Rental Rules by City / Florida / Fernandina Beach (Amelia Island)
Fernandina Beach (Amelia Island) short-term rental rules & tax calculator
📋 The Basics
- Can I rent my place short-term here?
- Only in some areas
- Do I need a permit?
- Yes. Stays of 30 days or less need a Resort Rental Dwelling Permit.
- What taxes do I pay?
- Total about 12%. Airbnb collects some; you pay Nassau County's 5% tourist tax yourself.
Your 3 steps to be legal
- Check your zoning (R-3 or a qualifying grandfathered rental).
- Get a Florida state rental license (DBPR) and sign up for Florida sales tax. Sign up for Nassau County tourist tax.
- Get the permit and show its number in your listing.
⚠️ Biggest risk: Listing without your permit number.
Words confusing? See the glossary. Details and official sources are below.
Tax calculator
Rates used: FL state sales tax 6% + Nassau County surtax 1% + Local tourist/transient taxes 5% = 12%. Mandatory cleaning fees are included in the taxable total. Nassau County tourist development tax 5%, applies only in ZIP 32034 (Amelia Island) per FL DOR DR-15TDT; surtax 1%.
What Airbnb collects: Airbnb collects state 6% + 1% surtax only. You must register with and remit Nassau County's 5% tourist development tax yourself.
Advanced details (laws, fees, sources)
Rules
| State license | Florida DBPR vacation rental / transient public lodging license (homestead room-rental exemptions may apply). |
|---|---|
| State tax | 6% state sales tax plus county discretionary surtax on rentals of 6 months or less; register with Florida DOR unless your platform collects and remits for you. |
| Cleaning fees | Mandatory cleaning fees charged to guests are taxable as part of the rental (state, surtax and tourist tax). Only an optional, separately itemized fee the guest can decline is excluded (FL Admin. Code 12A-1.061). |
| State preemption | Florida law (s. 509.032(7)(b), F.S.) bars local rules adopted after June 1, 2011 from prohibiting vacation rentals or regulating rental duration/frequency; older local rules still apply. |
| State licenses | Florida DBPR vacation rental license and FL Department of Revenue sales tax registration are required for all Florida vacation rentals. |
| Permit | A Resort Rental Dwelling Permit (RRDP) is required for rentals of 30 days or less; eligible properties are zoned R-3 or qualifying grandfathered R-1/R-2 rentals. |
| Before applying | FL public lodging license, FL sales tax ID, Nassau County TDT registration and a City Local Business Tax Receipt; annual inspection checklist. |
| Fees | New $300, renewal $200, transfer $25; permits run Oct 1 to Sep 30. Listings must show the RRDP number. Verify current fees with the city. |
| Unincorporated Amelia Island | Outside city limits: verify with Nassau County. |
Items marked "Verify with the city" could not be confirmed from an official source; call the office listed before relying on them.
Sources
- Fernandina Beach: Short term / resort rentals
- Fernandina Beach: RRDP application
- FL DOR DR-15TDT: county tourist development tax rates
- Airbnb: Florida taxes it collects
- FL DOR DR-15TDT local transient rental tax rates
- FL DOR DR-15DSS 2026 surtax rates
- FL DOR GT-800034 rental of living accommodations
- FL Admin. Code 12A-1.061 (cleaning fees)
- FL DBPR lodging licensing
Updates & watch list
- Fines are set by law and can be changed: Florida caps local code-enforcement fines at $250/day for a first violation ($500 repeat); cities of 50,000+ can adopt up to $1,000/day first and $5,000/day repeat (Fla. Stat. 162.09). Source
- Statewide vacation rental bills recur: In 2024 the Legislature passed SB 280, which would have changed local registration of vacation rentals; it was vetoed. Similar bills can return in any session. Source
- Track current bills: Search pending Florida bills on vacation rentals and transient rentals. Source
Checked Oct 24, 2026. We list only changes and pending items we can source.
Free tools
Free "Is my rental legal?" checklist · Free tourist tax calculator
Rules can change
Fernandina Beach (Amelia Island)'s rules, its tax rates and platform policies can change through a council vote, a new state law or a court ruling, often with little notice to hosts. We re-check this page monthly; subscribers get notified. Stay Compliant for $4.99/mo.
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Not legal or tax advice. Last verified Oct 24, 2026. Rules and rates change: confirm with the official sources linked before you rent or file.