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Flagler County, FL Short-Term Rentals: Occupancy Limits (2026)

Some Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Single/two-family districts cap
10 occupants per unit
Other/multi-family districts cap
16 transient occupants per unit
Square-footage formula
1 person per 150 sq ft living space
Parking requirement
1 space per 3 transient occupants
On-street parking
Not permitted for STR guests

Summary

Flagler County caps short-term vacation rental occupancy at ten transient occupants in single-family and two-family zoning districts, and sixteen in all other zoning districts, whichever formula (square footage, septic permit, or bedroom count) yields the lower number first. Parking and trash requirements scale with that occupancy figure, and the rule applies only east of U.S. Highway 1 in the unincorporated county.

City-specific rules exist: Palm Coast has its own occupancy limits rules that differ from Flagler County's county-level regulations. If you live in Palm Coast, check the city-specific page instead.

2.Maximum occupancy. The following specific site considerations in subsections a., b., and c. shall limit any short-term vacation rental occupancy to whichever is less, but not to exceed the permitted maximums provided in subsections d. or e., as applicable, below:a.One (1) person per one hundred fifty (150) gross square feet of permitted, conditioned living space; or ... d.In the R-1, R-1b, R-1c, R-1d, R-2, MH-1, MH-2, and R/C zoning districts and any PUD development or specific portion thereof developed as a single- or two-family neighborhood, the maximum occupancy shall be limited to ten (10) occupants per short-term vacation rental unit.e.In all other zoning districts and developments predominantly developed with greater than two-family dwelling units, the maximum occupancy shall be limited to sixteen (16) transient occupants per short-term vacation rental unit.

Full Breakdown

14(C)(2) of the Land Development Code layers three occupancy tests and takes whichever produces the lowest number: one person per 150 gross square feet of conditioned living space, whatever a Health Department septic permit allows, and two persons per qualifying sleeping room plus two more in a common area. That figure is then capped at a hard ceiling depending on zoning: ten occupants in the R-1, R-1b, R-1c, R-1d, R-2, MH-1, MH-2 and R/C districts and in PUDs developed as single- or two-family neighborhoods, or sixteen transient occupants in all other zoning districts and in developments predominantly built with more than two-family units.

14(C)(4) requires one lidded, animal-proof container of at least 35 gallons per four transient occupants, placed curbside on pickup day and pulled back in by the following sunrise. 14(C)(10).

Violations & Fines

Exceeding the certified occupancy, or advertising a higher figure than the certificate allows, is a violation of Section 3.06.14 subject to the progressive enforcement in subsection K: a warning with a correction period for a first offense, then a civil citation with fines set by county resolution for repeat violations, with each day of noncompliance treated as a separate offense and Chapter 162, Florida Statutes enforcement available in addition to citation.

Frequently Asked Questions

How is the maximum occupancy actually calculated?
The county runs three tests, the square-footage formula, the septic permit's approved occupancy, and the sleeping-room count, and applies whichever produces the lowest number. That result is then capped at 10 occupants in single- and two-family zoning districts or 16 in all other zoning districts, so the district cap can override a higher number from the other formulas.
Do parking rules change with a bigger rental?
Yes. Section 3.06.14(C)(3) ties off-street parking directly to the certified occupancy at a ratio of one space per three transient occupants, and guests cannot park on the street at all, so a unit certified for 16 occupants needs roughly six off-street spaces to match.
Can a property advertise more guests than its certificate allows?
No. Section 3.06.14(C)(10) requires that any advertising conform to the occupancy shown on the property's Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate, and advertising a higher number is treated as a violation subject to the section's warning-then-citation enforcement process.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in Flagler County

All Flagler County rules

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