NewBiz Alert Florida industry report
July 2026 — Short-Term Rentals new business activity in Florida
By NewBiz Alert, from Florida Division of Corporations filings and Florida DBPR licensing. How we built this.
Florida has more than 150,000 licensed short-term rentals, and new rental businesses are still registering across the state.
New short-term rental businesses are forming fastest in Tampa Bay. Every new rental adds steady local work: a cleaning company between guests, a property manager for the bookings, and a handyman, pool, lawn, or pest crew to keep it up to code. When a rental goes up, all of that has to be handled to keep it licensed and running.
The counts below show where new short-term rental businesses are registering, by region, over the last 30, 90, and 365 days. Under them is a snapshot of how big the market already is in cities around the state, then the recent news short-term rental owners are watching, and the kinds of businesses each change creates work for. The standing county and city rules live at the bottom, in Short-Term Rental Resources.
New in last 30 days
101
New in last 90 days
502
New in last year
1,908
Licensed rentals in Florida
more than 150,000
Source: Florida DBPR
The numbers
Where it is happening, by region
New short-term rental businesses by region, over the last 30, 90, and 365 days. Regions are ranked by the last year.
| Region | 30 days | 90 days | 1 year | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa BayMost active | 21 | 99 | 408 | Cooling off |
| Southeast Florida | 20 | 95 | 383 | Cooling off |
| Central Florida | 15 | 63 | 238 | Cooling off |
| Northwest Florida | 5 | 24 | 144 | Cooling off |
| Southwest Florida | 8 | 24 | 129 | Steady |
| Northeast Florida | 5 | 19 | 77 | Cooling off |
| North Central Florida | 1 | 5 | 18 | Cooling off |
| Florida total | 101 | 502 | 1,908 |
Another 511 new businesses in the last year did not list a county, so they are counted in the Florida total but not placed in a region.
The market
The market today, by city
How big the short-term rental market already is in a spread of Florida cities: active listings, how full they run, and the average nightly rate. This is market data, not a formation count.
Miami
Southeast Florida- Listings
- 22,807
- Full
- 55%
- Per night
- $274
Miami is Florida's largest short-term rental market, with 22,807 active listings that run about 55% full at a $274 average nightly rate, roughly $27,500 a year per rental. A rental base this size is a steady source of tourist-tax revenue for Florida and year-round work for the cleaners, managers, and tradespeople who keep those homes running.
Orlando
Central Florida- Listings
- 14,847
- Full
- 54%
- Per night
- $246
Orlando anchors the theme-park rental corridor with 14,847 active listings, about 54% occupancy and a $246 average nightly rate, near $25,200 a year per rental. The state's busiest tourist region turns a huge base of rentals into jobs and tax revenue for the businesses that service them.
Key Colony Beach
Florida Keys- Listings
- 630
- Full
- 60%
- Per night
- $395
Key Colony Beach in the Keys is a small but premium market, with 630 active listings that run about 60% full at a $395 average nightly rate, near $42,400 a year per rental, the highest of these markets. High-value island rentals bring outsized visitor spending to Florida and support skilled local trades, from marine-savvy handymen to specialty cleaners.
Gainesville
North Central Florida- Listings
- 1,718
- Full
- 49%
- Per night
- $207
Gainesville is a college-town market with 1,718 active listings, about 49% occupancy and a $207 average nightly rate, near $18,800 a year per rental, with demand that swings around the university calendar. Rentals like these spread Florida's visitor economy well inland of the beaches and give service businesses in smaller cities a steady stream of new work.
Holiday
Tampa Bay- Listings
- 294
- Full
- 54%
- Per night
- $135
Holiday, in Pasco County north of Tampa, is a value market with 294 active listings, about 54% occupancy and a $135 average nightly rate, near $13,400 a year per rental. Affordable Gulf-side rentals widen who can vacation in Florida and give local cleaners, handymen, and managers a growing base of owners to serve.
Miami Gardens
Southeast Florida- Listings
- 194
- Full
- 45%
- Per night
- $243
Miami Gardens is a smaller South Florida market with 194 active listings, about 45% occupancy and a $243 average nightly rate, near $21,200 a year per rental. Rentals in suburban cities like this broaden Florida's tourism footprint beyond the coast and put visitor dollars into more of the state's neighborhoods.
