Cocoa Beach, FL Short-Term Rental Checklist (Free, Printable)

📋 The Basics

Can I rent my place short-term here?: Yes, with a permit
Do I need a permit?: Yes. You need a city Business Tax Receipt and a yearly city registration.
What taxes do I pay?: Total about 12%. Airbnb says it collects these for you; you still pay them on bookings outside Airbnb.

Your 3 steps to be legal

Get a Florida state rental license (DBPR) and sign up for Florida sales tax.
Get the Vacation Rental Business Tax Receipt.
Register with the city and pass inspections.

⚠️ Biggest risk: Each day without registration counts as a separate violation.

Words confusing? See the glossary. Details and official sources are below.

This is the general rule for Cocoa Beach. Does your address qualify?

The free info covers the city as a whole. Your property can still be different: zoning can change from one street to the next, and an HOA or condo ban can stop rentals even where the city allows them. The penalties Cocoa Beach lists are on the Cocoa Beach page.

Your $49 Compliance Check looks at your exact property:

Whether your exact address and zone allow short-term rentals
A check of HOA / condo rental restrictions to look for
Which permits and tax accounts you personally need
What you're missing right now
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Permit / license / registration

State license (Florida DBPR): Florida DBPR vacation rental / transient public lodging license (homestead room-rental exemptions may apply).
State licenses: Florida DBPR vacation rental license and FL Department of Revenue sales tax registration are required for all Florida vacation rentals.
Registration: All vacation rentals in Cocoa Beach must get a Vacation Rental Business Tax Receipt and then register with the city annually (City Code Ch. 26.5, applied citywide by Ordinance 1695, 2025); inspections follow registration and each renewal.
Parking: Max 4 vehicles/boats/trailers total; parking only per the approved plan.

Zoning, where allowed & definitions

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.

Night limits, minimum stays & occupancy

Occupancy: Non-owner-occupied rentals: the lesser of 2 per bedroom plus 2, or 8 total (some rentals outside RS-1 may seek grandfathered occupancy).

Fees, penalties & pending changes

Fees & penalties: Each day of operating without registration is a separate violation. Fee amounts: verify with the city.

Taxes & who collects them

Register / account for FL state sales tax (6%)
Register / account for Brevard County surtax (1%)
Register / account for Local tourist/transient taxes (5%)
What Airbnb collects: Airbnb collects state 6% + 1% surtax and Brevard County's 5% tourist development tax.
Vrbo and direct bookings: check which taxes Vrbo collects in your area; for direct bookings you collect and remit all of them yourself.
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).

Total rate: 12%. Brevard County tourist development tax 5% (FL DOR DR-15TDT); surtax 1% (DR-15DSS). Calculate.

HOA / condo check

Read your declaration, bylaws and rules for rental bans, minimum terms, caps and approval requirements.
Get any association sign-off or approval letter your city or association requires.
See our HOA & condo guide.

Insurance

Confirm your homeowner/condo policy covers short-term rental use, or add a short-term rental policy. Platform host protection is not a substitute for insurance.
Ask your association whether it requires specific liability coverage.

Deadlines

Renew city/county permits or registrations on their schedule (often annually): confirm the date with the office that issued it.
Florida sales and transient rental tax returns: due the 1st, late after the 20th of the month after the reporting period.
Property tax dates: see Florida deadlines.

Official sources

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Is my Cocoa Beach rental legal? Checklist