Tallahassee does not require a city-issued short-term rental registration or permit. Florida Statute 509.032(7)(b) preempts cities from adopting STR-specific registration or licensing schemes after June 1, 2011, and Tallahassee did not have such an ordinance grandfathered. Operators must hold a state DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling License and a Florida sales tax certificate.
Under FS 509.032(7)(b), local governments may not pass STR-specific ordinances regulating duration or frequency of rentals adopted after June 1, 2011, and any pre-2011 ordinance is grandfathered only if not materially amended. Tallahassee has no grandfathered STR ordinance, so the city imposes no STR-specific registration. Operators must instead: (1) obtain a Vacation Rental Dwelling License from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) under FS 509.241 ($150-$170 base, plus per-unit fees, renewed annually), (2) register with the Florida Department of Revenue to collect 6% state sales tax, and (3) register with Leon County Tax Collector to collect the 5% Tourist Development Tax on stays of 6 months or less. The city may still apply generally applicable rules (noise, parking, occupancy, building/fire code). Confirm current requirements with DBPR at (850) 487-1395 and Leon County Tax Collector at (850) 606-4700.
Operating without a DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling License is a state offense with administrative fines and potential cease-and-desist orders from DBPR. Failure to remit state sales tax or county TDT triggers Department of Revenue and county collection actions, including penalties and interest.
See how Tallahassee's registration rules rules stack up against other locations.
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