Short-Term Rentals in Fort Myers, FL (2026)

10 verified short-term rentals rules for Fort Myers, Florida, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.

Verified from official government sources

Permit Requirements

The City of Fort Myers does not operate a standalone short-term rental (STR) registration or permit program. Florida Statute § 509.032(7)(b) preempts local governments from prohibiting vacation rentals, regulating their duration or frequency, or requiring a separate vacation rental license unless an ordinance was adopted on or before June 1, 2011 (the 'grandfather' clause). Fort Myers did not adopt an STR-specific ordinance before that date, so the city cannot require a vacation rental license that singles out STRs. STR operators inside Fort Myers city limits must instead hold (1) a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling or Condo license (state, mandatory if rented more than 3 times per year for periods less than 30 days), (2) a City of Fort Myers Local Business Tax Receipt under Code of Ordinances Chapter 82, and (3) a Lee County Local Business Tax Receipt. STRs must also follow the same generally-applicable zoning, building, fire, noise, parking, and nuisance ordinances that apply to all residential properties; the city retains authority over those generally-applicable rules under SB 280's veto and the surviving 2011 framework.

City of Fort Myers Has No Standalone STR Permit; FS § 509.032(7) Preempts Local Vacation Rental Licensing — State DBPR License and City Business Tax Receipt Apply

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Noise Rules

The City of Fort Myers does not impose STR-specific noise rules; STR guests are subject to the same citywide noise ordinance that applies to every other resident, codified in Code of Ordinances Chapter 54 (Nuisances), Article V (Noise). The general standard for residential areas is 11:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. quiet hours, during which plainly audible noise (amplified music, loud parties, machinery) from a residence is prohibited. Decibel-based maximum sound levels also apply by zone classification and time of day. STR operators bear the practical responsibility to manage guest behavior because complaints route to Fort Myers Code Enforcement and Police, and repeated violations can support nuisance abatement actions independent of any STR-specific rule.

Fort Myers STR Guests Subject to Citywide Noise Ordinance (Code Chapter 54, Article V); 11 p.m.-7 a.m. Residential Quiet Hours

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Taxes & Fees

Short-term rentals in Fort Myers collect a combined ~11.5% in state, county, and tourist taxes on stays of 6 months or less. The stack is: 6.0% Florida state transient rental sales tax (FS § 212.03), 0.5% Lee County Local Government Infrastructure Surtax (discretionary sales surtax administered by the Florida Department of Revenue, applies to the first $5,000 of the rental), and 5.0% Lee County Tourist Development Tax (LCTDT, administered by the Lee County Clerk Inspector General's Tourist Tax Office). The 5% TDT and the state tax apply to the gross rental amount including required cleaning fees and management fees. Airbnb and VRBO automatically collect the 6% state sales tax and the 5% Lee County TDT for platform-booked stays; off-platform/direct bookings remain the operator's full responsibility. Operators must register separately with the Florida DOR and Lee County Clerk and file returns monthly (in most cases).

Fort Myers STR Tax Stack: 6% Florida State Sales Tax + 0.5% Lee County Discretionary Surtax + 5% Lee County Tourist Development Tax = 11.5% Combined on Stays of 6 Months or Less

Heavy Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Parking Rules

The City of Fort Myers does not impose an STR-specific off-street parking ratio - doing so would conflict with FS § 509.032(7)(b) preemption against STR-only regulations. Parking obligations for an STR are inherited from the underlying dwelling under the City of Fort Myers Land Development Code (residential off-street parking minimums apply to all dwellings, with STR overlay not changing the ratio). STR guests must comply with the citywide on-street parking rules in the Code of Ordinances (no blocking driveways, fire hydrants, sidewalks, intersections; no parking against the flow of traffic; no overnight parking where posted; RV/trailer storage limits apply). Operators are practically responsible for disclosing on-site parking capacity to guests and managing guest vehicles to avoid neighbor complaints and code enforcement referrals.

No STR-Specific Parking Rule in Fort Myers (Preempted); Parking Inherited From Land Development Code and Citywide Traffic Code

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Occupancy Limits

The City of Fort Myers does not codify an STR-specific occupancy cap (e.g., 'two per bedroom plus two'). Florida's 2023 legislative session amended FS § 509.032 to permit local governments to impose maximum occupancy limits on vacation rentals (the lesser of two persons per bedroom or one person per 50 square feet of accommodation space, with limits for single-family residential zones), but the City of Fort Myers has not enacted such an ordinance. Occupancy at an STR is therefore governed by (1) the Florida Building Code minimum bedroom/egress standards (each room used for sleeping must have proper egress, smoke detectors, etc.), (2) the Florida Fire Prevention Code occupant-load rules for the structure, and (3) any maximum occupancy posted on the operator's DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling license application. Operators commonly self-impose 'two per bedroom plus two' caps as platform best practice.