The news
Recent short-term rental news in Florida
New developments short-term rental owners are watching right now, with the real date of each and the specific businesses it creates work for.
- Tampa Bay· 2026-06-16
Manatee County advances a short-term rental ordinance
On June 16, the Manatee County commission put a Short-Term Vacation Rental Ordinance tailored for the county in front of the board (agenda item 67, brought by the District 5 commissioner) and sent it to staff to revise and bring back an enforceable version. The proposal, shaped with the county attorney and the sheriff's office, would set legal, state-compliant rules for rentals in the unincorporated county. A new county rental ordinance brings fresh registration and inspection work. Each Manatee rental needs inspection-prep, a handyman, and a cleaning crew to pass the new rules and stay compliant. Clear, enforceable county rules give Florida safer, better-run rentals and a fairer deal for the neighbors who live around them.
- Tampa Bay· 2026-06-09
Indian Rocks Beach takes up short-term rentals again
Short-term rentals were back before the Indian Rocks Beach city commission on June 9, with a short-term rental resolution on the agenda and public comment from residents and rental owners. The Pinellas County beach city runs a standing rental program and keeps returning to the rules as owners and neighbors press their case. Every move on a beach city's rental rules sends owners looking for help to register and stay compliant. Each Indian Rocks Beach rental needs inspection-prep, a handyman, and a cleaning crew to keep up. Steady local oversight keeps Florida's crowded beach rentals safe and licensed, which protects both the guests who visit and the year-round residents next door.
- Northwest Florida· effective 2026-06-01
Walton County moves vacation-rental renewals to a June 1 deadline
Walton County moved its short-term vacation rental registration renewals to a single June 1 deadline, matching the state DBPR license cycle for the area. The county announced the new annual schedule on February 2, 2026, opened the renewal window on April 1, and set the first unified due date for June 1, 2026. The change covers 30A and other rentals in unincorporated Walton County. Owners renewing under the new June 1 schedule need registration and permit help, safety-inspection prep, handymen, and bookkeepers who track state and county filings. Aligning county renewals with the state DBPR license cycle makes rentals easier to track and keeps them safer and tax-compliant.
- Statewide· reported 2026-05-22
Florida visits slipped a little to start 2026
The state tourism agency estimated 39.88 million travelers came to Florida in the first quarter of 2026, down 1% from a year earlier. That is the demand backdrop every rental owner is booking against this year. Softer visitor numbers mean owners have to work harder to fill their calendars. A property manager, a cleaning crew, and photo or listing help are what a rental needs to stand out in a tighter market. Tourism is Florida's economic engine, and even a small dip pushes rental owners to sharpen their properties and service, which keeps the state's visitor economy competitive.
- Central Florida· announced 2026-05-07news report
Orlando drew a record 76.7 million visitors in 2025
Visit Orlando reported on May 7, 2026 that the Orlando area hosted 76.7 million visitors in 2025, its highest total ever and up 1.8% over 2024. Domestic visitation set its own record at 70.3 million travelers. The figures cover Orange County and the wider Orlando destination. Record visitor demand around Orlando keeps property managers, cleaning crews, linen services, pool and lawn crews, and tourist-tax bookkeepers in steady work. A strong, well-managed visitor economy in Central Florida supports local jobs and tax revenue that benefit the whole state.
- Southeast Florida· reported 2026-04-30news report
Palm Beach County bed tax topped $10 million in April 2026
Palm Beach County's Tourist Development Council reported April 2026 bed-tax collections of $10,170,402, up 10.15% over the same month in 2025. The county's fiscal-year total reached $77.8 million through April. The 6% bed tax is paid on hotel and short-term rental stays across the county. More rental nights across Palm Beach County means ongoing work for cleaning crews, handymen, pest and pool services, and bookkeepers who file the 6% bed tax. Reliable bed-tax collections fund beaches, marketing, and services that keep Florida's visitor economy healthy.
