Florida law limits how far cities can go against vacation rentals, but South Florida still has some of the strictest rules in the state, and many condo associations ban short stays outright. Before you buy a property to run on Airbnb or Vrbo, check the rules for that exact address and building.
What state law allows
- No new outright bans. Florida law bars cities and counties from prohibiting vacation rentals or regulating how long or how often they are rented, unless the rule was adopted on or before June 1, 2011. Rules from before that date still stand.
- Registration and safety rules are allowed. Cities can require registration, inspections, occupancy limits and parking rules, as long as they apply to all homes alike.
- A state license and taxes. Every vacation rental needs a license from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and must collect state sales tax and county tourist taxes.
Miami Beach
Miami Beach’s rules predate the 2011 cutoff, so the city can enforce them. Short-term rentals are banned in single-family homes and in most residential districts, and allowed only in certain zones. Fines for illegal rentals are steep and rise with each violation.
City of Miami
Short-term rentals are allowed only where the Miami 21 zoning code permits them, and the operator needs a certificate of use and a business tax receipt from the city, on top of the state license. Many single-family neighborhoods do not allow them.
Fort Lauderdale and Broward
Fort Lauderdale requires each vacation rental to register with the city, pass an inspection and meet occupancy and parking limits. Hollywood and other Broward cities have their own registration programs.
Condo and HOA rules
Many condo declarations and HOA covenants ban rentals shorter than a set minimum, often 30 days to six months, or limit how many times a year a unit can be leased. Under Florida law, a new amendment restricting rentals generally binds only owners who vote for it and owners who buy after it passes, so a buyer is bound by it. Read the documents before you make an offer.
How we underwrite
Because so many addresses cannot legally host short stays, we generally size a DSCR rental loan on long-term market rent. A deal that only works as a short-term rental carries extra risk in South Florida.
Common questions
In the City of Miami, only where the zoning permits them and with a certificate of use, a business tax receipt and a state license. In Miami Beach they are banned in single-family homes and most residential districts.
Yes. Condo declarations can restrict rentals, and a new restriction binds owners who buy after it passes.
Generally we use long-term rent in South Florida. Ask us about a specific address.