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Can I run a short-term rental on a Miami-Dade property?
Short Answer
It depends on the property. In Miami-Dade, vacation rentals under 30 days need a state registration with the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and in unincorporated areas a county certificate of use, inspections, and in some zones the owner must live on site most of the year. Each city adds its own permits, taxes, and rules, and an HOA or condo association can prohibit short-term rentals altogether. Verify what is allowed for the exact property before you buy.
General information, not legal or financial advice.
State requirements
Florida treats short-term rentals as vacation rental dwellings, and hosts need a registration with the state's business and professional regulation department. The registration must be renewed, and the number shown in listings.
State law generally leaves local governments room to regulate, so the county and city rules are where the details live.
County rules in Miami-Dade
In unincorporated Miami-Dade, vacation rentals under 30 days require a certificate of use from the county, obtained before you list the property, plus an inspection. Occupancy is capped, typically two people per bedroom plus two per unit.
Zoning matters: in estate and low-density residential zones, the responsible party must live on the property for most of the year, which rules out the absentee investor model. Higher-density zones have different rules.
City and association rules
Cities across Miami-Dade add their own layers, from business tax receipts and certificates of use to stricter rules in places like Miami Beach and Miami Lakes. The rules differ from one city to the next and have been changing.
On top of that, an HOA or condo association can prohibit short-term rentals through its governing documents, regardless of what the county or city allows. That restriction binds you the day you buy.
What it means for investors
Short-term rental income can be attractive, but the costs add up: registrations, certificates, inspections, business taxes, and tourist taxes, plus the time to manage guests. And the rules can change after you buy.
The strongest approach is to verify what is permitted for the exact property, in writing, before you make an offer. That means reading the zoning, the city rules, and the association documents.
How Nanci can assist
I have guided investors through the question of whether a property can legally operate as a short-term rental in Miami-Dade. I help you read the zoning and association rules and connect you with the right professionals before you commit.
This is general information, not legal advice. For a specific property, confirm the rules with the county, the city, and an attorney.
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