Vacation Rental License in Florida: State and County, plus City Requirements Before You List
A vacation rental license Florida short-term hosts need comes from the state, with county tax registration and, in many cities, a local permit on top. Lenders and insurers ask for all three.
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A vacation rental license Florida short-term hosts need starts with the state, adds county tax registration, and in many cities requires a local permit as well.
Lenders on short-term rental loans and insurers on transient policies ask for all of it. Our Airbnb loan page covers the financing.
The state license
The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation licenses vacation rentals.
The DBPR vacation rental page has the application.
Condo and dwelling licenses are separate categories.
Annual renewal.
Required for rentals of less than 30 days more than three times a year.
County tax registration
Register with the Florida Department of Revenue for sales tax.
Register with the county for tourist development tax.
See our guide to long-term versus short-term rentals in Florida.
Platforms collect some taxes; you file the rest.
Monthly or quarterly returns.
City permits
Florida preempts local bans but allows registration and inspection, plus regulation.
Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Hollywood, plus many others require a local certificate.
Some zones prohibit short-term rentals entirely.
Fines for unlicensed rentals are large.
Check the city before you buy.
Zoning
Residential zones in some cities exclude short-term rentals.
Others allow them with a permit and occupancy limits.
The city's zoning map and ordinance are public.
A property that cannot be licensed cannot be a short-term rental.
See our guide to out-of-state investing in Florida for remote due diligence.
Association rules
Condo and HOA documents set minimum lease terms.
See our guide to HOA and mortgage approval in Florida.
A 30-day or longer minimum ends the plan.
Associations can fine and, in some cases, evict guests.
Read the documents and the recent amendments.
Inspections
Some cities inspect for fire safety and occupancy, plus parking.
Smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, exit signage.
Pool safety barriers.
See our guide to pool financing in Florida for the barrier rule.
Reinspection at renewal.
Lenders and the license
Short-term rental DSCR lenders ask for the licence and the local permit.
See our guide to short-term rental financing in Florida.
A property that cannot be licensed is underwritten on long-term rent.
That usually breaks the DSCR.
Get the licence before or immediately after closing.
Insurance and the license
Transient occupancy insurance requires the licence.
See our guide to Florida homeowners insurance cost.
A standard landlord policy excludes short-term guests.
A claim on an unlicensed rental can be denied.
Platform host protection is not a substitute.
Homestead
Renting your homestead short-term for more than 30 days a year can void the exemption.
See our guide to the Florida homestead exemption.
Renting a room while you live there has its own limits.
The property appraiser audits platform listings.
Ask before listing.
Taxes on the income
Sales tax and tourist tax on the guest.
Income tax on the net.
See our guide to the non-homestead cap in Florida for property tax.
Furnishings depreciate faster than the building.
A tax adviser who handles short-term rentals earns the fee.
Platforms
Airbnb and Vrbo require the licence number on listings in many Florida cities.
Unlicensed listings are removed.
Platforms report to some cities.
Keep the licence current.
Direct bookings still require it.
Occupancy limits
Cities set maximum guests per bedroom or per property.
Exceeding them is a violation.
Parking limits too.
Noise ordinances apply to guests.
Fines fall on the owner.
Management companies
A manager can hold the licence for properties it operates.
You are still the owner of record for taxes and violations.
See our guide to turnkey rentals in Florida.
Read the agreement for who holds what.
Switching managers may require a new licence.
Selling a licensed rental
The licence does not transfer; the buyer applies fresh.
A property with a clean licensing history and local permit is easier to sell as a rental.
See our guide to mortgage payoff letters in Florida.
Bookings can transfer by agreement.
Disclose the rental use.
Penalties
Daily fines for unlicensed operation in many cities.
State fines from DBPR.
Tax penalties and interest for unfiled tourist tax.
Liens for unpaid fines.
The licence costs less than one violation.
The application itself
The DBPR application asks for the property address, the owner, the number of units and a designated local contact.
A local contact who can respond within an hour is required by some cities.
The fee is modest; the inspection, where required, is scheduled after.
Approval takes days to weeks depending on the city.
Keep copies of every certificate for the lender and insurer.
Renewals
State licences renew annually.
City certificates renew on their own schedule, often with a reinspection.
Tourist tax accounts stay open as long as you operate.
A lapsed licence exposes you to fines from the first night.
Put every renewal date in a calendar.
Where to start
Check the city's zoning and short-term rental ordinance for the specific address.
Read the association's lease minimum.
Then start a conversation and we will price a short-term rental loan on a property that can be licensed.