Fort Myers, FL Short-Term Rentals: Registration Rules (2026)

Florida's vacation rental preemption at FS § 509.032(7)(b) prevents the City of Fort Myers from operating a standalone STR-specific registration program. Operators inside Fort Myers city limits must instead navigate five separate registration tracks at three levels of government. State-level licensing track: The Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling license (single-family/townhome/up to 4 units) or Vacation Rental Condo license (condo unit) is required for any dwelling rented more than three times per calendar year for periods of less than 30 days (FS § 509.242). Application is through the DBPR online portal at myfloridalicense.com with a $50 application fee and approximately $170 annual license fee, expiring October 1 each year. Application requires proof of ownership, property address and unit details, guest capacity, and (for staff involved in guest-facing services) a Human Trafficking Awareness Training Certificate; properties three stories or taller require a Balcony Inspection Certificate. State-level tax track: Florida Department of Revenue registration using Form DR-1 establishes a sales tax account for the 6% state sales tax under FS § 212.03 and the 0.5% Lee County discretionary surtax; returns (DR-15) are filed monthly through the DOR taxpayer portal at floridarevenue.com. County-level tax track: Lee County Clerk Inspector General's Tourist Tax Office registration establishes a TDT account for the 5% Lee County Tourist Development Tax; returns are filed monthly through the Lee Clerk portal at leeclerk.org/departments/inspector-general/tourist-development-tax. City-level business tax track: City of Fort Myers Local Business Tax Receipt under Code of Ordinances Chapter 82, issued by the Business Tax Division at 1825 Hendry Street, Suite 101 (phone 239-321-7990, email BusinessTax@fortmyers.gov). Applications are submitted in person or by mail with all required documentation and fees at time of submittal; BTRs are issued annually with renewal cycle July 1 - September 30 (BTRs expire September 30 of the following year). Renewal payments due September 30. County-level business tax track: Lee County Local Business Tax Receipt from the Lee County Tax Collector at leetc.com. STRs in commercial, mixed-use, tourist commercial, and downtown development zones generally have fewer zoning friction points; STRs in residential single-family zones should verify Land Development Code compliance with the Planning Department at (239) 321-7925 before listing. The city retains authority to refuse a BTR if the proposed use violates zoning or generally-applicable Land Development Code provisions, though the BTR refusal must be based on a generally-applicable standard rather than STR-specific status to avoid preemption.