Miami, FL Short-Term Rental Checklist (Free, Printable)

📋 The Basics

Can I rent my place short-term here?: Only in some areas
Do I need a permit?: Yes. You need several city approvals, including a yearly Certificate of Use, plus a state license.
What taxes do I pay?: Total about 13%. Airbnb says it collects these for you; you still pay them on bookings outside Airbnb.

Your 3 steps to be legal

Check your zoning: houses and duplexes in T3 and T4-R zones can't be short-term rentals.
Get a Florida state rental license (DBPR) and sign up for Florida sales tax.
Get the city's Certificate of Use and Business Tax Receipt before you rent.

⚠️ Biggest risk: Renting a house in a zone where it's not allowed.

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

This is the general rule for Miami. 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.

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
A personal report with clear next steps and official sources, by email
A refund if we report a rule in error (refund policy)

🔎 How we check: official city, county and state sources, a last-verified date on every page, and nothing guessed. Learn more

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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).
Approvals: Certificate of Occupancy, Florida DBPR lodging license, City Certificate of Use (renewed annually), City Business Tax Receipt, and any Miami-Dade County approvals before operating.
Condos/apartments: Conversion needs the city's STR/Lodging Evaluation Form and an Operational Management Plan certified by the COA/HOA; if more than 25% of a building's units are transient, the whole building must meet R-1 (hotel) code.

Zoning, where allowed & definitions

Where allowed: Single-family homes and duplexes in T3 and T4-R transect zones are not eligible for short-term rental/lodging use (City of Miami v. Airbnb). Other zones: confirm with the city's GIS zoning map / Zoning Dept.
Definition: 'Transient' = a unit rented more than three times a year for periods under 30 days.

Night limits, minimum stays & occupancy

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Fees, penalties & pending changes

Not listed on our page: Verify with the city/county before renting.

Taxes & who collects them

Register / account for FL state sales tax (6%)
Register / account for Miami-Dade County surtax (1%)
Register / account for Local tourist/transient taxes (6%)
What Airbnb collects: Airbnb collects state 6% + 1% surtax and Miami-Dade's 6% county bed taxes (3% Convention Development + 2% Tourist Development + 1% Sports Franchise).
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: 13%. Miami-Dade county bed taxes total 6%: 3% Convention Development + 2% Tourist Development + 1% Professional Sports Franchise (Miami-Dade County). 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 Miami rental legal? Checklist