St. Johns County, Florida
Unincorporated St. Johns, FL vacation rental requirements
East of the Intracoastal Waterway, rentals outside city limits must register with the county every 12 months: 10 guests at most (children 12 and under don’t count), off-street parking, and a posted information page. Condos with an association or on-site management are exempt.
Checked against official sources November 3, 2026Download checklist (PDF)Free. A printable version of this guide to tick off, with the official sources.
We couldn’t find the county’s registration fee; it’s set by resolution and the online portal was offline in November 2026. Ask Code Enforcement.
Your licensing checklist
In order: the state, the county, then the town.
State of Florida
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Then your town
Pick your town for its full checklist.
Unincorporated St. Johns County
Check whether you’re exempt
County registration doesn’t apply west of the Intracoastal Waterway, to a homesteaded home the owner lives in full time (or a duplex where the owner lives in one side), or to units in a multi-family building with a condo, homeowners, or property owners association or on-site management. Most beach condos fall under that last exemption.Source
Get the state license, tax accounts, and business tax receipt
You need the DBPR license, a Florida Department of Revenue certificate, a county tourist tax account, and a county business tax receipt before you register. See the St. Johns County page.Source
Write a lease with the required terms
Maximum occupancy and vehicles; 24-hour phone numbers for the owner, manager, and a backup contact; the guest’s agreement to county inspections; and the guest’s agreement to the rental rules and the county noise ordinance (give them a copy). Put the trash and recycling schedule in the lease too.Source
Register with the county
Submit the application and affidavit, a sample lease, your business tax receipt, state tax certificate, DBPR license, and the fee. In the affidavit you agree to get a copy of a government photo ID for the person renting. The county’s online portal was down for a software change when we checked; call Code Enforcement if it still is.Source
Renew every 12 months
Renewals are due by the date your registration expires. Adding square footage, sleeping rooms, or guests needs a new application.Source
Inspection checklist
What the inspector looks for, from Unincorporated St. Johns County’s published checklist.
- Fire extinguishersA multi-purpose extinguisher mounted on the wall of each floor, in an open common area or a marked enclosed space, maintained per NFPA 1.Source
- Posted page by the main doorOwner or manager name and phone; maximum occupancy and vehicles; where the evacuation route map is; nearest hospital; and the county’s sea turtle rules.Source
- Trash cansOne covered can for every four guests. Out no earlier than sunset the day before pickup, back by sunrise the next day.Source
House rules for guests
Sources
- Vacation rental and timeshare project licensing guide · Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels and Restaurants
- Rule 12A-1.061, sales tax on transient rentals (registration in part (9)) · Florida Department of Revenue (Florida Administrative Code)
- Rule 69A-43.018, fire safety for one- and two-family homes licensed as public lodging · State Fire Marshal (Florida Administrative Code)
- Certificate of Balcony Inspection (DBPR HR 7020) · Florida DBPR
- Tourist development tax · St. Johns County Tax Collector
- Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Florida · Airbnb
- Land Development Code Article II, § 2.02.04.B.19, short-term vacation rentals · St. Johns County
- Short-term vacation rentals · St. Johns County Code Enforcement
- Resolution 2023-44, civil penalties for short-term vacation rental violations · St. Johns County
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.