Short-term rentals in Miami: county, city and Miami Beach rules

Miami is one of the few American markets with truly international demand: Latin American and European travelers, cruise passengers sailing from PortMiami, and a packed events calendar with Art Basel Miami Beach in December, the Miami Open in March and the Formula 1 Grand Prix in spring. Winter is the high season, while summer brings more domestic and Latin American families. The stock is dominated by condos, from Brickell and Downtown towers to Edgewater, alongside houses in Coconut Grove, Little Havana and the suburbs of Miami-Dade.

Three rulebooks, one metro

Miami Beach is the biggest trap. Rentals of six months and one day or less are prohibited in all single-family homes and in many multifamily buildings, and the city publishes a zoning map and a list of apartment buildings where they are allowed. Where permitted, you need a city business tax receipt and a resort tax account, and both numbers must appear in every listing. This regime survives because Miami Beach's restrictions predate June 1, 2011, the cutoff in Florida's preemption statute, s. 509.032(7).

The City of Miami allows short-term rentals in many higher-density and mixed-use areas, with a certificate of use and a business tax receipt on top of the state license, while some single-family neighborhoods are restricted.

Unincorporated Miami-Dade County requires an annual certificate of use before any listing goes online. Occupancy is capped at two people per bedroom plus two, with a ceiling of twelve, and in estate and low-density residential zones the responsible party must live in the property more than six months a year. Each of the county's other municipalities, from Coral Gables to Key Biscayne, has its own code.

State license and taxes

All operators need a DBPR vacation rental license for a home or condo rented more than three times a year for less than 30 days, a sales tax account with the Florida Department of Revenue and a tourist tax account with Miami-Dade County, which collects its own tax. Operators in unincorporated areas also need a county business tax receipt; those in a city need both city and county receipts.

Condos first

Most Miami condominium associations restrict short leases, and many buildings require board approval or minimum stays. A building that allows nightly rentals is a specific product, usually priced accordingly. Get the declaration, the rules and the association's written position before any offer.

In Miami, the right building matters more than the cheapest one. We study every request and tell you honestly whether and how we can help.