Fort Lauderdale property management fees

New: higher vacation rental penalties (Ordinance C-26-39)

On Sept. 15, 2026, Fort Lauderdale adopted Ordinance C-26-39. The ordinance says it takes effect 30 days after adoption (Oct. 15, 2026).

• $1,000 per day for advertising, renting or operating a vacation rental without a valid Certificate of Compliance.
• Operating with an expired certificate: up from $250 to $1,000 per day.
• Selling the property or changing ownership or management doesn't wipe out existing obligations or penalties.

Source: City of Fort Lauderdale, Vacation Rental Program. Not legal advice.

Fort Lauderdale vacation rental registration

• Who must register: the City of Fort Lauderdale says any residential single-family, two-, three- or four-family house or dwelling unit, or condominium, advertised for periods of 30 days or less to transient occupants (other than a timeshare) must register in its Vacation Rental Program. Source: City of Fort Lauderdale, Vacation Rental Program.
• State and county first: before you apply, the city requires:
  • a DBPR license (narrow exemption for owner-occupied homestead room rentals);
  • Florida Department of Revenue sales tax registration;
  • a Broward County Business Tax Receipt and Broward County Tourist Development Tax registration.
  Then apply through LauderBuild with proof of ownership and a sample guest lease. Source: City of Fort Lauderdale, Vacation Rental Registration.
• City fees and inspection: the city lists:
  • $880.00 registration fee (up to 4 units under one folio, including the first inspection);
  • $100.00 safety inspection, reinspection or no-show fee;
  • $50.00 transfer rental agent fee;
  • a city Business Tax account, invoiced too.
  A Certificate of Compliance is issued after the property passes inspection. Maximum occupancy is 2 persons per bedroom, based on legal bedrooms. We did not verify annual renewal fees, so check with the city.
• Penalties: the City Commission approved higher civil penalties on September 15, 2026; see Ordinance C-26-39 above.
• State license: Florida's Division of Hotels and Restaurants (DBPR) says you need a vacation rental license if you rent an entire unit "more than three times in a calendar year for periods of less than 30 days or 1 calendar month, whichever is less," or advertise it as regularly rented to guests. Source: DBPR guide to vacation rentals.
• Broward County tourist development tax: Broward County says:
  • the tax is 6% of total rent on rentals of six months or less, charged by the person receiving the rent and remitted to the county's Tourist Development Tax Section;
  • you register with the county, which assigns a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual filing frequency;
  • returns are due on the first of the month after collection, are delinquent if not postmarked by the 20th, and are required even if no tax was collected.
  Source: Broward County, Tourist Development Tax.
• State sales tax: the Florida Department of Revenue says:
  • local transient rental taxes are in addition to the 6% state sales tax and any applicable discretionary sales surtax;
  • sales tax and surtax on transient rentals are always reported and remitted to the Department.
  Check with the Department for your county's surtax rate. Source: Florida DOR transient rental tax rates (DR-15TDT).

Checked November 2026. Rules change. This is a summary of official pages, not legal or tax advice. Verify current requirements with the City of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, DBPR and the Florida Department of Revenue before you list a property.

All areas in one place: Florida & MS Gulf Coast short-term rental rules.