DBPR Form HR 5025-753 2022 January
Vacation Rentals & Timeshare Projects
The Division of Hotels and Restaurants is responsible for
regulating public lodging establishments in Florida.
Florida law defines a “Public lodging establishment" as
transient public lodging establishments and non-transient
public lodging establishments. [Section 509.013(4), FS]
Transient public lodging establishment means “any
unit, group of units, dwelling, building, or group of
buildings within a single complex of buildings which is
rented to guests more than three times in a calendar
year for periods of less than 30 days or 1 calendar
month, whichever is less, or which is advertised or held
out to the public as a place regularly rented to guests.”
Vacation Rental: Vacation rentals are transient public
lodging establishments defined in s. 509.242(1)(c), FS,
as: any unit or group of units in a condominium or
cooperative or any individually or collectively owned
single-family, two-family, three-family or four-family
house or dwelling unit that is also a transient public
lodging establishment, but that is not a timeshare project.
Timeshare Project: A timeshare property (as defined in
Chapter 721, F.S.) that is located in Florida and is also a
transient public lodging establishment. (E.g., a
timeshare property that rents by the week to guests
outside the timeshare community.) (509.242(1)(g), F.S.)
License Classifications
Vacation rentals and timeshare project licenses have
three different classifications (61C-1.002(4)(a), F.A.C.):
Single License: May include one single home or
townhome, or a unit or group of units within a single
building that are operated by the owner.
Group License: Covers all units within a building or
group of buildings in a single complex that are licensed
to a licensed agent. (Multiple group licenses may be
issued to different licensed agents for units located on
the same property.)
Collective License: Issued to a group of houses or
units found in separate locations that are represented
by the same licensed agent. (A collective license may
have a maximum of 75 houses or units per license and
is restricted to counties within one district.)
If you operate both vacation rental condominiums and
vacation rental dwellings, you may not combine them on
the same license in any of the three licensing categories.
Licensed Agent
A licensed agent is someone that the property owner has
authorized, through a rental agreement or contract, to
hold out the property for rent on a transient basis. The
licensed agent does not have to hold a license from the
Division of Real Estate.
Only a licensed agent can hold a group or collective
license. A licensed agent may not hold a single license.
The licensed agent is responsible for all violations cited
during an inspection if the violations occurred while the
unit or dwelling was listed under the licensed agent (or if
the division records list the property under the licensed
agent).
Licensing
To obtain a Vacation Rental or Timeshare Project
license apply online at:
http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-
restaurants/licensing/vrtsp-guide/.
The application for license includes the following items:
The rental location addresses for all units or houses
to be licensed.
A completed DBPR HR-7020, Certificate of Balcony
Inspection if the units or houses are 3 or more stories
in height and the railings, stairwells and/or balconies
are not in common areas.
Fees: Fees are based on the number of units to be
licensed. A fee calculator and fee tables are
provided on our website. You also can contact the
Customer Contact Center at 850.487.1395 to obtain
the correct license fee. In addition to the license fee,
there is a one-time application processing fee of $50.
Licensing Exclusions
Renting a single room or rooms other than the whole unit
is not classified as a public lodging and would not require
a license from the Division of Hotels and Restaurants.
Also the definition of a public lodging establishment does
not include (509.013(4)(b), F.S.):
Any dormitory or other living or sleeping facility
maintained by a public or private school, college, or
university for the use of students, faculty, or visitors.
Any facility certified or licensed and regulated by the
Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA) or the
Department of Children and Families (DCF) or other
similar place regulated under s. 381.0072, F.S. E.g.,
hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities,
sanitariums and day care centers.
Any place renting four rental units or less, unless the
rental units are advertised or held out to the public to
be places that are regularly rented to transients.
Any vacation rental or timeshare project that is rented
for periods of at least 30 days or 1 calendar month,
whichever is less; AND is not advertised or held out to
the public as a place regularly rented for periods of
less than 1 calendar month, provided that no more
than four rental units within a single complex of
buildings are available for rent.
Any migrant labor camp or residential migrant housing
permitted by the Department of Health (DOH); under
Chapters 381.008-381.00895, F.S. or any mobile
home park inspected by the Department of Health
(DOH) and regulated under Chapter 513, F.S.
Any nonprofit organization that operates a facility
providing housing only to patients, patients’ families,
and patients’ caregivers and not to the general public.
Any apartment building inspected by the U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development
(HUD) that is designated primarily as housing for
persons at least 62 years of age. This exclusion
applies to individual buildings, not entire complexes
(unless every building in the complex fits the criteria).
Any roominghouse, boardinghouse, or other living or
sleeping facility that may not be classified as a hotel,
motel, apartment, timeshare project, vacation rental,
nontransient apartment, bed and breakfast inn, or
transient apartment under s. 509.242, F.S.
Sanitation
Halls, entrances, hall/stair runners and stairways
(unless common) shall be clean, ventilated, and well-
lighted day and night.
Kitchen appliances and refrigeration equipment shall
be kept clean, free from odors and in good repair.
If dishes and glassware are provided, you must
sanitize them between guests. (Proper warewashing
requires a three-compartment sink or commercial
dishmachine; OR the operator must post a notice
informing guests that the dishes and glassware have
not been sanitized according to public food service
establishment standards. The notice must include
the specific language on the notice available from the
division website at
http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/hotels-
restaurants/forms-publications/.)
Toxic items must be properly stored and labeled.