LicensedRental

St. Johns County, Florida

St. Augustine Beach, FL vacation rental requirements

St. Augustine Beach bans stays of 30 days or less in low-density residential zoning. In medium-density zoning, up to 100 rentals are allowed citywide with a city business tax receipt, a local contact, and a yearly rental report.

Checked against official sources November 3, 2026

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Low-density residential
Not allowed
Transient lodging (30 days or less) is a prohibited use there.Source
Medium-density residential
Allowed, 100 citywide
New rentals are taken in order of business tax receipt application once there’s room under the cap.Source
City business tax receipt
$31.70 a year
Plus a signed notice of minimum standards, renewed by October 1.Source
Maximum guests
2 per bedroom, plus 2 per floor
Counts people over 15. One sleeper sofa per floor adds 2.Source

The city’s short-term rental web page was offline when we checked, and the code doesn’t say when the low-density ban was first adopted. Confirm with the city before you buy or list.

Your licensing checklist

In order: the state, the county, then the town.

State of Florida

  1. Get the DBPR vacation rental license

    Apply online to the Division of Hotels and Restaurants as a Vacation Rental – Condominium or Vacation Rental – Dwelling, listing every unit address. Approval usually takes one to two business days and the license is emailed. There is no inspection before it’s issued, but DBPR can inspect afterward. Post the license (or a copy) in the unit.Source

    DBPR vacation rental licensing guide →

  2. Renew every year by your district’s date

    Licenses renew on a set date for each DBPR district. Brevard, Volusia, and Indian River (District 4) renew April 1, with the half-year rate from October 1. Flagler, St. Johns, and the rest of District 5 renew June 1, with the half-year rate from December 1. If you won’t rent until after the next renewal date, waiting to apply can save paying twice.Source

  3. Register for Florida sales tax if you collect rent yourself

    Whoever receives the rent collects and pays the tax. Airbnb and VRBO collect Florida’s 6% tax and the county surtax on bookings made through them, so if every booking goes through them you don’t need your own sales tax account. If you take direct bookings, or a property manager collects rent for you, you or the manager register with the Department of Revenue and file. You stay responsible if a platform or manager doesn’t pay it.Source

    Florida Department of Revenue →

  4. Meet the state fire safety rule

    Florida Administrative Code 69A-43.018 asks rental homes for smoke alarms powered by the house wiring plus one in every bedroom, NFPA 10 extinguishers, one hour of battery emergency lighting to the main exit, a posted floor diagram showing the primary and secondary exits, and fire safety information for guests.Source

    Florida rental fire safety checklist (FireEscapePlan.com) →

  5. Balcony inspection for taller buildings

    Buildings three or more stories tall must file a Certificate of Balcony Inspection with DBPR every three years. Condo units are exempt when the balconies and stairs are common elements and you give DBPR proof.Source

  6. Keep up the state operating rules

    Keep the unit clean, safe, and free of pests; change sheets and pillowcases between guests or weekly; use cribs that meet federal safety standards; and sanitize dishes between guests or post DBPR’s exception notice.Source

  7. Then the county and town

    Most rules that affect day-to-day operation, like registration, inspections, occupancy, and parking, are set by the county and the town. Pick your town for its full checklist.

St. Johns County, Florida

  1. Register for the tourist tax

    Get a Florida sales tax number from the Department of Revenue, a county business tax receipt, and fill out the Tax Collector’s tourist development tax application. File a return every month by the 20th, including months with no rentals. Filing correctly and on time earns a 2.5% collection allowance, up to $30.Source

    Tourist development tax application (PDF) →

  2. Ask whether your platform covers the county tax

    Airbnb’s and Vrbo’s own tax pages don’t name St. Johns County, and the Tax Collector says every owner or agent collects and remits. Plan to file it yourself unless the Tax Collector tells you a platform remits for you.Source

  3. Know which rules cover you

    St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach run their own programs. Outside city limits and east of the Intracoastal Waterway (Ponte Vedra Beach, Vilano Beach, Crescent Beach, Butler Beach), the county’s short-term vacation rental registration applies. West of the Intracoastal, including Hastings, there is no county registration.Source

  4. Then your town

    Pick your town for its full checklist.

City of St. Augustine Beach

  1. Check your zoning first

    Rentals of 30 days or less are prohibited in low-density residential zoning. In medium-density districts, the city allows at most 100 transient rentals in total. Hotels, motels, and resort condominiums are covered by other rules. Ask the city whether your property qualifies and whether there’s room under the cap.Source

  2. Get the state license and tax accounts first

    The city asks for your Florida sales tax number and DBPR license before it issues a business tax receipt. You also need the county business tax receipt and a St. Johns County tourist tax account.Source

  3. Apply for the city business tax receipt

    Include a local contact with a current local phone and street address (not a mailbox), and the signed notice of minimum standards. Post the contact’s phone number at the property, and tell the city within 30 days of any change.Source

  4. Give guests the city rules

    Send guests a copy of the city’s rules on noise, parking, dune protection, turtle nesting season, littering, and trash before they arrive, and post the same notice in the rental.Source

  5. File a rental report by February 1

    Every year, the owner or agent sends the city a rental report.Source

House rules for guests

Occupancy
2 per bedroom, plus 2 for a sleeper sofa per floor
Counts people over 15.Source
Parking
On-site spaces only
Overflow goes to unrestricted public parking.Source

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.