- Southwest Florida· reported 2026-04-30news report
Fort Myers area tourist tax rose 17% from a year earlier
The Regional Economic Research Institute at Florida Gulf Coast University reported that Lee County's seasonally adjusted tourist-tax revenue reached $4.3 million in April 2026. That is 17.3% above April 2025 and 6% above the prior month. The gain points to a rental recovery around Fort Myers and the beaches after the 2022 storms. A rebound in tourist-tax revenue around Fort Myers supports rebuild handymen, cleaning crews, linen services, and insurance agents who cover coastal short-term rentals. A recovering rental market in Southwest Florida returns storm-hit communities to a stronger visitor economy and tax base.
Source: Florida Gulf Coast University, Regional Economic Research Institute
- Southwest Florida· reported 2026-04-30news report
Collier County tourist tax up nearly 7% in April 2026
The same Florida Gulf Coast University institute reported Collier County tourist-tax revenue of $4.0 million in April 2026, up 6.7% from April 2025 and 1.8% from March. The tax covers hotels and short-term rentals across the Naples, Marco Island, and Everglades area. Steady tourist-tax growth in the Naples and Marco Island area keeps property managers, cleaning and pool crews, and tourist-tax bookkeepers in demand. Growing tourist-tax collections help fund Collier County beaches and tourism programs that benefit Florida visitors and residents.
Source: Florida Gulf Coast University, Regional Economic Research Institute
- Tampa Bay· 2026-04-15
Hillsborough County weighs short-term rental registration
On April 15, the Hillsborough County Attorney's Office gave commissioners a report (agenda item F-2, requested by Commissioner Cohen) on the county's options for Airbnbs and short-term rentals. The report explains that state law (Section 509.032, Florida Statutes) blocks the county from banning rentals or capping how often they rent, but that a registration requirement is not blocked by that preemption, leaving a registration program open to the county. If Tampa's biggest county stands up a registration program, thousands of owners will need help signing up and passing inspection. Each Hillsborough rental needs a registration helper, a handyman, and a cleaning crew to enroll and pass. A registration program gives Florida a clean roster of who is renting, which helps the state collect the taxes it is owed and keep unsafe rentals off the market.
So what
What it means for you
New short-term rentals do not slow down. Each one needs cleaning between guests, someone to manage the bookings, and steady upkeep to stay licensed and pass inspection. That is a standing base of local work, and the regions heating up in the counts above are where that demand is growing fastest.
Methodology
How we count
- We count each business by the date it registered with the state, so this shows new business formation, not current listings.
- State records post about 2 weeks behind, so the last week or two will keep rising as more filings arrive.
- The more than 150,000 licensed short-term rentals is the number the state has on record with the Florida Division of Hotels and Restaurants, which lists every licensed rental and updates daily. The real number is higher, because not every rental is registered with the state.
- Counts cover active Florida businesses and update daily.
Statewide license source: Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels & Restaurants.
Frequently asked questions
- Where are the most new short-term rental businesses forming in Florida?
- This report ranks every Florida region by new short-term rental businesses and shows if activity is heating up or slowing down.
- How many licensed short-term rentals does Florida have?
- Florida has more than 150,000 licensed short-term rentals on record with the state Division of Hotels and Restaurants. That is the pool of homes that need cleaning, managing, and upkeep, and it grows as new rentals register.
- Where does this data come from?
- The formation counts come from official Florida business-registration records. We pull every new filing, sort it by industry and region, and update daily. We count a business by the date it registered with the state. The licensed-rental count comes from Florida DBPR.
- Can I see the actual businesses?
- Yes. You get the real filings, with business names, addresses, and officers, free for 7 days, with no credit card required. Start a free 7-day trial to see them.
Reference
Short-Term Rental Resources
The standing resources that govern Florida short-term rentals, starting with the statewide licensing, associations, and tax registration that apply everywhere, then the county and city rules and the local rental or tourism body for each busy region. This is the rulebook, not the news. Check it to see the resources a new rental uses, or share it with a new owner.
