Vacation rentals in Sarasota must collect Florida 6% sales tax, Sarasota County 6% Tourist Development Tax (the 'Bed Tax'), and any local business tax. As of October 2024, F.S. §125.0104 allows counties to require platforms like Airbnb/Vrbo to collect and remit; Sarasota County's Bed Tax was 5% historically and adjusted in 2024.
Sarasota County's Tourist Development Tax (TDT) is administered by the Sarasota County Tax Collector. The 6% TDT applies to rentals of 6 months or less. Florida state sales tax of 6% applies to the same rentals under F.S. §212.03. Platforms such as Airbnb and Vrbo have voluntary collection agreements with Sarasota County, but the legal obligation remains the owner's. The City of Sarasota also charges a Ch. 34.5 registration fee (verify current amount with Development Services) and requires a Local Business Tax Receipt (LBTR) - the City's LBTR is typically under $100 annually depending on category.
Failure to collect or remit TDT is a violation of F.S. §125.0104 and Sarasota County Code Chapter 102 - civil penalties, interest, and potential criminal misdemeanor charges. Failure to obtain a Sarasota LBTR is a Ch. 22 violation (Business Tax) with civil penalties.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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