Collier County, FL Short-Term Rentals: Short-Term Rental Permits (2026)
Short-term rental permit rules in Collier County, FL, also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration, list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Key Facts
- Registration required with
- Florida DBPR and Collier Tax Collector
- County document
- Registration Certificate per rental unit
- Change-of-contact deadline
- 10 business days
- Advertising rule
- Must show Rental Registration Number
- Max fine
- $500 per violation per day
- Exempt owners
- Not required to register with state DBPR
Summary
Before renting a home short-term in unincorporated Collier County, the owner must register with the state and the county tax collector and obtain a county Short-Term Vacation Rental Registration Certificate for each unit, under Code Sec. 26-384. Skipping the certificate draws a fine of up to $500 per day under Sec. 26-385.
Prior to commencing any Short-Term Vacation Rental, it is the affirmative duty of the Owner to: 1.Register with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Collier County Tax Collector.2.Obtain a Collier County Registration Certificate for each Short-Term Vacation Rental unit owned. The Certificate must identify that unit's Designated Responsible Party and current contact information. The Owner must notify the County in writing of any changes in ownership or of the Designated Responsible Party within ten (10) business days of such change. ... 7.Include the Collier County Rental Registration Number of the Short-Term Vacation Rental unit in all advertising of the availability of accommodations for the Short-Term Vacation Rental unit. Advertising includes, but is not limited to, print, radio, video, online, social media, and sharing economy platforms.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 126 | Land Development Code: Supplement 33).
Full Breakdown
The Collier County Short-Term Vacation Rental Registration Ordinance (Ord. No. 2021-45) requires an owner to complete several steps before ever renting a unit for six months or less. Sec. 26-384(1) requires registering with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation and the Collier County Tax Collector. Sec. 26-384(2) then requires the owner to obtain a county Registration Certificate for each individual rental unit, naming that unit's Designated Responsible Party, a person at least 18 who is authorized to accept county citations and notices of violation on the owner's behalf; any change of ownership or of the Designated Responsible Party must be reported to the county in writing within ten business days.
Sec. 26-384(3) requires the owner to tell every guest, before they move in, which county ordinances apply, including noise, parking and garbage rules. Sec. 26-384(7) requires the county-issued Rental Registration Number to appear in all advertising for the unit, on any platform: print, radio, social media or a sharing-economy site such as a booking app. The definitions in Sec. ch. 0104(3)(a). Sec. 26-382 states the county's reason for the ordinance: absentee owners were not remitting required taxes and fees, and neighbors had no one to call about noise, trash or parking problems.
Violations & Fines
Sec. 26-385 makes any violation punishable under the Collier County Consolidated Code Enforcement Ordinance, with a fine or civil citation of up to $500 per violation per day for ongoing repeat violations. Renting a unit without a valid Registration Certificate is itself a separate, distinct violation for every day it continues, and guests as well as owners can be prosecuted at the same time for related noise, parking or garbage violations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a county permit to run an Airbnb in unincorporated Collier County?
What is a Designated Responsible Party?
Does my listing need to show a registration number?
What happens if I rent without registering?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Collier County
How Collier County compares: Most Airbnb-Friendly Cities in America·Florida rules heatmap·Compare Collier County to another location·View the Florida short-term rentals overview
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