Running a short term rental in Miami can be very profitable — but only if you operate legally. The rules come from three levels at once: the State of Florida, Miami-Dade County, and your specific city (City of Miami, Miami Beach, and other municipalities each have their own ordinances). This guide walks through the pieces every host needs in 2026.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules change and depend on your exact address — always confirm with official sources (miamigov.com, miamidade.gov, myfloridalicense.com) or a local attorney before listing.
Do You Need a License?
In most of Miami, yes — more than one. A typical City of Miami host operating legally holds a local Certificate of Use (where the zoning requires it), a State of Florida vacation rental license from the DBPR, and tax registrations for state and county taxes. Skipping any layer can lead to fines or having your listing shut down. If that sounds like a lot — it is exactly the paperwork we walk owners through as part of a free property analysis.
Certificate of Use
The City of Miami requires short term rental operators in eligible zones to obtain a Certificate of Use (CU) for the property. The process typically involves an application, an inspection, and an annual renewal, and it confirms your property meets safety requirements for transient occupancy. Other municipalities in Miami-Dade have their own local registration programs — the exact document depends on where your property sits.
Florida DBPR Vacation Rental License
Separately from local rules, Florida requires most vacation rentals (entire units rented more than three times a year for periods under 30 days, or advertised as such) to hold a license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). Licenses cover single units or groups of units and renew annually. Condo-hotel units usually operate under a different arrangement — check how your building is licensed before buying or listing.
Tourist and Sales Taxes
Miami short term rentals are subject to Florida state sales tax plus Miami-Dade County tourist development taxes. In practice:
- Airbnb and some platforms collect and remit certain state and county taxes automatically for Miami-Dade bookings.
- Registration with the Florida Department of Revenue (and, depending on your situation, the county) is still the host’s responsibility.
- Direct bookings and some channels are not covered by automatic collection — you file those yourself.
We cover the full breakdown in our tax guide for hosts, and we set this up correctly for clients during onboarding.
Zoning: Where Short Term Rentals Are Allowed
Zoning is the rule that catches most new hosts. Short term rentals are permitted in some Miami zoning districts and restricted in others, and condo/HOA rules add another layer on top. Miami Beach is far more restrictive than the City of Miami: most residential districts prohibit rentals shorter than six months and one day, and legal short term renting is limited to specific districts and certain buildings. Before you buy a property “for Airbnb” — or list the one you own — check the address against current zoning maps.
Fines and Enforcement
Enforcement is real in Miami-Dade, and Miami Beach in particular is known for some of the highest short term rental fines in the country. Cities use listing-scanning software, neighbor complaints and inspections to find illegal rentals. The cost of operating illegally — fines, forced cancellations, removed listings — is far higher than the cost of doing it right from day one.
How WePro Handles Compliance
Every WePro engagement starts with a free check of your exact address: which rules apply, what licenses and registrations you need, and whether short term renting is viable there at all. If the paperwork is missing, we walk you through each step — CU, DBPR, tax registration — before your listing goes live. See our Airbnb management in Miami service or pricing for what’s included.