01What should I know about renting a home in Florida?
Florida's landlord and tenant law is the state's, and since 2023 it overrides local rules on deposits, application fees, lease terms and notices.
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Can I rent my Florida home to vacationers?
Yes, with a state license and the taxes. A house of one to four units that is rented to guests more than three times in a calendar year for less than 30 days at a time, or that is advertised as regularly rented that way, is a vacation rental under Florida law, and it needs a license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation's Division of Hotels and Restaurants, renewed every year.
Rent for six months or less is taxed: the 6 percent state sales tax, plus the county's own transient rental tax, which Florida law lets counties add on rentals of accommodations. The state tax is not charged on a written lease of more than 6 months for continuous residence.
A city or county may not ban vacation rentals, though local rules adopted on or before June 1, 2011, still stand; read the condominium or homeowners association's documents for their own rental rules before you buy. A home you rent out is not your homestead: renting it counts as giving up the exemption until you live there again.
Where to go from here.
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02What should I know about an HOA in Florida before I buy?
Before you sign a contract on a home in a homeowners association, the seller must give you a disclosure summary.
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03What should I know before buying a condo in Florida?
Since the Surfside collapse in 2021 Florida has changed what condo buildings must do, and it shows up in the monthly fee.
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04How does Florida's homestead exemption work?
If you own your home and it is your permanent residence on January 1, you can file for the homestead exemption with the county property appraiser by March 1, and it lowers that year's tax bill.
Read the answer →Where this comes from.
- Florida Statutes, section 509.013 (transient public lodging) ↗ Read October 24, 2026
- Florida Statutes, section 509.242 (vacation rentals) ↗ Read October 24, 2026
- Florida Statutes, section 509.241 (licenses) ↗ Read October 24, 2026
- Florida Statutes, section 509.032 (local laws on vacation rentals) ↗ Read October 24, 2026
- Florida Statutes, section 212.03 (transient rentals tax) ↗ Read October 24, 2026
- Florida Department of Revenue, sales and use tax ↗ Read October 24, 2026
- Florida Statutes, section 196.061 (rental of a homestead) ↗ Read October 24, 2026
More questions like this.
Do I need a permit to replace my roof in Florida?
Yes. Florida law makes it unlawful to repair or replace part of a building, a roof included, without first getting a permit from the local building department.
How do I get my home ready for hurricanes?
The state's emergency managers say to protect the places where wind can get in: the roof, the roof-to-wall straps, the windows, the doors and the garage door.
How do I choose an air conditioner in Florida?
Have it sized by a load calculation, not by the size of the house.
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