Boca Raton, FL Short-Term Rentals: Registration Rules (2026)

Chapter 28, Article IX of Boca Raton's Zoning Code lists the permitted uses for the city's single-family residential districts (R-1, R-1-A, R-1-B, R-1-C, R-1-D, and R-1-D/DDRI under Sec. 28-344). Transient occupancy, vacation rental, and short-term rental are not among the permitted uses, and city planning staff have publicly confirmed that any short-term or transient use of an entire house, any portion of a house, or a condominium for less than six months is treated as prohibited in these districts. As a result, Boca Raton does not operate a vacation-rental registration program for single-family homes. Transient lodging is allowed only in motel and hotel uses, which are permitted only in certain multi-family or commercial districts (such as R-B-1 or R-5-A) and typically require City Council conditional-use approval. Owners renting for six months or longer still need a city Business Tax Receipt under Chapter 17, plus a Florida DBPR vacation rental dwelling license under F.S. 509.241 if the property meets the statutory definition of a transient public lodging establishment. Florida Statute 509.032(7)(b) preempts cities from adopting STR-specific regulations stricter than those applied to other dwellings unless the ordinance was on the books before June 1, 2011, which limits Boca Raton's ability to enact a new registration program targeted at vacation rentals.