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Miami-Dade Vacation Rental Rules: County Licensing & 13% Tax

March 30, 2026 3 min read
Part of:Short-Term Rental Regulations Across the Northeast: A 13-City Investor Guide14 articles in this guide
Miami STR Rules at a Glance

Florida DBPR Vacation Rental license required (state) | Miami-Dade Certificate of Use + Resort Tax registration | Miami Beach restricts STRs to specific zones | FL state sales tax 6% + Miami-Dade tourist tax 6% + 1% local = 13% lodging tax | Miami Beach fines: $1,000–$20,000

Miami-Dade County is functionally three regulatory regimes: unincorporated Miami-Dade, the City of Miami, and Miami Beach. The state of Florida requires every operator to hold a DBPR Vacation Rental License and remit state lodging tax. Miami-Dade adds a county Certificate of Use and Resort Tax registration. Miami Beach overlays the most restrictive municipal rules in the metro — most of its residential zones outright prohibit STRs, with fines that can reach $20,000 per violation.

Licensing & Registration

Florida DBPR Vacation Rental License: $50 application + $50/unit annual renewal. Miami-Dade Certificate of Use: ~$200 plus inspection. Resort Tax registration: free, mandatory before first booking. Miami Beach: STRs allowed only in RM-2 and RM-3 zones (mixed-density multifamily) and certain commercial zones — single-family and most multifamily residential prohibit STRs. The city publishes an STR-eligible address map; verify before purchase.

Lodging & Occupancy Taxes

Florida state sales tax 6% + Miami-Dade tourist development tax 6% + Miami-Dade convention development 1% (or Surfside/Bal Harbour 4% in those municipalities) = 13% effective. Miami Beach has additional local options pushing effective rates to 14%. Stays of 6+ months are exempt from tourist tax. Airbnb collects state and county taxes for most jurisdictions; municipal taxes vary.

Penalties & Enforcement

Florida DBPR can fine unlicensed operators $500–$5,000 per violation. Miami Beach fines for unauthorized STR operation: $1,000 first offense, $5,000 second, $7,500 third, $20,000 for fourth+. Miami Beach has an aggressive enforcement team that monitors listings and conducts undercover bookings. The Miami Beach commission has expanded enforcement budgets in each of the past three fiscal years.

Recent Changes

2024 saw Miami Beach litigate (and largely prevail in) state-court challenges to its STR enforcement framework. A 2025 Florida legislature attempt to preempt local STR bans (HB 1537) was vetoed. Investors should treat Miami Beach as effectively closed for whole-house STR in residential zones; Miami proper and unincorporated Miami-Dade remain workable with proper licensing.

Tax Strategy for Compliant Investors

Even where Miami's rules constrain inventory, properly-licensed STR investors retain the full federal tax stack. Cost segregation accelerates depreciation, and the STR loophole can let losses offset W-2 income for materially-participating owners. See cost segregation for Airbnb properties for the playbook.

Frequently asked questions

Can I run an Airbnb in Miami Beach at all?
Only in zones explicitly permitting transient occupancy — primarily RM-2, RM-3, and certain commercial mixed-use zones. The Miami Beach STR-eligible address map is the source of truth. Buying a property assuming STR is permitted, when it isn't, is a regular and expensive due-diligence failure.
Do Florida's homestead rules conflict with STR operation?
Yes if the property is your homestead. Florida homestead exemption requires primary-residence use and prohibits commercial activity. Renting your homestead as an STR can trigger loss of the exemption (~$50K of assessed-value reduction) and a property-tax reassessment. Most STR operators hold investment properties separately.
Is Miami-Dade tourist tax collected by Airbnb?
Yes — Airbnb has a collection agreement with Miami-Dade and remits the 6% tourist tax + 1% convention tax automatically. Vrbo collects similarly. Operators booking off-platform must register and remit the tourist tax themselves through Miami-Dade's online portal.

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