Florida · Short-Term Rental Compliance
Orlando Short-Term Rental Permit Guide
The City of Orlando allows STRs only as "home shares" (owner-occupied, host present, max half the bedrooms rented) inside city limits. Whole-home, non-owner-occupied STRs are prohibited city-wide except in narrow Tourist Commercial overlay districts near attractions. Hosts must register with the city, hold a Florida DBPR license, and register with Orange County for Tourist Development Tax.
⚠ This summary is preliminary — we’re verifying against the current Orlando ordinance. Always confirm with the city before filing.
What the city requires
Requirements checklist
- 1Home Share Registration~$275/yr. Owner-occupied ONLY — host must reside in the dwelling. Maximum of 50% of bedrooms may be rented at any time. Whole-home rentals are prohibited.
- 2Florida DBPR Vacation Rental LicenseState-issued. $200/yr single-unit. Required even for the home-share configuration.
- 3Combined occupancy tax6% FL state sales + 0.5% Orange County discretionary + 6% Orange County Tourist Development = ~13.5% total. Airbnb collects state + county tourist; direct bookings require monthly returns.
- 4Tourist Commercial zoning exceptionWhole-home STRs ARE allowed in narrow Tourist Commercial (T-C) zoning along International Drive, near Universal, and select Disney-area corridors. Most residential Orlando does not qualify.
- 5Orange County (unincorporated)Properties OUTSIDE city limits but inside Orange County (Lake Buena Vista, Hunters Creek, etc.) follow different county rules — confirm jurisdiction before assuming city rules apply.
Orlando treats home-share registration as binary: comply or face shutdown. Code Enforcement uses Airbnb listing scrapes to identify whole-home rentals in residential zones. The Tourist Commercial zoning carve-out is narrow — verify with the city zoning office before banking on it.
Official filing portal: https://www.orlando.gov/Building-Development/Permits-Inspections/Home-Share
Other jurisdictions
Operating in more than one city?
- GAAtlantaShort-Term Rental License (STRL) — Type 1 (owner present) / Type 2 (whole-home with on-site owner)
- TXAustinShort-Term Rental Operating License (Type 1 / Type 2 / Type 3)
- CODenverShort-Term Rental Business License (primary residence only) + Lodger's Tax License
- NVLas VegasShort-Term Rental Business License + Conditional Use Verification
- FLMiamiCertificate of Use (Vacation Rental) + Florida DBPR Vacation Rental License
- FLMiami BeachBusiness Tax Receipt + Resort Tax Registration (STR-eligible zones only)
- TNNashvilleShort-Term Rental Property (STRP) Permit — Type 1 (owner-occupied) / Type 2 (non-owner-occupied)
- LANew OrleansShort-Term Rental Permit (Residential, Commercial, or Small Multi-Family)
- AZScottsdaleVacation Rental / Short-Term Rental License