Palm Coast, FL Short-Term Rentals: Parking Rules (2026)

Unlike many Florida cities where STR-specific parking rules would be preempted by FS § 509.032(7)(b), Palm Coast was able to codify the Section 17-68 parking rules in Ordinance 2025-01 because the 2023 amendments to FS § 509.032 permit operational standards for vacation rentals (parking management being functionally a public-safety and neighbor-protection standard rather than a frequency or duration regulation). The Section 17-68 framework establishes three concrete rules. Rule one: all vehicles associated with the short-term rental shall only be parked within the property's driveway. This applies to the operator's vehicle, the Responsible Party's vehicle when present, and (most critically) all guest vehicles. There is no allowance for overflow on-lawn parking even temporarily; guest vehicles that do not fit in the driveway must park elsewhere off the property entirely (legally on the street if not in a restricted area, or in an off-site parking facility). Rule two: parking on the lawn or street is prohibited at any time. The lawn prohibition is absolute; the street prohibition specifically targets the lot frontage and operates in conjunction with the swale rule. Rule three: parking is prohibited in the first 15 feet from the edge of pavement (the swale area, which is the city-owned strip of grass and infrastructure between the pavement edge and the property line) between 1:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. - a 5-hour overnight swale restriction. The swale rule mirrors Palm Coast's broader citywide swale parking restriction but is now specifically enforceable against STR operators through Section 17-68 in addition to the citywide rule. Rule four (implied from citywide code): recreational vehicles, boats, and trailers have additional residential-storage restrictions and cannot be parked in front of the dwelling except for temporary loading or cleaning. The Sample Lease Agreement required under Section 17-68(A)(2) must inform guests of all parking rules. The Responsible Party (up to three individuals named on the registration) is expected to manage parking compliance; persistent guest-parking violations can be attributed to the Responsible Party's failure to manage and become grounds for graduated fines and city STR registration non-renewal. Practical guidance: operators should disclose driveway capacity (typically 2-4 vehicles depending on driveway length) in the listing and on the lease, decline bookings that would exceed the driveway capacity, and instruct guests not to park on the lawn even for temporary loading/unloading - the lawn prohibition is absolute under Section 17-68.