Walton County, FL Short-Term Rentals: Repeat Violator Strikes (2026)
Key Facts
- Step 1
- Warning with correction period, first violation
- Step 2
- Civil citation if uncorrected
- Fine schedule
- Set by BOCC resolution, 1st-3rd+
- Legal basis
- F.S. ch. 162, Parts I or II
- Daily violations
- Each day counts separately
Summary
Walton County enforces short-term rental violations through a progressive citation system set out in Land Development Code Sec. 1.13.16(H). A first violation draws a warning with a correction period; failing to correct it converts to a civil citation, and the Board of County Commissioners sets escalating fine amounts by resolution for first, second, third, and further repeat violations at the same rental.
H.Remedies/Enforcement. Violations of this section shall be subject to penalties as part of a progressive enforcement program. ... 1.Warnings. Warnings shall be issued for first-time violations and have a correction/compliance period associated with it. ... Non-compliance with a correction compliance period shall result in the issuance of a citation.2.The county may utilize F.S. ch. 162, pt. 1 to prosecute these violations. Alternatively, the County may utilize F.S. ch. 162, pt. 162 and pursue violations by way of a civil citation system as provided in its Code of Ordinances. The civil citation fines per violation shall be set by resolution of the board of county commissioners for first, second, third and further repeat violations. ... Each day a violation exists shall constitute a separate violation.
Full Breakdown
Code Enforcement runs the program with an explicit focus on getting owners back into compliance rather than jumping straight to penalties, but the escalation is real once a warning is ignored. The first-time warning can be copied to the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, the Department of Revenue, the Walton County Tax Collector, and the Walton County Property Appraiser, putting state licensing and tax authorities on notice of the same file. ch. ch. 162, part II. Whichever track is used, the dollar amount of the civil citation fine for the first violation, the second, the third, and any further repeat violation at that rental is not fixed in the Land Development Code itself; Sec.
16(H)(2) directs the Board of County Commissioners to set those amounts by resolution, so the strike schedule lives in a separate fee resolution rather than in the printed code section. Because each day a violation continues counts as its own separate violation, an uncorrected problem such as over-occupancy or an unpermitted party house can generate multiple counted violations before a single case even reaches its first re-inspection.
Violations & Fines
Beyond the escalating citation fines, Sec. 1.13.16(H)(3) preserves every other remedy the county has under law, including injunctive relief in circuit court, code enforcement liens against the property, and referral to other state or local enforcing agencies such as the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Nothing in the progressive warning system limits the county to citations alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens the first time my short-term rental is cited in Walton County?
Where do I find the actual dollar amount of a repeat violation fine?
Can the county still sue me even after issuing citations?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Walton County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Walton County to another location·View the Florida short-term rentals overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.