Florida Statewide Rule
Florida Transient Rental Tax on Short-Term Rentals
Key Facts
- State Tax Rate
- 6% transient tax
- Statute
- Fla. Stat. 212.03
- Threshold
- Rentals 6 months or less
- Local Bed Tax
- Up to 6% county
Summary
Florida imposes a 6% state sales tax, plus county discretionary surtaxes of 0.5 to 1.5%, on rentals of living accommodations for six months or less, applying universally to short-term rentals.
(1)(a) It is hereby declared to be the legislative intent that every person is exercising a taxable privilege who engages in the business of renting, leasing, letting, or granting a license to use any living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations in, from, or a part of, or in connection with any hotel, apartment house, roominghouse, tourist or trailer camp, mobile home park, recreational vehicle park, condominium, or timeshare resort. However, any person who rents, leases, lets, or grants a license to others to use, occupy, or enter upon any living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations in any apartment house, roominghouse, tourist camp, trailer camp, mobile home park, recreational vehicle park, condominium, or timeshare resort and who exclusively enters into a bona fide written agreement for continuous residence for longer than 6 months in duration at such property is not exercising a taxable privilege. For the exercise of such taxable privilege, a tax is hereby levied in an amount equal to 6 percent of and on the total rental charged for such living quarters or sleeping or housekeeping accommodations by the person charging or collecting the rental.
Full Breakdown
Under Section 212.03, Florida Statutes, every person renting living quarters or sleeping accommodations for periods of six months or less must collect and remit a 6% transient rentals tax. Counties may also impose tourist development taxes (bed taxes) of up to 6% under Section 125.0104. Hosting platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo collect and remit state-level tax automatically under registered agreements with the Department of Revenue, but operators remain responsible for verifying compliance.
Violations & Penalties
Failure to collect or remit transient rental tax is subject to penalties of 10% per month up to 50%, plus interest and potential criminal charges for willful evasion under Section 212.15.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Airbnb collect Florida taxes for me?
Are stays longer than six months exempt?
Sources
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