Short-term rental rules · Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Short-term rentals in Fort Lauderdale, explained properly.
Fort Lauderdale allows vacation rentals but requires each one to register with the city, pass a safety inspection and hold a Certificate of Compliance, on top of state and county licenses. Registration costs $880 including the first inspection. Occupancy is capped at two guests per legal bedroom, guests must park off-street, and a responsible party must be reachable 24/7 and able to show up within an hour. The city actively fines unregistered listings, and repeat violations lead to certificate suspensions. Guests pay about 13% in combined taxes.
Draft. These rules were compiled from the sources listed below — official where available, with fields that rely on secondary sources marked for review — and have not yet been checked line by line. Confirm with the city before making decisions.
At a glance
What you need to know before you buy or list
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| City registration, inspection and Certificate of Compliance | Every vacation rental must hold state and county licenses before applying to the city. A code officer schedules an inspection within three business days of the application, and a Certificate of Compliance is issued within three business days of passing[1] |
| $880 registration; $100 reinspection | Registration for up to 4 units under one folio, including the first inspection, is $880. Safety inspection, reinspection or no-show fees are $100, and transferring the rental agent is $50[1] |
| Renewal $650, or $200 if homesteaded | A secondary source reports annual renewal at $650 for non-owner-occupied rentals and $200 for owner-occupied/homestead properties, with certificates expiring September 30 and renewals due by August 1[2]Confirming |
| Two persons per legal bedroom | Maximum occupancy is two persons per legal bedroom, verified by the inspector[1] |
| No on-street guest parking | Lease agreements must include a sketch or photo of the off-street parking spaces and the statement 'No on-street parking permitted'[1] |
| Responsible party on site within an hour | A secondary source reports the responsible party must be reachable 24 hours a day and able to show up in person within an hour of being notified of a problem[2]Confirming |
| Unregistered listings fined daily | In April 2026 the city's special magistrate fined more than a dozen unregistered rentals, commonly a $500 citation plus $1,000 per day for each day a listing stayed up past the 24-hour compliance window (one property was fined $17,000). A secondary source describes suspensions of 180 days for a third violation and 365 days for a fourth[3][2]Confirming |
| Combined tax about 13% | A secondary source puts the combined rate at 13%: 6% Florida sales tax, 1% Broward County surtax and 6% Broward County Tourist Development Tax[2]Confirming |
| Last researched | September 25, 2026 |
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Detailed rules
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Changes
Recent and pending changes
Watch the City of Fort Lauderdale Vacation Rental Program pages and Code Chapter 15, Article X. Renewal fees, the one-hour response rule, suspension ladder and tax rates come from a secondary source and should be confirmed against the code.
Sources
Every rule above links to one of these
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This page is general information compiled from public sources, not legal or tax advice. HOA rules, deed restrictions and zoning for a specific property can be stricter. Confirm with the local permitting office and a qualified professional before buying or listing a property.