Three layers of rules
State: a DBPR vacation rental license plus sales and tourist development tax registration. Local: city or county ordinance governing minimum stay, registration, parking, and occupancy. Private: the association's declaration, which can be stricter than any government rule and is the layer buyers most often skip.
Market by market
Miami-Dade: highly zone-dependent; Sunny Isles and specific Miami Beach districts permit short stays, much of the rest requires longer minimums.
Fort Lauderdale: vacation rental registration and safety inspection required, with rules varying by zoning district.
Palm Beach: the town restricts short-term rentals tightly; treat it as a lifestyle purchase, not a yield play.
Naples: many Gulf-front associations allow 30-day minimums a limited number of times per year.
Siesta Key: parts of the key permit 7-day minimums, which is why it is the Gulf Coast's strongest rental market.
30A / Destin: broadly short-term-rental friendly with county registration; town-level design and parking rules still apply.
Diligence checklist
Read the declaration and the current rules and regulations, not the listing remarks. Confirm minimum stay, annual rental frequency caps, lease-approval fees, guest parking allocation, and whether the association has recently voted to tighten rental rules.
General information only. Not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Confirm details with a licensed Florida professional before acting.