Fort Myers Does Not Cap STR Occupancy (Preempted Pre-2023); 2023 FL Law Allows Occupancy Caps but City Has Not Adopted

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Insurance Requirements

The City of Fort Myers does not require short-term rental operators to carry a minimum liability insurance policy - a city-specific STR insurance mandate would conflict with FS § 509.032(7)(b) preemption. Florida state law (FS § 509.241 et seq., DBPR Vacation Rental licensing) similarly does not impose a state-mandated minimum liability insurance level for vacation rentals. Insurance for a Fort Myers STR is therefore governed by (1) the operator's mortgage or HOA/condo association requirements (which often require landlord/short-term-rental coverage), (2) commercial-prudence standards (most operators carry $300,000-$1,000,000 in liability through a commercial STR policy or homeowner's endorsement), and (3) platform-provided host protection (Airbnb's AirCover up to $1M, VRBO's liability coverage). Standard homeowner's policies typically EXCLUDE business activity and do not cover STR claims.

Fort Myers Does Not Mandate STR Insurance (Preempted); Florida Statute Requires DBPR Licensure but No State Insurance Minimum

Few Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Night Caps

The City of Fort Myers does not impose an annual cap on the number of rental nights a short-term rental may host. Florida Statute § 509.032(7)(b) expressly prohibits local governments from regulating the duration or frequency of vacation rentals unless an ordinance was adopted on or before June 1, 2011 (the grandfather clause). Fort Myers did not adopt any pre-2011 STR night-cap ordinance, so the city is preempted from enacting one now. A licensed Fort Myers STR may operate up to 365 nights per year as long as the operator maintains the Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling/Condo license, the City of Fort Myers Local Business Tax Receipt, the Lee County Local Business Tax Receipt, and all generally-applicable tax, zoning, building, fire, noise, and nuisance compliance.

No Annual Night Cap on Fort Myers STRs (Preempted); FS § 509.032(7)(b) Prohibits Cities From Regulating STR Frequency or Duration

Few Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Registration Rules

Registering a short-term rental in Fort Myers is a multi-track process at the state, city, and county level - the City of Fort Myers itself does NOT operate a standalone STR registration program (preempted by FS § 509.032(7)(b)). The required registrations are: (1) Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling or Condo license (state, approximately $170/year + $50 application, expires October 1), (2) Florida Department of Revenue sales tax account (Form DR-1) for the 6% state sales tax and 0.5% Lee County discretionary surtax, (3) Lee County Clerk Tourist Tax Office registration for the 5% Lee Tourist Development Tax, (4) City of Fort Myers Local Business Tax Receipt under Code of Ordinances Chapter 82 (at 1825 Hendry St, Suite 101, renewed July 1-September 30 annually), and (5) Lee County Local Business Tax Receipt from the Lee County Tax Collector.

Fort Myers STR Registration: Florida DBPR Vacation Rental License + City of Fort Myers Local Business Tax Receipt + Lee County BTR + State/County Tax Registrations

Some Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Host Presence Rule

The City of Fort Myers does not require a host, owner, or property manager to be on-site during a short-term rental - a host-presence mandate would conflict with FS § 509.032(7)(b) preemption against STR-specific operational restrictions. Unhosted whole-home STRs are permitted in Fort Myers as long as the operator holds the Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling or Condo license, the city/county Business Tax Receipts, and remits the required taxes. Florida DBPR rules and prudent platform practice both encourage operators to designate a local responsible party (often called a 'local contact' or 'property manager') who can respond to guest issues and neighbor complaints, but the city cannot mandate this. Fort Myers Beach (separate municipality) does require a local property manager - that rule does NOT apply inside the City of Fort Myers.

No Host-Presence Requirement in Fort Myers (Preempted); Unhosted Whole-Home Rentals Permitted Subject to DBPR Licensing

Few Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

The City of Fort Myers does not require a short-term rental to be the operator's primary residence - a primary-residence-only restriction would conflict with FS § 509.032(7)(b) preemption against STR-specific eligibility rules. Investment-property STRs, second-home STRs, corporate/LLC-owned STRs, and out-of-state owner STRs are all permitted in Fort Myers as long as the operator holds the Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling or Condo license, the City of Fort Myers Local Business Tax Receipt, the Lee County BTR, and remits the required state and county taxes. The post-2023 amendments to FS § 509.032 permit local governments to impose certain operational standards (responsible-party contact, posted maximum occupancy) but do NOT authorize a primary-residence-only restriction.

No Primary-Residence Requirement in Fort Myers (Preempted); Investment-Property and Corporate-Owned STRs Permitted

Few Restrictions

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Looking for Lee County county-wide rules?

County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Fort Myers city rules.

Short-Term Rentals in Lee County →