Host Presence Rule: Cape Coral vs Fort Myers

Do I have to be on-site when guests stay at my Fort Myers Airbnb?

No. The City of Fort Myers does not require the host, owner, or property manager to be on-site during a short-term rental. Florida Statute § 509.032(7)(b) preempts the city from imposing an STR-specific host-presence mandate. Unhosted whole-home rentals and room-by-room rentals are both permitted in Fort Myers as long as you hold the Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling or Condo license, the City of Fort Myers Local Business Tax Receipt, the Lee County BTR, and remit the required taxes. Note that Fort Myers Beach (a separate municipality) DOES require a local property manager - that rule does not apply inside the City of Fort Myers proper.

Should I designate a local contact even though Fort Myers doesn't require one?

Yes - designating a local responsible party is commercial best practice even though the City of Fort Myers does not require it. Reasons: (1) HOA or condo association rules may require a local contact as a condition of STR use, enforceable by the association; (2) commercial STR insurance policies and homeowner's endorsements may require a local responsible party as a coverage condition, with claim denials possible if no responsible party was available; (3) platform terms (Airbnb's Neighborhood Support Line, VRBO's host responsiveness standards) effectively require operator availability, with delisting risk for non-responsive hosts; (4) nuisance abatement actions under FS § 60.05 are easier to support when an STR operates as an unstaffed party house, so having a local contact reduces enforcement exposure.

Can corporate or out-of-state owners operate STRs in Fort Myers?

Yes. Because the City of Fort Myers cannot impose STR-specific eligibility requirements (preempted by FS § 509.032(7)(b)), corporate, LLC, and out-of-state owners may operate STRs in Fort Myers on the same terms as resident owners. The operator must hold the Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling or Condo license, the City of Fort Myers Local Business Tax Receipt, the Lee County BTR, and remit the required taxes. Generally-applicable zoning, building, fire, noise, parking, and nuisance ordinances apply to corporate-owned STRs on the same terms as any other property. Out-of-state operators in particular should designate a local responsible party for complaint-response reasons even though the city does not require it.