Short-Term Rental Laws in Orlando, FL (2026)
Orlando only allows short-term rentals (under 30 days) as owner-occupied 'home sharing': the owner or a long-term tenant must live on-site and be present during every stay, only one booking at a time is allowed, and no more than half the bedrooms may be rented — renting out an entire home short-term is prohibited in residential zones (whole-unit 'Commercial Dwelling Units' are limited to O-3, MU and AC commercial districts). Hosts must obtain an annual Home Sharing Registration ($275 first year, $100-$125 renewals, with a yearly interior inspection), and guests pay roughly 12.5% in combined state and Orange County taxes, which Airbnb and Vrbo collect on platform bookings. Always confirm current requirements with the city before operating.
⏳ Verification in progress — data compiled July 10, 2026, human review pending
Orlando STR rules at a glance
| Legal status | Primary residence only |
|---|---|
| Permit required | Yes |
| Permit name | Home Sharing Registration |
| Permit fee | $275 |
| Renewal | Annual |
| Owner occupancy required | Yes |
| Primary residence only | Yes |
| Max units per owner | 1 |
| Total occupancy taxes | ~12.5% of gross revenue |
| Enforcement | Enforcement is handled by the city's Code Enforcement Division (407.246.2686 / codeenforcement@orlando.gov) and is largely complaint-driven; residents can report suspected illegal rentals online. Proof of registration must be included in any online listing, and under Sec. 58.990(e) an advertisement for renting part of a home raises a rebuttable presumption in enforcement proceedings that the property is being used for home sharing. A pre-issuance interior inspection and annual re-inspections are required. Finable offenses called out by the city include renting out an entire unit, omitting registration proof from ads, and ads that misstate what the ordinance allows. |
| Current rules effective | 2018-07-01 |
What will guests pay in taxes on a Orlando stay?
Itemized occupancy taxes for Orlando, FL — enter your nightly rate to see the real cost breakdown.
Orlando occupancy tax calculator
| Gross rent | $450.00 |
| Florida Transient Rental Tax (state sales tax) (6%)· usually collected by platform | $27.00 |
| Orange County Discretionary Sales Surtax (0.5%)· usually collected by platform | $2.25 |
| Orange County Tourist Development Tax (6%)· usually collected by platform | $27.00 |
| Total tax (12.5%) | $56.25 |
| Guest pays | $506.25 |
Estimate only. Platform collection varies by listing site and agreement; verify rates with the taxing authorities.
Permits & licensing
Orlando requires Home Sharing Registration to operate a short-term rental — the fee is $275, renewed annual.
First year $275. Renewal: $100/year if the owner lives on the property, $125/year if non-owner-occupied (tenant-hosted with notarized owner permission). An interior inspection by a code enforcement officer is required before issuance and again each year at renewal. Some third-party guides mention an additional $50 application fee, but official city pages list only the $275/$100/$125 amounts.
Zoning & location rules
Home Share is allowed in all residential zoning districts as an accessory use to lawfully existing residential uses (single-family, two-family, multifamily, mobile home, residential-office mixed). Whole-unit short-term rental is classified as a Commercial Dwelling Unit (7-29 day stays), which is not allowed in residential (R) districts and must be located in O-3, MU, or AC zoning districts with a Business Tax Receipt (Municipal Planning Board approval may be required); whole-unit stays under 7 days are classified as motel/hotel use. Exception: in a duplex under single ownership, one entire unit may be home-shared if the owner occupies the other unit and the shared unit's living area is equal to or smaller. HOA approval letter is required if in a mandatory HOA.
Taxes
| Tax | Rate | Who collects |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Transient Rental Tax (state sales tax)Applies to rentals of 182 nights or less. Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit for bookings made through their platforms; hosts taking direct bookings must register with the Florida Department of Revenue and remit themselves. | 6% | platform |
| Orange County Discretionary Sales SurtaxOrange County's surtax is 0.5% (per FL DOR Form DR-15DSS, effective Jan 1, 2003, through Dec 31, 2035). Collected together with the state transient rental tax; platforms collect on their bookings, hosts remit on direct bookings. | 0.5% | platform |
| Orange County Tourist Development TaxAdministered by the Orange County Comptroller; applies to rentals of six months or less. Airbnb and Vrbo (since Oct 1, 2018) collect and remit on platform bookings. Hosts with direct bookings must open a TDT account and file monthly returns (due the 1st, delinquent after the 20th); late penalty is 10% of tax due or $50, whichever is greater. | 6% | platform |
Enforcement & penalties
Enforcement is handled by the city's Code Enforcement Division (407.246.2686 / codeenforcement@orlando.gov) and is largely complaint-driven; residents can report suspected illegal rentals online. Proof of registration must be included in any online listing, and under Sec. 58.990(e) an advertisement for renting part of a home raises a rebuttable presumption in enforcement proceedings that the property is being used for home sharing. A pre-issuance interior inspection and annual re-inspections are required. Finable offenses called out by the city include renting out an entire unit, omitting registration proof from ads, and ads that misstate what the ordinance allows.
Violations are code-enforcement offenses subject to 'code enforcement violations and/or penalty fees' per the city. Under Sec. 58.990(f), violating any home-sharing standard, development condition, or other applicable law 'will result in the revocation of registration approval for home sharing.' Florida's code-enforcement statute (F.S. 162.09) caps standard fines at $250/day for a first violation and $500/day for repeat violations ($5,000 for irreparable violations); an Orlando-specific fine schedule was not confirmed.
⚠️ HOA/condo rules may prohibit STRs regardless of city law.
Recent rule changes in Orlando
June 27, 2024
Gov. DeSantis vetoes CS/SB 280, preserving Orlando's local home-sharing regime
The Florida Legislature passed SB 280 in March 2024, which would have created a statewide vacation-rental registry under DBPR and sharply limited local STR regulation. Governor DeSantis vetoed it on June 27, 2024, writing that the bill 'will prevent virtually all local regulation of vacation rentals.' As a result, the 2011 state preemption framework (F.S. 509.032(7)(b)) plus local ordinances like Orlando's Chapter 58 Part 5B(19) continue to govern; no comparable preemption bill has been enacted since.
Official source →
Frequently asked questions
›Is Airbnb legal in Orlando?
Airbnb is legal in Orlando, FL, only for your primary residence — dedicated investment properties generally cannot be short-term rentals. Always confirm current requirements with the city before operating.
›Do I need a permit for a short-term rental in Orlando?
Yes. Orlando requires a Home Sharing Registration to operate a short-term rental, which costs $275 and must be renewed every year. Always confirm current requirements with the city before operating.
›How much does a Orlando short-term rental permit cost?
The Home Sharing Registration costs $275 (annual renewal). First year $275. Renewal: $100/year if the owner lives on the property, $125/year if non-owner-occupied (tenant-hosted with notarized owner permission). An interior inspection by a code enforcement officer is required before issuance and again each year at renewal. Some third-party guides mention an additional $50 application fee, but official city pages list only the $275/$100/$125 amounts.
›Can I Airbnb a non-primary residence in Orlando?
Generally no. Orlando limits short-term rentals to the operator's primary residence, which rules out running a dedicated investment property as a short-term rental in most cases. Always confirm current requirements with the city before operating.
›What taxes do short-term rental hosts pay in Orlando?
Hosts in Orlando are subject to: Florida Transient Rental Tax (state sales tax) (6%), Orange County Discretionary Sales Surtax (0.5%), Orange County Tourist Development Tax (6%) — roughly 12.5% total on gross rental revenue. Platforms like Airbnb collect some of these automatically; check each line's collection method on this page.
›What happens if I operate a short-term rental illegally in Orlando?
Violations are code-enforcement offenses subject to 'code enforcement violations and/or penalty fees' per the city. Under Sec. 58.990(f), violating any home-sharing standard, development condition, or other applicable law 'will result in the revocation of registration approval for home sharing.' Florida's code-enforcement statute (F.S. 162.09) caps standard fines at $250/day for a first violation and $500/day for repeat violations ($5,000 for irreparable violations); an Orlando-specific fine schedule was not confirmed. Enforcement is handled by the city's Code Enforcement Division (407.246.2686 / codeenforcement@orlando.gov) and is largely complaint-driven; residents can report suspected illegal rentals online. Proof of registration must be included in any online listing, and under Sec. 58.990(e) an advertisement for renting part of a home raises a rebuttable presumption in enforcement proceedings that the property is being used for home sharing. A pre-issuance interior inspection and annual re-inspections are required. Finable offenses called out by the city include renting out an entire unit, omitting registration proof from ads, and ads that misstate what the ordinance allows.
STR rules change without warning.
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Related
Nearby covered cities
- Kissimmee, FLRestricted
- Miami Beach, FLRestricted
- Miami, FLRestricted
- Savannah, GARestricted
- Panama City Beach, FLPermit required
Sources
- City of Orlando — Home Sharing Registration (initiative page)retrieved July 10, 2026
- City of Orlando — Apply for Home Sharing Registrationretrieved July 10, 2026
- City of Orlando — Short-Term Rentals Fact Sheet (August 2021)retrieved July 10, 2026
- Orlando City Code Ch. 58 Part 5B(19) — Owner-Occupied Home Sharing (Secs. 58.989-58.990)retrieved July 10, 2026
- Florida DBPR — Does the rental of individual beds or bedrooms in a personal residence require a DBPR vacation rental license?retrieved July 10, 2026
- Orange County Comptroller — Tourist Development Tax FAQsretrieved July 10, 2026
- Airbnb Help — Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Floridaretrieved July 10, 2026
- Vrbo Help — Where Vrbo collects and remits taxes and lodging taxes (US F-M, Florida)retrieved July 10, 2026
This page is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules change and enforcement varies — verify current requirements with Orlando and a qualified professional before operating.