permit required | $300 | July 21, 2026 |
| Sarasota | Restricted | $500 | July 21, 2026 |
| St. Augustine | Restricted | $303.03 | July 21, 2026 |
| Tallahassee | Permit required | $230 | July 21, 2026 |
| Tampa | Permit required | $170 | July 13, 2026 |
| Walton County | Permit required | $300 | July 12, 2026 |
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This page is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Regulations change frequently — verify current requirements with each jurisdiction before operating. HOA and condo rules may prohibit short-term rentals regardless of city law — if your property is in an association, review Florida HOA law and your CC&Rs before listing.