6 rules for unincorporated Okaloosa County, Florida.
Verified from official government sources
Florida preempts local vacation-rental bans under Fla. Stat. 509.032(7), so Okaloosa County cannot prohibit STRs or cap their duration or frequency. Hosts need a state DBPR license; only grandfathered Okaloosa Island B-1 areas prohibit rentals.
Fla. Stat. § 509.032(7)(b)
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.
Okaloosa County has no rental-specific noise code; short-term-rental guests follow the same Land Development Code Chapter 9 limits as residents, including the 60/55 dBA caps and the overnight ban on disturbing sound.
Okaloosa County Code (LDC) § 9.02.03(2)(a)
No person shall make, or cause, suffer, allow, or permit to be made any unreasonably loud, disturbing, and unnecessary noise, or noises or such character, intensity or duration as to be detrimental to the health of any individual.
A short-term rental in Okaloosa County owes 6% Florida state sales tax plus a 6% county Tourist Development Tax on stays of six months or less, roughly 12% total, remitted to the Clerk of Court.
Fla. Stat. § 212.03(1)(a)
For the exercise of such taxable privilege, a tax is hereby levied in an amount equal to 6 percent of and on the total rental charged for such living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations by the person charging or collecting the rental.
Florida lets Okaloosa County regulate short-term-rental parking, and the county lists parking among the aspects it may control, but it has adopted no countywide STR parking mandate. Florida sets no statewide time limit.
Okaloosa County Growth Management, Regulation of Short-Term Rentals
Regulate parking, solid waste, evacuations, etc.
Okaloosa County limits the number of guests allowed in short-term rental properties. Occupancy caps are typically based on bedroom count or square footage to protect neighborhood quality of life.
Okaloosa County may require hosts to carry liability insurance for short-term rental properties. Minimum coverage amounts vary by jurisdiction.
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