Florida · Monroe County

Monroe County

county Restricted Verified · last verified 2026-07-02

Short-term vacation rentals (tenancies under 28 days) in unincorporated Monroe County (Florida Keys) are allowed only in specific land use districts (SR, MU, UR, IS-V, OS) and require an annual Special Vacation Rental Permit; they are prohibited in IS, URM, and IS-M residential districts. A state DBPR vacation rental license, county local business tax receipt, and a Tourist Development Tax account are also required. Combined transient rental tax is 12.5% (6% state + 1.5% surtax + 5% county TDT).

Not legal advice. Last verified 2026-07-02 · sources linked below.

Requirements checklist

state DBPR Vacation Rental License (Dwelling or Condominium) Required

Fee: $170 · Renewal: annual · Applies to: Any entire dwelling unit or condominium rented for tenancies of less than 30 days more than three times in a calendar year. · official page ↗
county Monroe County Special Vacation Rental Permit Required

Fee: — · Renewal: annual · Applies to: Each dwelling unit rented as a vacation rental (tenancy under 28 days) in unincorporated Monroe County, unless an exemption has been issued. Permit is nontransferable; a change of ownership requires a new permit. · official page ↗
county Fire / Life Safety Inspection Required

Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: Vacation rental dwelling units seeking a Special Vacation Rental Permit. · official page ↗
county Vacation Rental Manager License Required

Fee: $110 · Renewal: — · Applies to: Manager/agent of a vacation rental property (per the Special Vacation Rental Program). · official page ↗
county Monroe County Local Business Tax Receipt Required

Fee: — · Renewal: annual · Applies to: Property rented for six months or less. · official page ↗
county Tourist Development Tax Account Required

Fee: — · Renewal: — · Applies to: Property rented for six months or less (transient accommodations). · official page ↗

Taxes

Tax	Rate	Administered by	Airbnb remits	Vrbo remits
Florida State Sales and Use Tax (transient rentals)	6%	Florida Department of Revenue	Yes	No
Monroe County Discretionary Sales Surtax	1.5%	Florida Department of Revenue	Yes	No
Monroe County Tourist Development Tax (TDT)	5%	Monroe County Tax Collector (self-administered county)	No	No

Operating rules

Primary residence: —
Min stay (nights): —
Max nights / year: —
Max occupancy: —
Zoning-restricted: Yes
Cap on licenses: —

Grandfathering: Monroe County's vacation-rental land-development regulations predate the June 1, 2011 threshold in Fla. Stat. 509.032(7)(b) and are treated as grandfathered/enforceable. Per Monroe County Code Compliance (reported March 2022), approximately 1,287 units have received exemptions (typically in gated communities or multi-unit complexes) and 109 annual permits for single-family units are approved as legal vacation rentals in unincorporated Monroe County. These unit counts derive from non-official/news reporting of a county presentation and are not confirmed on a live official page; treat as approximate.

Zoning: Vacation rentals (tenancies under 28 days) are permitted only in SR (Suburban Residential), MU (Mixed Use), UR (Urban Residential), IS-V (Improved Subdivision Vacation Rental), and OS (Offshore Islands) districts, and are prohibited in IS, URM, and IS-M districts. A Special Vacation Rental Permit is required in the allowed districts.

A 'special vacation rental' is a dwelling unit rented, leased, or assigned for tenancies of less than 28 days duration; below 28 days a Special Vacation Rental Permit (or exemption) is required and the use is only allowed in specific districts.
All advertising must reflect a '28-day minimum stay requirement and monthly rental or lease rates' where the property is not permitted/exempted for shorter tenancies.
It is unlawful to rent or use a home as a short-term (less than 28 days) rental in any district where vacation rental use is prohibited (IS, URM, IS-M).
This record covers UNINCORPORATED Monroe County only. Incorporated municipalities (Key West, Marathon, Islamorada, Key Colony Beach, Layton) have their own separate STR ordinances.

Enforcement

Active enforcement: yes
Fines: Vacation rental violations in unincorporated Monroe County are heard by a Special Magistrate who can assess fines and place liens on the property. Non-official/news reporting describes per-day fines up to $500 per unit per violation and a weekly-rate-times-four fine formula with repeat-violator caps around $15,000 and possible referral to the State Attorney, but these specific dollar amounts could not be confirmed from an official Monroe County source and should be treated as unverified.
Notes: Monroe County actively enforces its vacation rental ordinance via Code Compliance and the Special Magistrate process. It is unlawful to rent or use a home as a short-term (less than 28 days) rental in any district where the use is prohibited (IS, URM, IS-M).

Official sources

program_page Monroe County Special Vacation Rental Program ↗ checked 2026-07-02
tax_page Tourist Development Tax - Monroe County Tax Collector ↗ checked 2026-07-02
tax_page Rental Property Requirements - Monroe County Tax Collector ↗ checked 2026-07-02
enforcement_page Monroe County Code Compliance ↗ checked 2026-07-02
state_form Florida DR-15TDT Local Option Transient Rental Tax Rates ↗ checked 2026-07-02
state_form Florida DR-15DSS Discretionary Sales Surtax Information (2026) ↗ checked 2026-07-02
statute Fla. Stat. 509.032 - Duties (vacation rental preemption) ↗ checked 2026-07-02
ordinance Monroe County Land Development Code 134-1 Vacation Rental Uses ↗ checked 2026-07-02
license_guide Florida DBPR Vacation Rental / Transient Lodging Licensing Guide ↗ checked 2026-07-02

Informational summary of publicly available sources; not legal advice. Verify against the linked official sources.