The government of Florida requires by law to obtain a vacation rental license from the division before commencing operation.
Once you have your inscription number (Rental License number), it must be included in all advertising you do for the property. Failure to include your inscription in your advertising could lead to fines for both owner and advertising channel.
Who should apply?
It is mandatory for all property managers that want to operate a public lodging establishment in Florida, to obtain a vacation rental license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants.
“Vacation rental” is defined as any unit or group of units in a condominium, cooperative or any individually or collectively owned single-family, two-family, three-family, or four-family house or dwelling unit that is also a transient public lodging establishment but that is not a timeshare project. [§ 509.242(1)(c), Florida Statutes (FS)]
Specific rules for Florida
In order to successfully apply for a vacation rental license, certain items need to be completed and attached before submitting the application:
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Beverage License (if applicable)
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Florida Sales Tax Number or proof of exemption
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Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)
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Social Security Number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
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Completed form DBPR HR-7028, Application for Vacation Rental or Timeshare Project License
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A list of all units to be licensed’
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Completed form DBPR HR-7020, Certificate of Balcony Inspection
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Appropriate Fees
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Mail Applications and Fees
Read more information on licenses for Public Lodging Establishments here.
The application for the vacation rental license can be found here.
Please note that regulations can easily change. We advise you to check the official pages of your local municipality in order to have the most updated information.