Step 1
Obtain State Vacation Rental License
Apply for a Vacation Rental Dwelling or Condo license through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
1-2 weeks$210
Documents needed
- Business information
- Property details
Cross-referenced against 3 official sources — municipal codes, planning-department pages, and government registries.
Lakeland follows a 'hands-off' approach to short-term rentals, relying on Florida state law for primary regulation while requiring local business tax receipts at both the city and county levels.
The City of Lakeland does not have a specific short-term rental permit, but you must obtain a Local Business Tax Receipt from the city and a Class B Business Tax Receipt from Polk County. You are also required to have a state license from the Florida DBPR and collect a total of 12% in taxes from guests. Safety requirements include standard fire safety equipment and a balcony inspection every three years for taller buildings.
Step-by-step guide for Lakeland
Apply for a Vacation Rental Dwelling or Condo license through the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR).
Register with the Florida Department of Revenue for a Sales Tax Certificate and with the Polk County Tax Collector for a Tourist Development Tax (TDT) account.
Apply for a Class B County Local Business Tax Receipt from the Polk County Tax Collector.
Contact the City of Lakeland Business Tax Office to register your rental and pay the local business tax.
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 Details may be outdated or incomplete.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