Statewide
Statewide rule: any Florida home or condo rented to guests more than 3 times a year for stays under 30 days, or advertised as a vacation rental, must hold a vacation rental license from the DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants before it takes bookings. Getting and keeping that license means passing a state safety inspection, so each new rental needs a handyman, a smoke-alarm and fire-safety check, and a cleaning crew to qualify and stay licensed.
- LicensingFlorida DBPR, Division of Hotels & Restaurants
Licenses and inspects every vacation rental in Florida under Chapter 509. Anyone opening a short-term rental in the state licenses here first, then renews and passes inspection to keep operating.
- AssociationFlorida Restaurant & Lodging Association (FRLA)
Statewide trade association for Florida lodging and hospitality, including short-term and vacation rentals, with advocacy, safety and food-safety training, and industry events for owners and managers.
- AssociationFlorida Alliance for Vacation Rentals (FAVR)
Florida's largest vacation-rental association, formerly the Florida Vacation Rental Managers Association. It gives owners, managers, and vendors statewide advocacy in Tallahassee, compliance resources, and regional forums.
- LicensingFlorida Department of Revenue
Sales and Transient Rental Tax
Every short-term rental registers here to collect and remit the 6% state sales tax on stays under 6 months, on top of the county tourist development tax, which keeps tourist-tax bookkeepers in steady work.
Northwest Florida
- AssociationWalton County Tourist Development Council
The official destination organization for the 30A and South Walton beaches, one of the Panhandle's densest vacation-rental markets. It markets the 16 beach neighborhoods that fill the area's rentals and manages the local bed tax those stays pay.
North Central Florida
- AssociationVisit Gainesville, Alachua County
Visit Gainesville, Alachua County
The official visitor bureau for Gainesville and the nine communities of Alachua County. It promotes the college-town and springs travel that drives inland rental demand and administers the county tourist development tax.
Northeast Florida
- AssociationAmelia Island Convention & Visitors Bureau
Amelia Island CVB (Nassau County)
The official CVB for Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach in Nassau County, a busy First Coast rental market north of Jacksonville. It markets the island and manages the local tourist development tax that vacation stays pay.
Central Florida
- AssociationCentral Florida Vacation Rental Professionals (CFVRP)
A regional association of vacation-rental professionals around Orlando and Osceola County, the densest rental cluster in the state. It offers local advocacy, best-practice education, and guidance on the area's changing rental rules.
Tampa Bay
- AssociationVacation Rental Alliance of the Tampa Bay Beaches
Vacation Rental Alliance of the Tampa Bay Beaches
A group of the top resort-condominium management companies on the Tampa Bay beaches, from Clearwater to Indian Shores, formed to promote and support the local vacation-rental industry with shared standards and quality service.
Southwest Florida
- AssociationLee County Visitor & Convention Bureau
The Beaches of Fort Myers & Sanibel
The official visitor bureau for Fort Myers, Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel, and Cape Coral, a Gulf-coast rental market still rebuilding after the 2022 storms. It markets the beaches and manages the county tourist development tax rentals pay.
Southeast Florida
- AssociationMonroe County Tourist Development Council
The official destination council for the Florida Keys and Key West, a premium island rental market from Key Largo to Key West. It markets the Keys and manages the local bed tax that vacation and short-term stays pay.
Tampa Bay
Pinellas County makes every short-term rental in the unincorporated county hold a Certificate of Use, pass a safety inspection, and renew each year for $450, with a re-inspection every two years. Each Pinellas County rental needs help passing that inspection and keeping up the yearly renewal, so cleaning crews, handymen, and safety-inspection or permit helpers have steady work.
The City of Sarasota adopted Ordinance 25-5560, which requires every short-term rental to hold a certificate of registration, pass a safety inspection before it is issued, and keep a 7-night minimum stay. A pre-issuance inspection on every Sarasota rental is repeat work for inspection helpers, handymen, and cleaners.
The City of Indian Rocks Beach makes every short-term rental register each year, pass a safety inspection, and follow limits on occupancy, parking, and noise, and it runs a standing code-enforcement program with twice-monthly hearings to fine rentals that skip the rules. Owners getting right with the city need help fast, so registration and inspection-prep services, handymen, and safety-upgrade crews stay busy.
