Alachua County, FL Short-Term Rentals: Taxes & Fees (2026)

Alachua County levies a 5% Tourist Development Tax under F.S. 125.0104 on rentals of six months or less, including single-family homes, individual rooms, mother-in-law suites, condominiums, and campgrounds (Alachua County Tax Collector). Florida's 6% state transient rental sales tax under F.S. 212.03 and Alachua County's 1.5% local discretionary sales surtax also apply, for a combined effective rate of 12.5%. Hosts must create an account through TouristExpress (alachua.county-taxes.com/tourist), submit property details, and file monthly TDT returns. Returns are due the 1st of the following month and become delinquent after the 20th; late filings incur a 10% penalty per month (minimum $50, maximum 50% of tax due) plus interest under F.S. 212.12. As of January 1, 2025, Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit all three taxes on their platform bookings, so hosts who book exclusively through those platforms no longer file county TDT returns; bookings via direct websites, Booking.com, or other channels still require host registration and remittance. State licensing through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants, is required under F.S. 509.241 regardless of platform.