Short-term rental rules · Tampa, Florida
Short-term rentals in Tampa, explained properly.
The City of Tampa does not currently run its own short-term rental registration program, so operators mainly need a Florida DBPR vacation rental license, state and county tax registration, and compliance with zoning. City guidance says accessory dwelling units cannot be rented for less than a week in residential zones. That may change: Hillsborough County approved a vacation rental registration and inspection ordinance on September 2, 2026 ($200 a year, effective January 1, 2027) for unincorporated areas, and Tampa City Council has asked its lawyers how the city could opt in. Guests pay about 13.5% in combined taxes.
At a glance
What you need to know before you buy or list
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Florida DBPR vacation rental license required | Hosts renting a whole home or condo more than three times a calendar year for stays of less than 30 days (or one calendar month) need a vacation rental license from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. Renting single rooms in a home, rather than the whole unit, does not need a DBPR license. A secondary guide says the license number must appear in all advertising, but we found no such requirement in current Florida statute (the 2024 bill that would have added listing requirements was vetoed) [1] [2] [3] |
| No city registration program yet | Tampa does not have its own registration program. In August 2026 the council asked city lawyers how Tampa could opt into Hillsborough County's registration and inspection ordinance, citing roughly 9,000 active short-term rentals in the city; city attorneys noted the county draft appeared to target unincorporated areas. As of late September 2026 we found no council vote to opt in [4]Confirming |
| County registry starts January 1, 2027 (unincorporated areas) | Hillsborough County commissioners adopted a short-term vacation rental registration ordinance on September 2, 2026: each rental must be registered annually for $200, owners must authorize inspections when Code Enforcement decides one is needed (news reports say inspections are complaint-triggered), and a designated responsible party must be available (news reports say 24/7, responding within an hour). Owners who miss a scheduled inspection pay a no-show fee set by the Board (reported as $50). News reports also describe an affidavit of code compliance. The rules take effect January 1, 2027, with a Board review after 90 days. News reports say it covers unincorporated Hillsborough County and that Tampa, Temple Terrace and Plant City can opt in; the county's own recap does not state its geographic scope [5] [6]Confirming |
| Combined tax about 13.5% | Stays of six months or less pay 6% Florida sales tax plus Hillsborough County's 1.5% discretionary sales surtax (both remitted to the Florida Department of Revenue), plus the county's 6% Tourist Development Tax, which is collected locally by the Hillsborough County Tax Collector. That is about 13.5% in total [7] [8] [9] [10] |
| Check zoning before buying; ADUs have a 7-day minimum stay | Short-term rentals still have to comply with City of Tampa zoning. The city's ADU guidance says accessory dwelling units carry a 7-day minimum occupancy: stays shorter than one week make the unit a lodging unit or hotel, which is not permitted in residential zoning districts (shared-home or roommate arrangements, and homes that are not ADUs, are not subject to this minimum). The city also says state law prevents new short-term rental rules, so its older rules stay in place but cannot be changed. Confirm eligibility with the city's land development staff before buying [11] [3] |
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High-priority watch: Tampa City Council agendas for a decision on opting into the county registry, and Hillsborough County's implementation ahead of January 1, 2027 (the Board plans a review 90 days after it takes effect, and still has to set the no-show fee). Florida's pre-2011 preemption rule limits what new local ordinances can do about stay length and outright bans, but registration and inspection programs are allowed. We checked the county's September 2, 2026 meeting recap, City of Tampa council agenda pages and ADU guidance, Hillsborough Tax Collector and Florida DOR tax pages, the DBPR vacation rental guide, and recent news. We found no Tampa council opt-in vote yet, and no new Florida vacation rental law from the 2026 session (SB 658 died).
City Council asked legal staff for a written report on how Tampa could opt into the county's registration and inspection ordinance.
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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.