Do I need a license to rent my property on Airbnb in Florida?

In most cases yes: if you rent an entire house, townhouse or condo unit more than three times in a calendar year for stays shorter than 30 days or one calendar month, or advertise it as regularly rented to guests, Florida treats it as a vacation rental that must be licensed by the DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants before you start operating. Renting a single room inside your unit, or renting for 30 days or longer without advertising shorter stays, generally falls outside that state license, although tax and local rules can still apply. Renting a whole unit more than three times a year for stays under 30 days (or one calendar month) generally requires a DBPR vacation rental license. Condo units use the Vacation Rental–Condominium license; houses, townhouses and two- to four-unit buildings use Vacation Rental–Dwelling. As of 2026, a single-unit license is $170 for a full year plus a $50 application fee and $10 HEP fee for new applicants. The state license does not replace state and county tax registration or any city registration program. Check your condo or HOA documents and your city's rules before you list.

Do You Need a Vacation Rental License in Florida?

When does a Florida rental count as a vacation rental?

Chapter 509 of the Florida Statutes calls a property a transient public lodging establishment when it is rented to guests more than three times in a calendar year for stays of less than 30 days or one calendar month, whichever is less, or when it is advertised or held out to the public as a place regularly rented to guests.

A vacation rental is a condominium or cooperative unit, or a one- to four-family house or dwelling unit, that meets that transient definition and is not a timeshare project. Section 509.241 says each public lodging establishment must apply for and receive a license from the division before it begins operating.[1][2][3]

Which license type fits your property?

DBPR issues a Vacation Rental–Condominium license for condo and co-op units and a Vacation Rental–Dwelling license for a single-family house, townhouse, duplex, triplex or quadruplex. A Single license covers one owner's property; Group and Collective licenses are issued to a licensed agent, and a Collective license is limited to 75 units in counties within one district.

DBPR notes that a licensed agent here means a management operator the owner authorizes to rent the property on a transient basis, not a holder of a real estate license. Broward and Palm Beach are in DBPR District 2, where licenses renew December 1 and the half-year fee date is June 1.[4]

What does it cost and how do you apply?

As listed in DBPR's guide (checked in 2026), a new application costs a $50 application fee plus a $10 HEP fee plus the license fee; for a single unit the license fee is $170 for a full year or $90 for a half year. You apply online through a DBPR Online Services account, and DBPR says online applications are usually processed in one to two business days.

Once licensed, you must display the license, keep smoke detectors in every unit, and report address or unit changes online within 30 days. Buildings of three or more stories need a Certificate of Balcony Inspection filed every three years unless the balconies and stairs are condominium common elements.[4][3]

Is the state license the only requirement?

No. You must also register with the Florida Department of Revenue to collect transient rental tax and handle the county tourist development tax, and some cities run their own registration programs. Fort Lauderdale, for example, requires the DBPR license, state and county tax registrations and a county business tax receipt before it accepts a city application.

Condo and HOA documents can also limit rentals, so read your association's rules before listing the property.[5][6]

Key takeaways

Renting a whole unit more than three times a year for stays under 30 days (or one calendar month) generally requires a DBPR vacation rental license.
Condo units use the Vacation Rental–Condominium license; houses, townhouses and two- to four-unit buildings use Vacation Rental–Dwelling.
As of 2026, a single-unit license is $170 for a full year plus a $50 application fee and $10 HEP fee for new applicants.
The state license does not replace state and county tax registration or any city registration program.
Check your condo or HOA documents and your city's rules before you list.

Sources

Reviewed October 11, 2026. General real-estate information for Florida, not legal, tax, lending or insurance advice. Laws, rates and deadlines change — confirm property-specific facts with the agency cited, a Florida real-estate attorney, CPA or licensed insurance agent.