STR rules · verified 1mo ago
Short-term rental rules in Fort Myers Beach, FL
The Town of Fort Myers Beach (barrier island, separate municipality from City of Fort Myers) requires every STR property to be registered with the Town under Ordinance 18-01 (May 7, 2018), codified at LDC sections 34-2393 and 34-2394 (Chapter 34 Article IV Division 32-A). Registration is $300 per unit, renewed annually between October 1 and December 31 for $300. An annual fire-safety inspection from the Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District is mandatory before registration. All registrations and complaints are processed via the Rentalscape (Deckard) software platform. Hurricane Ian (Sept 2022) devastated the island; rebuilt properties must clear FEMA substantial-improvement (50% rule) compliance and obtain a current Certificate of Occupancy before STR registration is granted. Florida Statute 509.032(7) preempts duration caps; Lee County 5% TDT plus FL 6% state sales tax stack to ~11%.
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 Fort Myers Beach, FL?
Fort Myers 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 Fort Myers 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 Fort Myers Beach (cost, renewal cycle, required documents) are behind sign-in. You can also read the source ordinance directly: https://www.fortmyersbeachfl.gov/1024/Short-Term-Rentals.
What happens if I rent without a permit in Fort Myers 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 Fort Myers Beach.
How current is this data for Fort Myers 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 Fort Myers 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.