Taxes & Fees: Cape Coral vs Fort Myers
How do taxes & fees rules compare between Cape Coral, FL and Fort Myers, FL?
Cape Coral has fewer restrictions than Fort Myers.
Cape Coral, FL
Lee County
Cape Coral short-term rentals (six months or less) must pay a $350 annual city rental registration fee, the Lee County 5% Tourist Development Tax, the 6% Florida state sales tax, plus a 1.5% Lee County discretionary sales surtax. A Florida DBPR vacation rental license is also required under F.S. Chapter 509.
View full Cape Coral rules →Fort Myers, FL
Lee County
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).
View full Fort Myers rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Cape Coral | Fort Myers |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | |
| Florida State Sales Tax | - | 6.0% (FS § 212.03) |
| Lee County Discretionary Surtax | - | 0.5% (first $5,000 of sale) |
| Lee County Tourist Development Tax | - | 5.0% (administered by Lee Clerk Inspector General) |
| Combined Effective Rate | - | ~11.5% |
| Taxable Period | - | Rentals of 6 months or less (FS § 212.03) |
| Taxable Base | - | Gross rental + required cleaning/management fees |
| State Registration | - | Florida DOR Form DR-1 |
| County Registration | - | Lee County Clerk Tourist Tax Office portal |
| Filing Frequency | - | Monthly (both state and county) |
| Airbnb/VRBO | - | Auto-collect 6% state + 5% Lee TDT for platform bookings |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Cape Coral FAQ
Fort Myers FAQ
What is the total tax rate for a Fort Myers Airbnb stay?
Approximately 11.5% combined: 6.0% Florida state sales tax (FS § 212.03), 0.5% Lee County Local Government Infrastructure Surtax (applies to the first $5,000 of the sale, administered by the Florida DOR as a discretionary sales surtax), and 5.0% Lee County Tourist Development Tax (administered by the Lee County Clerk Inspector General's Tourist Tax Office). The tax stack applies to the gross rental amount including any required cleaning fees and management fees on stays of six months or less. The City of Fort Myers does not impose a separate municipal lodging tax.
Does Airbnb collect Lee County's tourist tax automatically?
Yes. Airbnb has agreements with both the Florida Department of Revenue and Lee County to automatically collect and remit the 6.0% Florida state sales tax, the 0.5% Lee County discretionary surtax, and the 5.0% Lee County Tourist Development Tax for stays booked through the Airbnb platform. VRBO operates similar agreements. However, you still must register with both the Florida DOR (Form DR-1) and the Lee County Clerk Tourist Tax Office and file returns showing platform-collected amounts. Direct-booked (off-platform) stays remain your full responsibility for the entire tax stack - if you take a booking outside Airbnb/VRBO, you collect and remit all 11.5% yourself.
How do I register and file Fort Myers vacation rental taxes?
Two separate registrations. State track: Register with the Florida Department of Revenue using Form DR-1 and file the DR-15 sales and use tax return monthly through the DOR taxpayer portal at floridarevenue.com - this covers the 6% state sales tax and the 0.5% Lee County discretionary surtax. County track: Register with the Lee County Clerk Inspector General's Tourist Tax Office at leeclerk.org/departments/inspector-general/tourist-development-tax and file the Tourist Development Tax return monthly through the county portal - this covers the 5% LCTDT. You must file returns even if Airbnb/VRBO collected the tax, showing platform-collected and direct-booked stays separately and reconciling the totals.
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