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  1. Home
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  3. Regulations
  4. ·
  5. Florida
  6. ·
  7. Delray Beach

Delray Beach

Moderate
FloridaUpdated Apr 8, 2026
Gold-standard verification1% sourced

Cross-referenced against 3 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.

Verified Jan 30, 2026Sources 3

Summary

Plain-english overview

Short-term rentals in Delray Beach are regulated as 'Vacation Rentals' and require annual registration with the City Code Enforcement Division. Registration involves passing a fire safety inspection and maintaining active state and county business licenses.

Restriction level

Severity 13
Classification
Moderate
13
Severity

Why this classification

  • Moderate permit fee: $400
  • Permit required
  • No night cap
  • No primary residence requirement

In plain English

What this means for you

To host an Airbnb in the City of Delray Beach, you must register your property annually with the City and pay a $400 initial fee. You are required to have a state vacation rental license from the DBPR and a county business tax receipt before applying to the City. Once you apply, the City will inspect your home for fire safety, including checking for fire extinguishers and emergency exit lighting. You can only host up to 10 guests maximum, and you must post the city rules and emergency contact information inside the rental.

At a glance

Key numbers
Permit requiredYes
Night limitNone
Primary residenceNot required
Total tax rate0.1%
Permit fee$400
Processing time30 days

7 things hosts often miss

Common compliance gaps
  1. 1You must have a Florida DBPR license and Palm Beach County BTR BEFORE applying to the city.
  2. 2Max occupancy is strictly limited to 10 persons regardless of house size.
  3. 3Parking is limited to designated spaces; street parking for guests is often restricted.
  4. 4The City requires battery-powered emergency lighting in all exit paths.
  5. 5A local responsible party must be available 24/7 and respond within 2 hours.
  6. 6Vacation rentals are defined as stays of 30 days or less.
  7. 7Total taxes are roughly 13% (6% State Sales, 1% local option, and 6% County Tourist Tax).

Regulation details

Sourced from official code
Eligibility7 rules
  • Delray Beach, FL: Your HOA can prohibit short-term rentals even if the city allows them. Check your CC&Rs before applying.
  • Delray Beach, FL: You can have a co-host or property manager help manage your listing.
  • Delray Beach prohibits STRs in the following property types: Recreational vehicles, Boats, Temporary structures.
Requirements15 rules
  • Delray Beach STR warning: The City requires battery-powered emergency lighting in all exit paths.
  • Delray Beach, FL: You must display your permit/registration number on your listing. Platforms may remove non-compliant listings.
  • Delray Beach: The City requires battery-powered emergency lighting in all exit paths.
Application process11 rules
  • Delray Beach, FL extended permit requirement: Annual renewal fee is lower than the initial registration fee.
Fees & costs1 rule
  • Delray Beach charges a registration fee of $400 (annual). Extended/additional fee: $161.75 (Annual renewal fee is lower than the initial registration fee.).
Taxes3 rules
  • Delray Beach: Total taxes are roughly 13% (6% State Sales, 1% local option, and 6% County Tourist Tax).
  • Delray Beach charges a Tourist Development Tax of 0.06%. This applies to stays under 182 days. Platforms like Airbnb collect and remit this tax. Note: Airbnb and VRBO remit the 6% County Tourist Development Tax directly to Palm Beach County.
Limits & restrictions7 rules
  • Delray Beach, FL occupancy calculation: 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 additional persons in common areas, not to exceed 10 total.. Count your bedrooms to determine your max guest limit.
  • Delray Beach limits stays to a maximum of 30 nights.
  • Delray Beach limits STRs to a maximum of 10 guests. Formula: 2 persons per bedroom plus 2 additional persons in common areas, not to exceed 10 total.
Safety requirements1 rule
  • Delray Beach requires the following safety measures for STRs: smoke detectors, CO detectors, fire extinguisher, fire inspection, posted maximum occupancy, posted emergency contact, Floor plan showing exits must be posted, Battery powered emergency lighting of exit paths, Notice to guests regarding noise and parking.
Penalties4 rules
  • Delray Beach enforces the following penalties for STR violations: First offense: $250 per day. Second offense: $500 per day. Third offense: Revocation of registration. Daily fine: $250-$500. Maximum fine: Uncapped based on duration of violation. Permit may be revoked for violations.
Exemptions3 rules
  • Delray Beach: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).
  • Delray Beach exempts the following from STR regulations: long-term rentals (30+ days).
  • Delray Beach, FL: Rentals of 30+ days are generally NOT considered short-term rentals and may be exempt from STR regulations (but may have other requirements).

Frequently asked questions

4 answered

Disclaimer

Regulatory information is AI-researched from public city/county codes for educational purposes. Details may be outdated or incomplete. Always verify requirements directly with your city/county planning department before operating a short-term rental.

Researched & verified by Learn STR at GoStudioM

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