Short-Term Rental Rules for Miami Condos
What to know about Airbnb and short-term rental rules before you buy.
What It Means
Short-term rentals in Miami-Dade require specific licensing — typically a Florida DBPR Vacation Rental License, state tax registration, a Miami-Dade County Certificate of Use, and an Operational Management Plan. On top of county and state rules, each condo association sets its own policy, and most buildings restrict or prohibit short-term rentals entirely.
Some buildings — often ones originally built with hotel-condo licenses — explicitly allow short-term rentals and are popular with investors for that reason. You’ll find more of these in parts of Brickell, Downtown Miami, and Sunny Isles Beach.
Key Things to Know
- Fines for unlicensed short-term rentals can run up to $20,000 per violation, and enforcement has intensified in recent years.
- Combined state and local taxes on short-term rental income typically add up to around 13%.
- Buildings that explicitly allow short-term rentals often carry a price premium over otherwise similar buildings that don’t.
- Always get a building’s exact rental policy in writing — don’t rely on a listing description or assumption. See our Rental Restrictions guide for what to ask.
Why It Matters to Investors
An STR-friendly building can support meaningfully higher gross rental revenue, but after management fees, cleaning, insurance, and vacancy, net income is often closer to a well-priced annual lease than people expect. Rules change over time, so always verify current bylaws and county/state regulations before buying with short-term rental income in mind.
Related Reading
Short-term rental licensing works alongside a building’s own rental restrictions, so both need to line up before you can lease. If you’re buying specifically for rental income, our investment property and rental yield guide covers yield expectations, and South Beach is one of the strongest markets for this strategy. See our seller’s guide if you’re listing a short-term rental property.