Southeast Florida
Miami-Dade County makes every short-term rental in the unincorporated county carry an annual Certificate of Use, on top of the state license, and show proof of tax registration and liability insurance. The yearly certificate is recurring work in the region's largest rental market for registration and permit helpers, insurance agents, and inspectors.
The City of Miami Beach holds short-term rentals to a 7-day minimum stay in most zones, requires resort-tax signup, and fines unregistered rentals up to $1,500 a day. The strict rules push owners toward legal-zone homes and toward help staying compliant, so cleaners, managers, and compliance helpers have steady work in the allowed areas nearby.
- Miami Beach short-term rental requirements
The city lists every document an owner must file to run a legal short-term rental, plus resort-tax signup.
City of Miami Beach · Short-Term Rental occupational codes 95017300 / 95017301
- Miami Beach where rentals are allowed
The city bans short-term rentals in many home and zoning areas and shows where they are allowed.
City of Miami Beach · Land Development Regulations Ch. 142, Art. IV, Div. 3, Sec. 142-1111
Central Florida
Osceola County lets short-term rentals run only in its designated tourist and overlay zones along the US-192 corridor, where more than 18,000 vacation-rental homes already sit, the densest cluster in the state. That corridor is the biggest pool of rental owners in Florida, so cleaning companies, linen services, pool and lawn crews, and property managers have the densest base of work in the state.
The City of Orlando allows only owner-occupied home-sharing rentals inside city limits, and each one must sign up through an annual registration program. The narrow legal lane pushes rental demand into Osceola and the tourist corridor, so services that clean, furnish, and manage these homes see a steady stream of new work.
- Orlando home-sharing registration
The city lets an owner register a home-share short-term rental and lists what to file to get a permit.
City of Orlando · City Code Ch. 58, Part 5B(19) (home sharing)
- Osceola County short-term rental zoning
The county sets a Short Term Rental Planned Development zone and the rules for where vacation rentals can run.
Osceola County · Land Development Code Ch. 3, Art. 3.6.J (Short Term Rental)
Northwest Florida
Walton County lined up its vacation rental registration renewal with the state license cycle, resetting every rental's renewal to a June 1 to May 31 year, and charges $500 a day to operate unregistered. A reset renewal date across the busy 30A and Destin market is a timed wave of paperwork and prep for registration helpers, cleaners, and handymen when the renewal window opens.
Walton County · effective 2026-02-02
The City of Panama City Beach requires a yearly short-term rental certificate under Ordinance 1632, with a $150 re-registration and a $75 reinspection every year. A yearly reinspection in a high-volume beach market is repeat work for fire-safety and inspection helpers and handymen as each certificate comes up for renewal.
Southwest Florida
Collier County makes every short-term rental in the unincorporated county register under Ordinance 2021-45, pay a per-unit fee, and name a responsible party reachable 24 hours a day. The 24-hour responsible-party rule is a standing job in an affluent market for local property managers and cleaning crews across the Naples area.
Collier County · effective 2022-01-03
The Town of Fort Myers Beach requires a $300 yearly short-term rental registration with proof of insurance and an annual inspection under its short-term rental code. A yearly inspection on a rebuilding beach means repeat work for handymen, inspection helpers, and cleaners as each registration comes due.
- Cape Coral rental registration changes
New city rules start in 2026: every short-term rental must register each year and pay a $350 yearly fee.
City of Cape Coral · Ordinance 53-25 / Resolution 279-25 · effective 2026-01-01
- Collier County vacation rental registration
The county requires a short-term vacation rental registration certificate that owners renew each year.
Collier County · Short-Term Vacation Rental Registration (land use application)
Northeast Florida
The City of Jacksonville requires a short-term rental certificate for every rental property, $150 a year, renewed by October 1. A citywide yearly certificate is a steady, recurring need for cleaners, managers, and permit helpers each time a property registers.
North Central Florida
Alachua County runs a residential rental permitting program and, like Marion County, collects a tourist development tax on stays under six months, so short-term rental owners inland sign up to pay it. The main need here is tax and permit signup rather than heavy compliance, so bookkeepers and local property managers see steady work as inland owners register to collect the tax.
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