8 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 5 cities in Palm Beach County, Florida.
Verified from official government sources
Short-term rentals in unincorporated Palm Beach County require a State of Florida DBPR Vacation Rental license under FL §509.032, registration with the PBC Tourist Development Council for tax purposes, and a county Business Tax Receipt. State preemption under FL §509.032 prohibits the County from banning STRs but allows reasonable safety regulation.
Fla. Stat. § 509.032(7)
(7)  PREEMPTION AUTHORITY. — (a)  The regulation of public lodging establishments and public food service establishments, including, but not limited to, sanitation standards, inspections, training and testing of personnel, and matters related to the nutritional content and marketing of foods offered in such establishments, is preempted to the state. This paragraph does not ...
STR operators in unincorporated Palm Beach County must comply with PBC Code Chapter 14 noise ordinance. Quiet hours are 10 PM to 7 AM with stricter limits on amplified sound. Repeat noise violations at an STR can trigger enhanced enforcement under SB 280 (2024) including fines on the operator.
STRs in Palm Beach County must collect Florida State Sales Tax (6 percent) plus PBC Tourist Development Tax (7 percent) for a total of 13 percent on stays of 6 months or less. TDT is collected and remitted to the PBC Tax Collector monthly. Airbnb and Vrbo collect both taxes automatically for most listings.
STRs in unincorporated Palm Beach County must provide off-street parking sufficient for permitted occupancy and may not allow guest vehicles to block sidewalks, swales, or fire lanes. PBC enforces under ULDC Article 6 parking standards and Code Chapter 26 right-of-way rules.
PBC follows the FL DBPR standard of 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 additional, consistent with HUD guidelines. Maximum occupancy must be posted inside the unit. Local occupancy caps below the state standard are preempted under FL §509.032 for STRs.
Florida law does not mandate a specific insurance amount for vacation rentals, but PBC requires proof of liability insurance with the BTR application. Industry standard is $1 million liability minimum. Standard homeowners policies typically exclude commercial STR activity.
Palm Beach County has not imposed minimum night stay requirements on STRs in unincorporated areas. Minimum stay caps are preempted by FL §509.032 for the County, though incorporated cities (Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Delray Beach) and HOAs commonly impose 7 to 30 day minimums.
Fla. Stat. § 509.032(7)(b)–(c)
(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. (c)  Paragraph (b) does not apply to any local law, ordinance, or regulation exclusively relating to property valuation as a crit...
SB 280 (2024) authorizes Florida counties and cities to require STR registration. Palm Beach County requires Tourist Development Tax account registration with the Tax Collector and a Business Tax Receipt. A formal county-wide STR registry has not yet been adopted in unincorporated PBC, but several incorporated cities have done so.
5 cities in Palm Beach County have their own short-term rentals rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
8 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Night Caps
8 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Night Caps
8 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Night Caps
8 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Night Caps
8 verified rules • Insurance Requirements, Night Caps
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