Short-Term Rental Laws in Tallahassee, FL (2026)
The City of Tallahassee imposes no local short-term rental permit, registration, zoning restriction, night cap, or owner-occupancy rule — STRs are allowed citywide, and the city does not even issue business/occupational licenses. Hosts must still hold the statewide Florida DBPR Vacation Rental license (about $230 first year for a single dwelling, renewed annually) and ensure the 6% state transient rental tax, 1.5% Leon County discretionary sales surtax, and 5% Leon County Tourist Development Tax are collected — Airbnb and Vrbo remit these on platform bookings.
Reviewed by the STR Rule Watch research team against 9 official sources. How we verify data
Tallahassee STR rules at a glance
| Legal status | Allowed with permit |
|---|---|
| Permit required | Yes |
| Permit name | Vacation Rental – Dwelling License (Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels and Restaurants — a state license; the City of Tallahassee requires no local STR permit) |
| Permit fee | $230 |
| Renewal | Annual |
| Owner occupancy required | No |
| Primary residence only | No |
| Total occupancy taxes | ~12.5% of gross revenue |
| Enforcement | No city enforcement regime exists — Tallahassee has no local STR ordinance and does not require or issue business/occupational licenses. |
What will guests pay in taxes on a Tallahassee stay?
Itemized occupancy taxes for Tallahassee, FL — enter your nightly rate to see the real cost breakdown.
Tallahassee occupancy tax calculator
| Gross rent | $450.00 |
| Florida Transient Rental Tax (state sales tax) (6%)· collection varies | $27.00 |
| Leon County Discretionary Sales Surtax (1.5%)· collection varies | $6.75 |
| Leon County Tourist Development Tax (5%)· collection varies | $22.50 |
| 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
Tallahassee requires Vacation Rental – Dwelling License (Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels and Restaurants — a state license; the City of Tallahassee requires no local STR permit) to operate a short-term rental — the fee is $230, renewed annually.
$230 total for a new single-dwelling full-year license: $170 full-year license fee + $50 application fee (new or change of ownership) + $10 Hospitality Education Program (HEP) fee. Half-year proration available ($90 license fee; HEP fee not prorated). Multi-unit group licenses scale up to $350/year by unit-count tier. Annual renewal is $180 ($170 + $10 HEP). The City of Tallahassee itself charges nothing — it repealed its business license tax and requires no local permit.
Zoning & location rules
Tallahassee's Land Development Code contains no short-term-rental-specific zoning provisions — STRs operate in residential zones citywide with no STR overlay districts, caps, or separation requirements. Under Fla. Stat. 509.032(7)(b), the city is preempted from prohibiting vacation rentals or regulating their duration or frequency, and Tallahassee has no grandfathered pre-June-2011 STR ordinance.
Taxes
| Tax | Rate | Who collects |
|---|---|---|
| Florida Transient Rental Tax (state sales tax)6% of the listing price including cleaning fees for reservations 182 nights and shorter. Airbnb/Vrbo collect and remit on platform bookings; hosts taking direct bookings must register with the Florida Department of Revenue and remit themselves. | 6% | varies |
| Leon County Discretionary Sales Surtax1% (levied Dec 1, 1989, expires Dec 31, 2039) plus 0.5% (levied Jan 1, 2003, expires Dec 31, 2027). Applies to transient rentals on top of the 6% state rate; platforms collect on their bookings, direct-booking hosts remit with their state sales tax return. | 1.5% | varies |
| Leon County Tourist Development Tax5% on accommodations rented for six months or less, remitted to the Leon County Tax Collector. Leon County has collection agreements with Airbnb, HomeAway/Vrbo, and TripAdvisor, which remit on hosts' behalf; hosts booking through other channels must register with the Leon County Tax Collector and remit directly. | 5% | varies |
Enforcement & penalties
No city enforcement regime exists — Tallahassee has no local STR ordinance and does not require or issue business/occupational licenses. State licensing is enforced by the Florida DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants. For the Tourist Development Tax, the owner, operator, or agent is responsible for collecting and remitting to the Leon County Tax Collector, which requires records be kept for three years for audit purposes.
No city-level STR penalties. At the state level, the DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants may impose administrative fines not to exceed $1,000 per offense (Fla. Stat. 509.261), including for operating an unlicensed vacation rental.
⚠️ HOA/condo rules may prohibit STRs regardless of city law.
Getting legal in Tallahassee: the playbook
Generated from this market's verified rules — each step traces to the sources at the bottom of this page.
- 1
Verify your zoning
Location rules apply: Tallahassee's Land Development Code contains no short-term-rental-specific zoning provisions — STRs operate in residential zones citywide with no STR overlay districts, caps, or separation requirements. Under Fla. Confirm your parcel's zoning with the city before applying — the full zoning rules are detailed above.
- 2
Check the covenant layer
HOA/condo rules may prohibit STRs regardless of city law.
