LicensedRental

County rules

Indian River County, FL vacation rental rules and taxes

Indian River County adds a 5% tourist tax, filed with the Clerk of Court; Airbnb and Vrbo collect it on their bookings. The county, Sebastian, and Indian River Shores each require a rental license or registration with an inspection, and Vero Beach bans short stays in residential zoning.

Checked against official sources November 3, 2026
Tourist development tax
5%
On stays of six months or less, on top of 7% state sales tax (6% plus the 1% county surtax).Source
Filed with
Indian River County Clerk of Court
Monthly, by the 20th of the next month.Source
Platforms
Airbnb and Vrbo collect the 5% tax
Vrbo since February 2020. You file only for direct bookings and sites that don’t collect.Source
County business tax receipt
Required for a county license
From the Tax Collector.Source

What to do

  1. Taking direct bookings? Open a tourist tax account

    Airbnb and Vrbo collect and send Indian River’s 5% tax for bookings made through them. If you collect rent yourself, register with the Clerk of Court and file a return by the 20th of each month. Once an account has been open 12 months, file a zero return in months with no rentals unless you ask in writing to go inactive. The county and city rental licenses still ask for proof of a Clerk tourist tax account.Source

    Tourist tax registration form (PDF) →

  2. Know which rules cover you

    Outside city limits, the county vacation rental license applies. Sebastian and Indian River Shores have their own registrations. Vero Beach allows rentals under 30 days only in some commercial and downtown districts. Fellsmere and Orchid have no rental rules in their codes.

  3. Then your town

    Pick your town for its full checklist.

Towns

Full guide

Fellsmere

Fellsmere has no vacation rental registration, inspection, or occupancy rules in its code. You need the state DBPR license, plus tax accounts if you take direct bookings.

Full guide

Indian River Shores

Indian River Shores requires a short-term rental registration with the town business tax receipt and an inspection before the receipt is issued. Up to 10 guests, a responsible party who can arrive within two hours, and posted rules inside and out.

Full guide

Orchid

Orchid has no vacation rental rules in its code. You need the state DBPR license, plus tax accounts if you take direct bookings, and your club or association rules likely decide what’s allowed.

Full guide

Sebastian

Sebastian requires a vacation rental registration with your city business tax receipt and a life safety inspection before the receipt is issued. Up to 10 guests, and the receipt number, occupancy, and parking limit must appear in every ad.

Full guide

Unincorporated Indian River

Outside city limits, every vacation rental needs a county license: $250, good for three years, with a code enforcement inspection before it’s issued and before each renewal. The license number, occupancy, and parking limit must appear in every ad.

Full guide

Vero Beach

Vero Beach doesn’t allow rentals of less than 30 days in its residential zoning districts, a rule that dates to 1991 and was upheld in court in 2016. Short stays are allowed only where the zoning lists guest houses and transient quarters: some commercial districts, downtown, and the Ocean Drive overlay.

Sources

A plain-language summary to help you prepare, not legal advice. Rules and fees change; confirm with the office before you apply. Spot something out of date? Email hello@licensedrental.com.