Local Airbnb rules2026 29 sources cited

Is Airbnb Legal in Key West? 2026 Rules, Permits & Taxes

Short-term rentals under 30 days are legal in Key West only at addresses holding a city transient license; unlicensed rentals are prohibited and fined up to $500 a day. Lodging taxes total about 12.5%.^{1,2,3,4,13,15,23,24}

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou, Founder @ AirROI Updated November 4, 2026

From 24 official sources, 2 Airbnb help pages and 3 news reports, checked October 17, 2026. Not legal advice.

The short answer

Key West Airbnb Rules in Brief

Only addresses with a city transient license (business tax receipt plus medallion) may rent for under 30 days; the city's list dated September 1, 2026 has about 590 entries.
A Florida DBPR vacation rental license ($230 the first year, $180 to renew) and a Monroe County tourist tax account are also required.
Fine of up to $500 per day, per unit, per violation, and a misdemeanor; advertising an unlicensed home is itself unlawful.
Lodging taxes total about 12.5%: Airbnb collects the 6% state tax and 1.5% county surtax, but the host must remit the 5% Monroe County tourist taxes.

Browse the live Key West Airbnb market Search by revenue, occupancy and neighborhood on an interactive map See Every Key West Listing

Revenue, occupancy and nightly rates are in the Key West Airbnb market report .

At a glance

Key West Airbnb Rules at a Glance

License required: Yes
Taxes on a stay: 12.5%
Fine for hosting without a permit: Up to $500
Listings showing a permit number: 0%
Latest rule change: Dec 22, 2025

Listing figures: AirROI, 12 months to October 2026. A number on a listing doesn't prove the permit or license is valid, and a missing one doesn't prove there is none.

The rules in brief

The rules a Key West host meets first, each linked to the ordinance, statute or official page it comes from. Details and exceptions follow below.

Key West Airbnb Rules at a Glance
Topic	Rule
Permit	Every residential rental needs a city business tax receipt^3,13
Who can host	Unlicensed transient rental of a residence is prohibited¹
Where	Licenses move only by Planning Board transfer and create no new units²
Building rules	Condo and HOA rental limits can add to the city rules^11,12
Minimum stay	Stays under 30 days or one calendar month are transient^3,14
Guests	Occupancy follows the Florida Building Code¹
Listing display	Advertising an unpermitted home is unlawful¹
Platforms	Airbnb does not collect the 5% Monroe County tourist taxes^18,26
Safety	Fire marshal inspection before approval¹
Neighbors	24-hour contact person posted outside¹

Your home

Can You Host an Airbnb in Key West? It Depends on the Home

Whether you can host in Key West turns on whose home it is and whether you live there.

Your own home, rented whole while you're away

Allowed with conditions

Allowed for stays under 30 days only if the address holds a city transient license, with the medallion displayed and the DBPR license in place. Otherwise the home can be rented only for 30 days or one calendar month and longer.^1,3,14

A room in your home with you present

Not allowed

Not without a transient license. The state license is not needed for a single room, but the city treats leasing space to roommates for under 30 days as a violation in an unlicensed home.^1,23

A second home or investment property you don't live in

Allowed with conditions

Possible only if the property already holds a transient license. A license can pass to a buyer for a fee of ten percent of the annual license tax, or move to another site through a Planning Board transfer that costs $6,458.33 to file.^1,2,15

A home in the Truman Annex

Not allowed

The city has said the special Truman Annex transient licenses ended on December 22, 2025, so homes that held them can be rented only by the month or longer. Check the address on the city's current transient list before booking short stays.²⁷

A condo or a home in an HOA

Allowed with conditions

The city license is not enough on its own: the association's recorded rules can prohibit or limit rentals, and Florida law lets an HOA bar rentals under 6 months.^11,12

Permit

Do You Need a Permit for Airbnb in Key West?

