Florida short-term rental regulations by county

No. Florida Statute 509.032(7)(b) preempts local governments from prohibiting vacation rentals or regulating how often or how long a property may be rented. What counties and cities do keep is control over zoning, registration, permits, occupancy limits, parking and noise, which is why the practical rules differ so much between neighbouring counties.

Yes, in most cases. If you rent for periods under 30 days more than three times a year you need a DBPR vacation rental licence at state level, plus a Florida sales tax registration, plus whatever registration your county or city requires. The three are separate filings with separate renewal dates.

No. State preemption binds local government, not private associations. An HOA or condo declaration can impose a six-month minimum stay and enforce it with fines even where county rules would allow nightly rentals. This is the single most common reason an otherwise sound short-term rental model fails after closing.

State sales tax of 6% plus any county discretionary surtax, plus the county tourist development tax. Combined rates typically land near 12% to 13% in the major rental counties. Platforms collect some of these automatically and not others, and the split varies by county, so confirm which portion you remain liable to remit yourself.

Orange, Osceola and Polk counties have permitted whole-home vacation rentals in designated areas for decades and remain the most established markets, which is why the Orlando resort-community corridor is built around them. By contrast the City of Orlando itself restricts short-term rentals tightly, requiring host presence during stays. County and city rules are not interchangeable.