Short-Term Rental Regulations · Florida Panhandle
Is Destin short-term-rental friendly?
City and county rules differ
Mostly yes, with registration, but rules differ by jurisdiction. Destin registers rentals by zoning district with fees based on square footage. Walton County requires annual registration in Miramar Beach and Santa Rosa Beach. Fort Walton Beach's current STR rules could not be confirmed, so check with the city.
Last updated: . Every fact links to its official source.
Town-by-town rules
| Town | Permit required? | Annual cost | Primary-residence / night-cap limits | Lodging tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Destin | STR registration is required for properties rented less than 180 days. Eligibility depends on zoning, and some property types require conditional use or change of use approval. (City of Destin STR FAQ (opens in a new tab), City of Destin 2026 STR Registration Guide (opens in a new tab)) | Annual registration is $500 for properties up to 2,499 square feet, $600 for 2,500 to 4,999 square feet, and $700 for 5,000 square feet or more. (City of Destin STR application (opens in a new tab), City of Destin 2026 STR Registration Guide (opens in a new tab)) | No primary-residence requirement or annual rental-night cap was found in the cited materials. STRs are limited to listed zoning districts and parking requirements generally require one space per bedroom, with a special rule for homes built before December 5, 2016. (City of Destin STR FAQ (opens in a new tab), City of Destin 2026 STR Registration Guide (opens in a new tab)) | Florida state sales tax is 6%, plus Okaloosa County tourist development tax of 6% in both the current and expanded districts, effective January 1, 2023 and March 1, 2025 respectively. This is not a combined total, and a county surtax may also apply. (Florida Department of Revenue local option transient rental tax rates (opens in a new tab), Florida Department of Revenue discretionary sales surtax (opens in a new tab), Okaloosa County tourist development tax (opens in a new tab)) |
| Fort Walton Beach | The April 10, 2025 council summary confirms first-reading approval, with modifications, of a proposed STR registration ordinance. First reading alone does not establish final enactment, so confirm current registration and enforcement rules with the city. (Fort Walton Beach April 8, 2025 council summary (opens in a new tab), Fort Walton Beach official code gateway (opens in a new tab)) | No current city STR registration fee was found. Destin and county fees do not apply in the city. (Fort Walton Beach council summary (opens in a new tab), Fort Walton Beach official code gateway (opens in a new tab)) | Current city STR zoning, density, residency, and cap rules were not found in the cited materials. Confirm the address with city planning, because county tax registration does not settle city land-use eligibility. (Fort Walton Beach Land Development Code gateway (opens in a new tab), Fort Walton Beach council summary (opens in a new tab)) | Florida state sales tax is 6%, plus Okaloosa County tourist development tax of 6% in both the current and expanded districts, effective January 1, 2023 and March 1, 2025 respectively. This is not a combined total, and a county surtax may also apply. (Florida Department of Revenue local option transient rental tax rates (opens in a new tab), Florida Department of Revenue discretionary sales surtax (opens in a new tab), Okaloosa County tourist development tax (opens in a new tab)) |
| Walton County (unincorporated, incl. Miramar Beach and Santa Rosa Beach) | Short-term vacation rentals in Walton County require annual registration. (Walton County Office of Short-Term Vacation Rental Registration (opens in a new tab)) | The county program page publishes $300 initial/annual individual-property registration and $227 community-property registration, effective February 1, 2025. A June 30, 2026 agenda attachment proposes a reduction effective April 1, 2027; that future effective date does not replace the stated 2026 rate. (Walton County program fee table (opens in a new tab), Walton County June 30, 2026 fee agenda item (opens in a new tab)) | Registration is required, but no countywide residency cap for these communities was found in the cited sources. (Walton County Office of Short-Term Vacation Rental Registration (opens in a new tab)) | Florida state sales tax is 6%, plus South Walton tourist development tax of 5% for properties south of Choctawhatchee Bay. Confirm the parcel's tax district. This is not a combined total, and a county surtax may also apply. (Florida Department of Revenue local option transient rental tax rates (opens in a new tab), Florida Department of Revenue discretionary sales surtax (opens in a new tab), Walton County tourist development tax (opens in a new tab)) |
"Not found" means the restriction was not located in the linked official materials reviewed as of the update date. It does not prove that no later, uncodified, parcel-specific, or special-district rule applies.
Good to know
- Destin: Destin sets its own rules. Walton County registration rules do not apply in the city. (City of Destin STR FAQ (opens in a new tab), City of Destin 2026 STR Registration Guide (opens in a new tab))
- Fort Walton Beach: The city handles land-use questions through its own Land Development Code, updated by adopted ordinances. Walton County and Okaloosa Island rules do not automatically apply to a Fort Walton Beach address. (Fort Walton Beach Land Development Code gateway (opens in a new tab))
- Walton County (unincorporated, incl. Miramar Beach and Santa Rosa Beach): Miramar Beach and Santa Rosa Beach are in unincorporated Walton County. City rules apply only if the address is inside a municipality. (Walton County Office of Short-Term Vacation Rental Registration (opens in a new tab))
FAQ
Do the same rules apply in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, and Walton County?
No. Destin and Fort Walton Beach are separate cities. Miramar Beach and Santa Rosa Beach are in unincorporated Walton County.
What is the Destin registration fee?
The 2026 guide lists $500, $600, or $700 based on square footage.
What is the Walton County registration fee?
The county program page lists $300 individual-property and $227 community-property registration, effective February 1, 2025. A June 2026 agenda item proposes a reduction effective April 1, 2027, not a 2026 replacement rate.
What taxes are shown?
Florida state sales tax is 6%. Okaloosa County TDT is 6%. South Walton TDT is 5%. These are components, not a combined total.
General information, not legal advice. Short-term rental rules change, so verify current requirements with the jurisdiction before listing.