Yes. Short-term rental hosts in Key West need the City of Key West transient rental license from the City of Key West Licensing Division; Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants. It costs $34.03 and must be renewed every year.^{1,2,3,4,13,15,23,24}

Who needs it: Every owner who rents a residential property in Key West for under 30 days or one calendar month; a city business tax receipt is needed for every residential rental, and the transient version applies to stays under 30 days.^{1,2,3,4,13,15,23,24}
Issued by: City of Key West Licensing Division; Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Division of Hotels and Restaurants
Valid for: One year. Transient medallion licenses are due by September 30 each year; a late payment adds 10% in October and 5% for each later month, up to 25% of the annual fee. The state license renews each year on October 1 for Monroe County.
Platform checks: The code sets no platform registration-number check. The city publishes a list and map of licensed transient addresses so anyone can verify a listing, and advertising a home that is not permitted for transient rental is unlawful for owners, brokers and agents.

Fees

Fees
Fee	Amount	When
City business tax receipt, transient residential rental (per unit)Charged per unit under the city's schedule of business taxes.	$34.03	annual
City annual inspection and enforcement fee	Paid with the annual application on top of the business tax receipt; the amount is set by City Commission resolution and can change.	annual
License transfer to a buyer of the property	Ten percent of the annual license tax, with evidence of the sale and the original license.	one-time
Planning Department application to move a transient unit and license to another siteApplication $5,896.43, advertising and noticing $414.49 and fire department review $147.41.	$6,458.33	one-time
Florida DBPR application fee (new vacation rental license)Application fee for new applications, paid in addition to license fees.	$50	one-time
Florida DBPR hospitality education feePaid on new applications and every renewal.	$10	annual
Florida DBPR license fee, single rental unitFull-year fee of $170 for one rental unit; $90 if applying within six months of the district renewal date.	$170	annual

Who qualifies

The property must already hold a transient license: all unlicensed transient rental use of residential dwellings is prohibited.
The license holder files an annual application with proof of ownership, a fire marshal inspection approval, a Florida sales tax number, a DBPR lodging license and the name and 24-hour phone number of the operator.
Transient use must be an allowed zoning use at the site when a license is moved to a new location.
The city has said the special Truman Annex transient licenses ended on December 22, 2025, under a 2005 settlement agreement; a homeowners' lawsuit challenges this.

How to apply

Check the address on the City of Key West transient rental address list or map; a home that is not on it cannot be rented for under 30 days.
When buying a licensed home, present evidence of the sale and the original license to the Licensing Division and pay a transfer fee of ten percent of the annual license tax.
To move a license to a different site, file a Transfer of Transient Unit and License application with the Planning Department ($6,458.33 in fees); it is reviewed by the Development Review Committee and the Planning Board.
File the annual application with the fire marshal's inspection approval, proof of ownership, the Florida sales tax number, the DBPR license and a 24-hour operator contact, and pay the business tax receipt and inspection fee by September 30.
Register with the Monroe County Tax Collector for a local business tax receipt and a tourist development tax account, and file the tax return every month.

Applications go through the official application page .

Permit rules

Every residential rental needs a city business tax receipt: Short-term rental of a residential property is a business activity that needs a City of Key West business tax receipt; a state or county license alone is not enough.^3,13
Advertising an unpermitted home is unlawful: Owners, tenants, brokers, realtors and agents may not advertise a residential dwelling for transient rental unless it is permitted; a broker or realtor in violation can lose their business tax receipt.¹ Applies to: owners, brokers and agents
Display the city medallion on the property: Each licensed home must show a city-issued medallion on the outside of the property alerting the public to the transient use.¹ Applies to: licensed transient rentals
State lodging license and sales tax number are part of the application: The annual city application requires a current Florida Department of Revenue sales tax number and a current state lodging license under Chapter 509, Florida Statutes.¹ Applies to: licensed transient rentals
State license applies to whole-home rentals under 30 days: DBPR requires a vacation rental license when an entire unit is rented more than three times in a calendar year for stays under 30 days, or is advertised as regularly rented; renting only a room does not need the state license.²³ Applies to: entire units
Renew by September 30 each year: Transient medallion licenses are due and payable by September 30 each year, and a late payment draws a 10% penalty in October plus 5% for each later month, capped at 25% of the annual fee.¹ Applies to: licensed transient rentals
Monroe County business tax receipt and tourist tax account: Every rental property needs a local business tax receipt from the Monroe County Tax Collector, and a rental of under 30 days also needs a tourist development tax account and a Florida sales tax registration.^13,19
Airbnb does not collect the 5% Monroe County tourist taxes: The Tax Collector has no agreement with online platforms such as Airbnb, so the host registers with the county and remits the 5% tourist tax every month, with penalties for late returns.^18,26 Applies to: bookings through Airbnb and other platforms
The city publishes a list of licensed addresses: The city urges guests to confirm that a vacation rental is licensed before paying, and publishes a transient rental address list and map; unlicensed rentals can be reported to Code Compliance.^13,14,16 Applies to: guests and hosts

