Rental Rules by City / Florida / Key Largo

    Key Largo short-term rental rules & tax calculator

    Monroe County, Florida · Verified against official sources Oct 24, 2026

    📋 The Basics

    Can I rent my place short-term here?
    Only in some areas
    Do I need a permit?
    Yes. An annual County Special Vacation Rental Permit, where your zone allows it.
    What taxes do I pay?
    Total about 12.5%. Airbnb collects some; you pay Monroe County's 5% tourist tax yourself.

    Your 3 steps to be legal

    1. Get a Florida state rental license (DBPR) and sign up for Florida sales tax.
    2. Confirm your district allows rentals under 28 days.
    3. Get the permit, a licensed manager and a fire inspection.

    ⚠️ Biggest risk: Renting under 28 days in IS, URM or IS-M districts.

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

    Tax calculator

    Rates used: FL state sales tax 6% + Monroe County surtax 1.5% + Local tourist/transient taxes 5% = 12.5%. Mandatory cleaning fees are included in the taxable total. Monroe County tourist development tax 5% (Monroe County Tax Collector) plus 7.5% state sales tax incl. surtax.

    What Airbnb collects: Airbnb collects state 6% + 1.5% surtax only. Register with and remit Monroe County's 5% tourist development tax yourself.

    This is the general rule for Key Largo. 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:

    🔎 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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    Rules don't change every week, but they do change, and nobody emails you when they do. We'll alert you when city rules, tourist taxes, HOA-related laws, or Airbnb/Vrbo policies change in Key Largo. Cancel anytime.

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    Why use this instead of a web search?

    Instead of scattered, sometimes outdated pages, you get the city, county and state rules on one page, with official sources linked, a last-checked date, and unconfirmed items marked "verify" instead of guessed. How we verify →

    Advanced details (laws, fees, sources)

    Rules

    State licenseFlorida DBPR vacation rental / transient public lodging license (homestead room-rental exemptions may apply).
    State tax6% 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 feesMandatory 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 preemptionFlorida 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 licensesFlorida DBPR vacation rental license and FL Department of Revenue sales tax registration are required for all Florida vacation rentals.
    Where allowedKey Largo is unincorporated Monroe County. Rentals under 28 days are banned in IS, URM and IS-M districts (except qualifying gated communities); allowed only in listed districts.
    PermitAnnual Special Vacation Rental Permit per unit, annual fire/life-safety inspection, and a licensed vacation rental manager. Permits don't transfer to new owners.
    Fees$1,040 application (County page); the renewal form lists $100: verify which applies.
    AdvertisingWhere short stays are banned, ads must show a 28-day minimum and monthly rates.

    Items marked "Verify with the city" could not be confirmed from an official source; call the office listed before relying on them.

    Sources

    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

    Key Largo'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.