Rental Rules by City / Florida / Orlando

    Orlando short-term rental rules & tax calculator

    Orange 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. Every short-term rental in city limits must register and pay fees.
    What taxes do I pay?
    Total about 12.5%. Airbnb says it collects these for you; you still pay them on bookings outside Airbnb.

    Your 3 steps to be legal

    1. Check your zoning: whole-home rentals must be allowed in your district.
    2. Get a Florida state rental license (DBPR) and sign up for Florida sales tax.
    3. Register your rental with the City of Orlando.

    ⚠️ Biggest risk: Renting a whole home where zoning doesn't allow it.

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

    Tax calculator

    Rates used: FL state sales tax 6% + Orange County surtax 0.5% + Local tourist/transient taxes 6% = 12.5%. Mandatory cleaning fees are included in the taxable total. Orange County tourist development tax is 6% (FL DOR DR-15TDT); surtax 0.5% (FL DOR DR-15DSS).

    What Airbnb collects: Airbnb collects state 6% + 0.5% surtax and the Orange County 6% tourist development tax.

    This is the general rule for Orlando. 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 Orlando lists are on the Orlando page.

    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 Orlando. 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    Instead of scattered, sometimes outdated pages, you get the city, county and state rules on one page, with official sources linked, a last-checked date, and unconfirmed items marked "verify" instead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.
    RegistrationAll short-term rentals (under 30 days) inside City of Orlando limits must be registered with fees paid.
    Home sharePartial-home rentals must be hosted by an owner/tenant living on site; only up to half the bedrooms may be rented (City Code Ch. 58 Part 5B(19)).
    Entire-home rentalsTreated as a 'Commercial Dwelling Unit'; zoning must allow it. Check your district at orlando.gov/zoning.
    Unincorporated Orange CountyOutside city limits, whole-home transient rental is allowed only in R-3 zoning (or listed commercial/PD districts) and is prohibited in most residential areas.
    Fees & penaltiesVerify with the city: registration fee amounts and fines.

    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

    Orlando'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.