Who can host

Who Can Host an Airbnb in Key West, and Where

Florida state law applies on top of Key West's own rules: the Florida short-term rental regulations page covers the state license and what cities and counties can and can't regulate.

Unlicensed transient rental of a residence is prohibited: All transient rental of residential dwellings without a city transient license is prohibited, so only homes that already hold a license may be rented for under 30 days.¹
Short stays for roommates count as transient rental: Leasing space to roommates for under 30 days or one calendar month is a violation unless the home is licensed, and a long-term lease made to get around the rules is also a violation.¹ Applies to: unlicensed homes
A license can pass to the buyer of the property: When a licensed property is sold, the transient medallion license may be transferred to the new owner on payment of a fee of ten percent of the annual license tax and presentation of evidence of the sale and the original license.¹ Applies to: licensed properties
The code's initial application window closed in 2003: The city's transient licensing rules covered holders of an existing transient receipt, and initial applications were taken for 90 days after the section took effect on September 22, 2003.¹ In force since September 22, 2003
Licenses move only by Planning Board transfer and create no new units: A transient unit or license can be moved from a sender site to a receiver site through the Planning Department, the Development Review Committee and the Planning Board, and the program does not create new transient units.² Applies to: transient units and licenses
Truman Annex transient licenses ended on December 22, 2025: According to a city letter quoted by Keys Weekly, the 20-year special transient licenses for Truman Annex homes became void on December 22, 2025, under a 2005 settlement agreement; those homes may be rented only by the month, and owners were told to return their medallions by February 1, 2026.²⁷ Applies to: Truman Annex · In force since December 22, 2025
Florida limits local rental rules, with a June 1, 2011 exception: Florida law bars local rules that prohibit vacation rentals or regulate how long or how often they are rented, except for rules adopted on or before June 1, 2011. Key West first adopted its transient rental rules in 2002 (Ordinance 02-06) and enforces them.^1,8 In force since June 1, 2011
Condo and HOA rental limits can add to the city rules: A homeowners' association may prohibit or regulate rentals of under 6 months and renting more than three times a year; a condominium amendment on renting applies only to owners who consent and those who buy later.^11,12 Applies to: condominiums and homeowners' associations

Operating rules

Operating Rules for Key West Short-Term Rentals

Stays under 30 days or one calendar month are transient: The city treats a rental of under 30 days or one calendar month, or any home advertised that way, as transient. A home without a transient license is limited to monthly or longer stays.^3,14
A lease or an ad is presumed to prove a violation: The city presumes an owner without a receipt is in violation when there is a lease or an advertisement for a stay under 30 days or one calendar month, or neighbor testimony about a pattern of transient activity.³ Applies to: owners without a business tax receipt
24-hour contact person posted outside: A contact person must be reachable around the clock to respond to complaints about guests, and their name and phone number must be posted on the outside of the dwelling where the public can see it.¹ Applies to: licensed transient rentals
Fire marshal inspection before approval: The fire marshal inspects each dwelling unit and must give written approval based on life safety criteria before the annual application is approved.¹ Applies to: licensed transient rentals
Occupancy follows the Florida Building Code: Occupancy of each unit must stay within the limits of the Florida Building Code, and units must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act where it applies.¹ Applies to: licensed transient rentals
One off-street parking space, except in the historic district: The owner provides one off-street space per transient unit, except in the historic district, where guests must be told about the residential parking program and directed to lawful parking.¹ Applies to: licensed transient rentals
Written lease and guest and vehicle register: Each stay needs a written lease in which the guest agrees to the city rules, and the owner or manager keeps a register of each guest's name and address and the make, year and tag number of their vehicle.¹ Applies to: licensed transient rentals

Taxes

How Much Are Airbnb Taxes in Key West?

