Short-term rental permit rules in Winter Haven, FL — also called Airbnb permits, vacation rental licenses, or STR registration — list the application steps, fees, and operating requirements for hosting.
Winter Haven does not currently have a city-specific short-term rental (Airbnb/Vrbo) ordinance beyond requiring a Business Tax Receipt under Chapter 9. State requirements include a Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Vacation Rental license under FS Ch. 509 for any whole-unit rental under 30 days, more than three times per year.
Operating a short-term rental in Winter Haven requires: (1) Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling/Condo license (FS Ch. 509) - initial fee approximately $250, biennial renewal ~$150, required for any unhosted whole-unit rental under 30 days more than 3x/year; (2) Florida Department of Revenue Sales Tax certificate (FS Ch. 212) - 6% state sales tax; (3) Polk County Tourist Development Tax registration - 5% bed tax (Polk Tax Collector); (4) Winter Haven Business Tax Receipt (Ch. 9). Florida HB 1537 (signed June 2024, FS §509.032) preserves limited city authority to require registration, inspections, and bedroom-based occupancy caps, but Winter Haven has not adopted such an ordinance as of 2026. Properties must comply with Ch. 21 zoning (most R-1 single-family zones allow STRs), MPMS Sec. 704 (smoke/CO alarms), and Sec. 12 nuisance noise rules.
Operating without a state license is a second-degree misdemeanor under FS §509.151. Operating without a city BTR is enforced under Ch. 9 with daily fines up to $250 through Code Compliance. Unpaid tourist tax can lead to lien and lockout under Polk County collection.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Winter Haven, FL
Most residential wood or chain-link fences in Winter Haven do not require a building permit if they stay within Sec. 21-103 height limits (typically 4 ft fro...
Winter Haven, FL
Winter Haven Minimum Property Maintenance Standards Sec. 704.2 (Ord. O-10-15) requires every dwelling unit to have a listed, approved smoke alarm installed a...
Winter Haven, FL
Backyard recreational fire pits in Winter Haven are governed by the Florida Fire Prevention Code (adopted via Code Chapter 6) and NFPA 1, which require fire ...
Winter Haven, FL
Outdoor burning of yard waste in Winter Haven is regulated by Code Chapter 6 (Fire Prevention and Protection), the Florida Fire Prevention Code, and Florida ...
Winter Haven, FL
Winter Haven Code Chapter 6 (Fire Prevention and Protection) adopts the Florida Fire Prevention Code, which incorporates Florida Statute Chapter 791 regulati...
Winter Haven, FL
Tree removal on private property in Winter Haven is regulated by Chapter 21 ULDC tree-protection provisions and Florida Statute §163.045 which preempts most ...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Polk County.
See how other cities in Polk County handle permit requirements.
See how Winter Haven's permit requirements rules stack up against other locations.
Quick Compare
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.