- 3
Apply for the Vacation Rental – Dwelling License (Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels and Restaurants — a state license; the City of Tallahassee requires no local STR permit)
Budget $230, renewed annually. $230 total for a new single-dwelling full-year license: $170 full-year license fee + $50 application fee (new or change of ownership) + $10 Hospitality Education Program (HEP) fee. Apply through the city — the official application page is linked in the sources below.
- 4
Set up tax collection & remittance
Platforms don't collect everything here: Florida Transient Rental Tax (state sales tax) (6%), Leon County Discretionary Sales Surtax (1.5%), Leon County Tourist Development Tax (5%) are remitted by the host. Register with the taxing authority before your first booking and calendar the filing deadlines.
- 5
Calendar the renewal before you forget it
This permit renews annually (budget $230 again). Most cities take weeks to process renewals and don't send reminders — our Host plan emails you at 60/30/7 days out.
- 6
Know the cost of getting it wrong
No city-level STR penalties. At the state level, the DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants may impose administrative fines not to exceed $1,000 per offense (Fla. Full enforcement details and penalties are covered above.
Frequently asked questions
›Is Airbnb legal in Tallahassee?
Yes — Airbnb and other short-term rentals are legal in Tallahassee, FL, but you must obtain a Vacation Rental – Dwelling License (Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels and Restaurants — a state license; the City of Tallahassee requires no local STR permit) before operating. Always confirm current requirements with the city before operating.
›Do I need a permit for a short-term rental in Tallahassee?
Yes. Tallahassee requires a Vacation Rental – Dwelling License (Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels and Restaurants — a state license; the City of Tallahassee requires no local STR permit) to operate a short-term rental, which costs $230 and must be renewed annually. Always confirm current requirements with the city before operating.
›How much does a Tallahassee short-term rental permit cost?
The Vacation Rental – Dwelling License (Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels and Restaurants — a state license; the City of Tallahassee requires no local STR permit) costs $230 (annual renewal). $230 total for a new single-dwelling full-year license: $170 full-year license fee + $50 application fee (new or change of ownership) + $10 Hospitality Education Program (HEP) fee. Half-year proration available ($90 license fee; HEP fee not prorated). Multi-unit group licenses scale up to $350/year by unit-count tier. Annual renewal is $180 ($170 + $10 HEP). The City of Tallahassee itself charges nothing — it repealed its business license tax and requires no local permit.
›Can I Airbnb a non-primary residence in Tallahassee?
Yes — Tallahassee does not limit short-term rentals to primary residences. Zoning and other restrictions may still apply. Always confirm current requirements with the city before operating.
›What taxes do short-term rental hosts pay in Tallahassee?
Hosts in Tallahassee are subject to: Florida Transient Rental Tax (state sales tax) (6%), Leon County Discretionary Sales Surtax (1.5%), Leon County Tourist Development Tax (5%) — 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.
›Does Airbnb collect taxes automatically in Tallahassee?
No — in Tallahassee hosts are responsible for registering, collecting, and remitting the listed occupancy taxes themselves. Always confirm current requirements with the city before operating.
›What happens if I operate a short-term rental illegally in Tallahassee?
No city-level STR penalties. At the state level, the DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants may impose administrative fines not to exceed $1,000 per offense (Fla. See the enforcement section on this page for full details.
STR rules change without warning.
Get an email the moment Tallahassee changes its short-term rental rules — plus renewal reminders before your permit expires.
Watch Tallahassee for changes →Free monthly digest · same-day alerts from $5/mo · cancel anytime
Related
Nearby covered markets
- Panama City Beach, FLPermit required
- Walton County, FLPermit required
- Santa Rosa Beach, FLPermit required
- Destin, FLPermit required
- Jacksonville, FLPermit required
More resources
- How to get a short-term rental permit in Tallahassee
- Tallahassee short-term rental taxes explained
- Can I Airbnb in Tallahassee?
- All Florida STR laws by city
- Occupancy tax calculator
- Compare STR permit costs across cities
- STR city rankings: strictest, cheapest permits & more
- What is transient occupancy tax?
- Best STR compliance tools, compared
- Latest STR rule changes nationwide
Sources
- Florida DBPR — Guide to Vacation Rentals and Timeshare Projectsretrieved July 20, 2026
- Florida DBPR — Hotels and Restaurants Lodging Feesretrieved July 20, 2026
- Fla. Stat. 509.032 (vacation rental preemption)retrieved July 20, 2026
- Fla. Stat. 509.261 (revocation, fines)retrieved July 20, 2026
- Leon County Tax Collector — Tourist Development Taxretrieved July 20, 2026
- Florida Department of Revenue — Discretionary Sales Surtax Information (DR-15DSS)retrieved July 20, 2026
- City of Tallahassee — Start a Business (no business/occupational licenses)retrieved July 20, 2026
- City of Tallahassee Code of Ordinances (Municode)retrieved July 20, 2026
- Airbnb Help — Occupancy tax collection and remittance in Floridaretrieved July 20, 2026
This page is informational only and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Rules change and enforcement varies — verify current requirements with Tallahassee and a qualified professional before operating.