This guide covers licensing requirements, tax obligations, and county-specific rules for short-term rentals on Florida’s First Coast.
Owning a vacation rental on the First Coast means answering to at least three layers of government at once. The State of Florida sets the licensing baseline through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation and collects a 6% sales tax through the Department of Revenue. Each county — St. Johns, Nassau, Flagler and Duval — adds its own tourist development tax, registration or certificate, and in some cases inspections and occupancy limits. Cities such as Fernandina Beach, Jacksonville, Atlantic Beach and Flagler Beach then layer zoning and permit rules on top of that. Cross the state line to St. Simons Island and the entire framework changes: Georgia has no statewide vacation rental license, so Glynn County’s short-term rental certificate and 7% accommodation excise tax govern instead.
The practical result is that two homes 40 minutes apart can face different permit fees, different tax filings and different rules on how many guests can sleep in the house. Platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo collect some of these taxes for you, but not all of them — and the local portion is usually the one that gets missed. This guide lays out the state baseline first, then links to a dedicated page for each market so you can see exactly what applies to your address, how much it costs, and how a locally based manager keeps it current so you never receive a fine or a back-tax notice.
Q: Do I need a license to run a short-term rental on Florida’s First Coast?
A: Yes. Every Florida vacation rental needs a state DBPR license if it’s rented more than three times a year for stays under 30 days, plus Florida Department of Revenue registration to collect the 6% state sales tax. On top of that, each county — St. Johns, Nassau, Flagler, and Duval — adds its own certificate, business tax receipt, and tourist tax. St. Simons Island follows Georgia’s separate rules. Casago handles all of it for owners.
Q: What taxes do vacation rental owners pay on the First Coast?
A: Florida owners collect the 6% state sales tax plus a county tourist development tax (typically 5–6% locally) on stays of six months or less, charged to the guest. St. Simons Island owners in Georgia collect a 7% Glynn County accommodation excise tax plus Georgia sales tax. These are usually filed monthly, and platforms don’t always remit the local portion — which is why owners hand the filings to a manager.
Q: Which First Coast county has the strictest short-term rental rules?
A: Flagler County (Palm Coast and Flagler Beach) has the most specific requirements, including a Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate with an initial fee around $400, and Flagler Beach layers on zoning restrictions that limit rentals to certain areas. Duval County (Jacksonville Beach) also enforces strict operating standards with fines up to $500 per day. Rules vary meaningfully by market, so each deserves its own checklist.
Q: Does a property manager handle licensing and taxes for me?
A: Yes — full-service management includes it. Casago First Coast applies for the required licenses and certificates, registers your state and county tax accounts, and collects and files your taxes on every reservation across all five markets. Because the rules differ by county and state, having one local team manage compliance everywhere removes the biggest headache of owning a First Coast rental.
