LicensedRental

Florida county rules

St. Lucie County, FL vacation rental rules and taxes

St. Lucie County adds a 5% tourist tax that every owner files with the Tax Collector, because Airbnb and Vrbo don’t pay it for you. Fort Pierce and St. Lucie Village require a rental registration; Port St. Lucie and the unincorporated county have no rental program.

Checked against official sources November 4, 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
Platforms
Airbnb and Vrbo don’t send the 5%
The Tax Collector says they “DO NOT pay the tax on your behalf.” They do pay the state sales tax.Source
Filed with
St. Lucie County Tax Collector
Monthly, by the 20th, through TouristExpress.Source
Town programs
Fort Pierce and St. Lucie Village
Port St. Lucie and the unincorporated county have no rental registration in their codes.Source

What to do

  1. Open a tourist tax account, even if you only use Airbnb or Vrbo

    Get a Florida sales tax number from the Department of Revenue first, then create a TouristExpress account with the Tax Collector and apply for a tourist tax account. File every month by the 20th. Filing on time online earns a 2.5% collection allowance, up to $30.Source

    TouristExpress (St. Lucie Tax Collector) →

  2. Ask about a business tax receipt

    Ask the Tax Collector whether your rental needs a county business tax receipt. Fort Pierce also requires its own city receipt.

  3. Know which rules cover you

    Fort Pierce (including its part of Hutchinson Island) and St. Lucie Village run rental registrations. Port St. Lucie and the unincorporated county, including the county side of Hutchinson Island, have no rental registration, so the state license, tax accounts, and your condo or HOA rules apply.

  4. Then your town

    Pick your town for its full checklist.

Towns

Full guide

Fort Pierce

Fort Pierce requires a yearly rental unit registration for every vacation and short-term rental: $350 to start and $200 a year to renew, with a site sketch and interior sketch, a city business tax receipt, and a responsible person who answers calls within one hour.

Full guide

Port St. Lucie

Port St. Lucie has no vacation rental registration, inspection, or occupancy rules in its code. You need the state DBPR license and a St. Lucie County tourist tax account, which you file yourself even if you only book through Airbnb or Vrbo.

Full guide

St. Lucie Village

St. Lucie Village requires every vacation rental to register with the Town Clerk and be approved by the Board of Aldermen: $650, renewed every 12 months with a fresh septic certification. Up to 10 guests, and a responsible party within two hours.

Full guide

Unincorporated St. Lucie

Outside city limits, St. Lucie County has no vacation rental registration. You need the state DBPR license and a county tourist tax account, which you file yourself, and your condo or HOA rules often decide what’s allowed.

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.