Collier County, FL Short-Term Rentals: Primary-Residence-Only Rule (2026)
Key Facts
- Primary-residence rule
- None; preempted by state
- Investor STRs
- Allowed if registered
- Governing statute
- FS 509.032(7)(b)
- Still required
- Registration + DBPR + TDT
- Guest houses
- Cannot be rented (LDC 5.03.03)
Summary
No. Collier County cannot require that a short-term rental be the owner's primary residence. Florida law preempts vacation-rental licensing and bars local governments from prohibiting rentals or regulating their frequency, so non-owner-occupied and investment STRs are allowed.
A local law, ordinance, or regulation may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate the duration or frequency of rental of vacation rentals.
Full Breakdown
FS 509.032(7)(b) provides that a local ordinance may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate the duration or frequency of rental. That prevents Collier County from imposing a primary-residence or owner-occupancy condition on short-term rentals. Whole-home and investor-owned vacation rentals are permitted in unincorporated Collier so long as they hold the county registration certificate, a state DBPR license, and a Tourist Development Tax account, and comply with generally applicable noise, parking, and property-maintenance rules. Note that guest houses under Land Development Code section 5.03.03 may not be separately leased or rented.
Violations & Fines
There is no primary-residence violation to enforce; however, renting without registration or leasing a guest house can bring code-enforcement fines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Must I live in the property to rent it short-term?
Can I rent out my guest house separately?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Collier County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Collier County to another location·View the Florida short-term rentals overview
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