STR rules · verified 1mo ago
Short-term rental rules in Cocoa Beach, FL
Cocoa Beach regulates short-term rentals through Code of Ordinances Chapter 26.5, which applies registration ONLY to the RS-1 single-family residential zoning district (condos and other zoning districts are exempt from city registration). Under 2025 Resolution 2025-01, RS-1 registration was overhauled to a per-guest fee of $219.45 per allowed occupant for both initial application and annual renewal, replacing the prior flat $525 / $325 structure. Occupancy is capped at 2 per bedroom with a hard ceiling of 8 guests; the owner or agent must answer phone 24/7; all parking must be on the paved driveway / paved spaces only. Brevard County levies a 5% Tourist Development Tax (now collected by the Brevard Clerk of Court as of October 2025).
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 Cocoa Beach, FL?
Cocoa Beach 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 Cocoa Beach?
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 Cocoa Beach (cost, renewal cycle, required documents) are behind sign-in. You can also read the source ordinance directly: https://library.municode.com/fl/cocoa_beach/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH26.5VARE.
What happens if I rent without a permit in Cocoa Beach?
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 Cocoa Beach.
How current is this data for Cocoa Beach?
This record was verified 1mo 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 Cocoa Beach 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.