Short-Term Rentals in Lee County, FL (2026)

3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Lee County, Florida.

Verified from official government sources

Note: These county rules apply to unincorporated areas of Lee County. If you live within an incorporated city, that city's own rules apply: see the city list below.

Short-Term Rental Permits

The Lee County code contains no vacation-rental operating permit. What the county does impose is the tourist development tax: anyone renting living quarters for a term of six months or less must collect it and remit it to the Clerk of Court.

Short-Term Rental Permits in Lee County

Some Restrictions

Lee County Code of Ordinances Secs. 26-181, 26-185 (Tourist Development (Bed) Tax)

A local law, ordinance, or regulation may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate the duration or frequency of rental of vacation rentals. This paragraph does not apply to any local law, ordinance, or regulation adopted on or before June 1, 2011.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Night Caps

Most of unincorporated Lee County's code sets no cap on how many nights you may rent. Captiva Island is the exception: on RSC-2 lots, Section 33-1626 bars renting or leasing for periods of less than seven days.

Minimum Rental Stays in Lee County: the Captiva Seven-Day Rule

Some Restrictions

Lee County Land Development Code § 33-1626(c)(3); § 34-2 (transient guest); § 2-427(a)(1)

A local law, ordinance, or regulation may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate the duration or frequency of rental of vacation rentals. This paragraph does not apply to any local law, ordinance, or regulation adopted on or before June 1, 2011.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Primary-Residence-Only Rule

Unincorporated Lee County's code does not require a short-term rental to be your primary residence. The one owner-occupancy rule in the Land Development Code applies to bed and breakfast establishments, which must be owner-occupied unless approved inside a PRFPD.

Owner-Occupancy Rules for Lee County Rentals

Some Restrictions

Lee County Land Development Code § 34-2 (bed and breakfast establishment); § 34-1493(b)(1)

A local law, ordinance, or regulation may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate the duration or frequency of rental of vacation rentals. This paragraph does not apply to any local law, ordinance, or regulation adopted on or before June 1, 2011.

Full ordinance details →Official source ↗

Short-Term Rentals by City in Lee County

1 cities in Lee County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.

Cape CoralPop. 194,016

2 verified rules • Short-Term Rental Parking Rules, Short-Term Rental Permits

All Lee County ordinances

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