Local governments in Florida get smarter about short-term rental enforcement

In Florida, tourism is big business, and short-term rentals (STRs) are a popular accommodations option for visitors and an important source of tax revenue. They can also be quite controversial among residents when badly behaved guests cause disruption. Given all these factors, local governments are paying more attention to short-term rentals, updating regulations, focusing on enforcement, and increasing fees and fines in some cases.

Not only in Florida, but across the country, local governments are changing STR requirements as the industry and issues evolve. In March 2025, Pinellas County updated its rules with the aim of preserving quality of life in residential neighborhoods. The law, which applies to properties rented for fewer than 30 days at a time more than three days per year, requires STR operators to obtain a Certificate of Use from the county and undergo a property inspection every two years. Operators must observe rules on occupancy, parking, and noise.

Pinellas County operators must also follow lodging tax regulations. Hosts who collect rent for any living quarters for a period of six months or less are required to register with the Pinellas County Tax Collector, collect tourist development taxes from guests, and remit them to the county. STR marketplaces Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit Pinellas County lodging taxes on behalf of their Florida listings. 

Local leaders in Florida have also turned to technology to help enforce STR laws. Key Biscayne, for example, is following the lead of many local governments across the country in using software that scrapes online STR listings to identify owners who don’t comply with local rules. Key Biscayne contracts with a provider to help find STR properties in violation of the village’s 2011 law, which requires STR operators to obtain a business tax receipt and bans accommodation rentals of less than 15 days. Key Biscayne operators must also collect Miami-Dade County Convention and Tourist Taxes from guests and submit monthly returns. Airbnb and Vrbo collect lodging taxes on behalf of Miami-Dade County listings.

Meanwhile, Cape Coral recently fined an STR owner more than $30,000 for breaking local rules at three STR properties. The properties offered rentals for fewer than the seven days required by local law, and neighbors had complained about disruption, an issue that’s been brewing for years. The city fined the operator $1,500 per day for repeat violations of the seven-day minimum stay rule. Florida state law bars local governments from fining residents more than $1,000 per day for the first infraction and $5,000 per day for repeat violations. The city will continue to focus on enforcement, gathering public input via an STR advisory group led by Councilmember Jennifer Nelson-Lastra.

STR operators in Cape Coral are required to register with the city and meet health and safety standards. They must also collect Lee County tourist development tax from guests on stays of less than 184 nights. Airbnb and Vrbo collect Lee County lodging taxes for their listings when payment is made.

Local governments have also increased STR registration fees. Cocoa Beach, which requires STRs to register with the city, passed an ordinance in February 2025 that raised fees from $525 to $2,500 for a registration application and from $325 to $1,500 for renewal. Those fees were restructured in April to take into account the number of guests staying at a property. The fees also now apply to STRs in multifamily buildings — previously, these weren’t covered by registration requirements. 

Cocoa Beach also increased fines for operators who violate the rules. Those who operate an unregistered STR can be fined $250 for the first day and $500 for every subsequent day. The fine increases to $1,000 daily on the sixth day of violation.

STR operators must also register with the Brevard County Tax Collector, collect tourist development taxes from guests, and file monthly tourist development tax returns. These taxes apply to any accommodation rented for six months or less. Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit county lodging taxes on behalf of their Brevard County listings. Operators are responsible for lodging tax compliance if marketplaces don’t do it for them.

Walton County also increased its STR registration fees to offset costs, effective February 1, 2025. Previously, the annual registration fee for individual applicants was $125; now it’s $300. Walton County’s fees are still lower than fees in nearby counties — Okaloosa County, for example, charges $500 for registration. Walton County uses software to find noncompliant STRs and has been cracking down on violators. The county can fine STR owners $500 per day, plus an administrative fee of $100, for operating without registration.

In addition to registration, Walton County STR operators are also required to collect county tourist development tax and file monthly returns. Neither Airbnb nor Vrbo collect Walton County lodging taxes for their listings; operators are responsible for lodging tax compliance.

Florida STR operators are required to comply with state lodging tax requirements, including obtaining a state business license, registering for a state tax certificate, and collecting and remitting state-administered lodging taxes when they receive payments directly from guests. STR marketplaces Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit state lodging taxes on behalf of their Florida listings. 

Avalara MyLodgeTax can help STR hosts automate and simplify lodging tax compliance on the local and state level, including tax registration and filing. For more on vacation rental lodging taxes in Florida, see our state vacation rental tax guide. If you have tax questions related to vacation rental properties, drop us a line and we’ll get back to you with answers.