STR rules · verified 2w ago
Short-term rental rules in Cedar Key, FL
Cedar Key FL (Levy County; population approximately 700; cluster of small Gulf Coast islands at the mouth of the Suwannee River system; artist colony; clam aquaculture; historic fishing village with weekend tourism economy) governs short-term rentals through the city's general Code of Ordinances requiring a Cedar Key local business tax receipt; operators also need a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling license and a Levy County Tourist Development Tax account at 4% (raised from prior rate by Levy County BOCC effective October 22, 2019). Stacked with 6% FL state sales tax and 1% Levy County discretionary surtax, the effective lodging tax burden is 11%. The city has no dedicated STR registration ordinance, occupancy cap, or minimum-stay rule distinct from DBPR licensure; typical operator practice follows FL occupancy guidance of 2 per bedroom plus 2 in common area. Florida Statute 509.032(7) preempts the city from banning STRs absent a pre-June-2011 ordinance, which Cedar Key does not have.
What's behind the sign-in
- Registration fees — initial + annual renewal cost, per permit type
- Permit caps + waitlists — exact cap values, current waitlist counts
- Owner-occupancy rules — days/year requirement, permit-class splits
- Zoning carve-outs — which districts allow / disallow STR
- Tax stack — TOT, hotel, county + state layers
- Stay limits — min/max nightly, max nights/year
- Operational requirements — parking, insurance, fire inspection, neighbor notice
- Penalties — per-night fines, revocation thresholds
- City-specific gotchas — HOA carve-outs, pending legislation, recent court rulings
- Refresh on demand — re-run the agentic pipeline against the city's current ordinance
Frequently asked
Are short-term rentals legal in Cedar Key, FL?
Cedar Key is currently restricted for short-term rentals. Permitted but with material constraints — caps, owner-occupancy rules, zoning carve-outs, or active ordinance review. For the actual fees, caps, owner-occupancy rules, and city-specific gotchas, sign in.
Do I need a permit to run an Airbnb in Cedar Key?
Almost certainly yes — almost every U.S. city now requires a short-term rental permit, vacation rental permit, or transient lodging permit before you can legally list. The specifics for Cedar Key (cost, renewal cycle, required documents) are behind sign-in. You can also read the source ordinance directly: https://www.levycounty.org/280/Tourist-Development-Tax.
What happens if I rent without a permit in Cedar Key?
Most cities charge per-night fines (a few hundred to a few thousand dollars per violation), escalating to cease-and-desist letters and platform delisting on repeat. Airbnb and Vrbo now share permit-validation feeds with most major cities, so unpermitted listings get blocked at the platform level. Sign in to see the specific penalty schedule for Cedar Key.
How current is this data for Cedar Key?
This record was verified 2w ago against the city's published ordinance (.gov or the city's official municipal-code publisher). Cached cities re-verify on a cadence — daily for cities under active legislation, weekly otherwise. Signed-in users can hit Refresh on any city to force a fresh pull. If you're underwriting a deal, always confirm against the city's code-enforcement office before closing.
Can my HOA or condo association ban STRs even if Cedar Key allows them?
Yes. City permits authorize you under municipal law, but your HOA, condo association, or co-op board sets contractual rules that override the city for your unit. Many HOAs adopted blanket STR bans between 2018 and 2024 in response to neighbor complaints. Read the CC&Rs, bylaws, and rental addendums before you buy with an STR plan — the city saying yes does not mean your building says yes.