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

The Village of Wellington regulates short-term rentals under Sec. 6.2.2.A.5 of its Land Development Regulations (LDR), and every operator must complete the tax and licensing chain before advertising a unit. Beyond Wellington's own vacation rental special use permit and business tax receipt (BTR), Sec. 6.2.2.A.5.c.viii requires the property to carry a Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) license and Florida Department of Revenue registration so state sales and transient rental taxes are collected and remitted, plus a Palm Beach County BTR and a Palm Beach County Tax Collector's Office Tourism Development Tax (TDT) account.

If a third-party platform such as a booking marketplace does not remit those taxes in bulk, the responsible party must pay them directly and retain proof of payment for inspection by Wellington on request. The special use permit affidavit itself must state, under Sec. 6.2.2.A.5.c.v, that the responsible party is remitting all applicable county business and tourist taxes, or disclose that a platform is remitting on the owner's behalf. Skipping the permit step carries its own cost: Sec. 6.2.2.A.5.c warns that an owner renting without a special use permit gets a written notice with 15 business days to apply, after which a $300 penalty is added to the application fee, plus an additional $100 for every 30 days the application remains unsubmitted.

The permit is non-transferable and is not required to be renewed once issued, but a new one is triggered by any change in ownership or an increase in bedrooms, occupancy, or parking. Wellington's Planning Department and Business Tax Official must be notified of any change to owner, manager, or platform information within 15 calendar days.