Unincorporated Bay County has no general registration for long-term residential rentals, and Fla. Stat. 83.425 preempts local tenancy regulation. Registration and licensing fall mainly on short-term vacation rentals, which need a state DBPR license and a county Tourist Development Tax account.
There is no countywide registration or annual license for ordinary long-term residential landlords in unincorporated Bay County. Since 2023, Fla. Stat. 83.425 preempts local governments from regulating residential tenancies, application fees, and tenant screening, which limits any local long-term rental-registration scheme. The heavy lift falls on short-term vacation rentals (stays six months or less), which dominate the Panama City Beach market: hosts need a Florida DBPR transient public-lodging license and must register for Tourist Development Tax with the Bay County Clerk of Court. Panama City Beach runs its own vacation-rental program with local registration and life-safety inspections inside city limits. All units must still meet the Florida Building Code and fire-safety standards.
Operating a short-term vacation rental without a DBPR license or Tourist Development Tax account draws state and county enforcement, back taxes, penalties, and interest. Long-term rentals face standard code-enforcement action for safety violations.
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