Yes, if you rent a Florida dwelling for less than 30 days (or one calendar month, whichever is less) more than three times per year, you must be licensed by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) as a public lodging establishment.
According to Chapter 509, Florida Statutes, a dwelling qualifies as a vacation rental (and requires DBPR licensing) when both of these conditions are met:
If your property meets both conditions, Florida classifies it as a "public lodging establishment" under Chapter 509, and you must obtain a license from the DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants before operating.
According to the DBPR vacation rental licensing guide, licensed vacation rentals must:
Unlike hotels and restaurants, vacation rentals do not require a mandatory opening inspection from DBPR. Your first inspection may not come until a complaint triggers one. But this doesn't reduce your obligations. You must be in compliance from day one, and noncompliance discovered during a complaint-triggered inspection carries the same penalties.
The DBPR license is a state requirement. It does not replace your local STR permit, business tax receipt, or municipal registration. Most Florida municipalities require their own separate permit with additional safety inspections, fees, and requirements on top of the DBPR license. You need both.
For property managers onboarding new Florida properties, the compliance sequence is typically: