Cape Coral, FL Rental Property Rules: Rental Registration (2026)

Cape Coral Code of Ordinances § 12-129, adopted by Ord. 24-21 on March 17, 2021 and amended by Ord. 53-25 on September 17, 2025, requires the owner of any residential rental property in Cape Coral, defined broadly to include condominiums, single-family homes, and multi-family dwellings, but not federal or state housing units, hotels, motels, or licensed community residential facilities, to register the property with the City Clerk's Department on city forms or through the online registration portal. Subsection (c)(2) requires the registration to list the owner's legal name, a mailing address, email, and phone number for whoever is responsible for responding to nuisances, code violations, and emergencies at the property.

Subsection (c)(3) gives the owner 30 days to update that contact information after any change, and a new owner 30 days from a transfer of ownership to register in their own name. Subsection (c)(4) requires an annual registration fee at registration and again on each anniversary date, with separate fee schedules for long term and short term rental property set by City Council resolution rather than fixed in the code itself; owners of multiple units under common ownership on one parcel may register and pay under a single registration. A late fee set by resolution applies if the owner misses the 30-day renewal window.