About 12.5% on the nightly price and cleaning fee: 6% state, 1.5% county surtax and 5% county tourist taxes.

12.5% in all

How the 12.5% on a Key West stay splits between the taxes in the table below

Median nightly rate, booked nights: $495
Taxes on that night (12.5%): $62
Guest pays, before Airbnb and cleaning fees: $557

How Much Are Airbnb Taxes in Key West?
Tax	Rate	Collected by
Florida state transient rental tax 6% of the total rent, including the cleaning fee, on rentals of six months or less	6%^7,22,26	Airbnb
Monroe County discretionary sales surtax 1.5% of the total rent, collected with the state tax	1.5%^20,26	Airbnb
Monroe County tourist development tax (4%) and tourist impact tax (1%) 5% of the total rent, including cleaning and pet fees, on rentals of six months or less	5%^6,18,21	Host

Total on a stay 12.5% · Airbnb and the host

At Key West's median booked rate of $495 a night, the taxes collected on a booking come to about $62 a night.

Rates for every Florida county, with which ones Airbnb collects, are on the Florida short-term rental regulations page.

What the host still handles

City of Key West transient business tax receipt (with medallion) and the Florida DBPR vacation rental license
Florida Department of Revenue sales tax registration; Airbnb remits the 6% state tax and the 1.5% surtax on its own bookings, but the city application requires a state sales tax number
Monroe County Tax Collector: a tourist development tax account and a local business tax receipt; the return is due on the 1st of the month after the reporting period and is late after the 20th, even when no tax was collected
Monroe County business tax receipt in addition to the city receipt for any business done inside the city^{1,6,7,13,18,19,20,26}

Fines

How to Avoid Airbnb Fines in Key West

Fines in Key West fall on hosting without the approvals described above, or outside the rules. With them in hand and the rules followed, none of the fines below apply.

Violating the transient rental rules is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 per day, per unit, per violation; the city may also revoke the license.¹
Each day an unlicensed residential unit is rented or advertised for rental counts as a separate violation under the city's business tax receipt rules.³
The general city penalty is a fine of up to $500 or up to 60 days in jail, or both.⁵
The City Commission can revoke a transient license for cause, and any citizen of Key West may seek an injunction in court to stop a violation.¹
A late renewal of a transient medallion license adds 10% in October and 5% for each later month, up to 25% of the annual fee.¹
A late Monroe County tourist development tax return carries a penalty of 10% of the tax for each month or part of a month, at least $50 and at most 50% of the tax due.¹⁸
Operating a vacation rental without a DBPR license is a misdemeanor of the second degree.⁹
DBPR may fine a licensee up to $1,000 per offense, and it can also suspend, revoke or refuse a license.¹⁰

Changes

What's Changed in Key West's Airbnb Rules

No change was scheduled when the rules were checked on October 17, 2026; the most recent are listed first.

December 22, 2025
Foundry homeowners sue over the ended licenses
Local news reports that the homeowners' association for the Foundry section of Truman Annex filed suit with the Monroe County Clerk of Courts on December 22, 2025, and that the city asked the court to dismiss the case in a filing dated February 16, 2026; no ruling has been reported.^28,29
December 22, 2025
Truman Annex transient licenses end
According to a city letter quoted by Keys Weekly, all special Truman Annex transient licenses would be void on December 22, 2025, under the 2005 settlement agreement, and medallions had to be returned by February 1, 2026. The homes can still be rented by the month.²⁷
January 19, 2022
Ordinance 22-02 amends the transient rental rules
The City Commission last amended section 122-1371, the main transient living accommodations rule for residential dwellings, by Ordinance 22-02 on January 19, 2022.¹

Listing data

What Key West's Listings Show

AirROI, a short-term-rental data firm, counted 1,260 active Airbnb listings in Key West over the 12 months to October 2026. 0% of them displayed a permit, license or registration number.

Minimum stay set on Key West listings

Share of active listings by the shortest stay they accept

38%

14%

16%

24%

Minimum stay in numbers

Minimum stay set on Key West listings
Shortest stay accepted	Share of listings
1 night	38%
2 nights	14%
3 nights	16%
4–6 nights	7%
7–29 nights	24%
30+ nights	1%

What officials report

590: Addresses on the city's licensed transient rental list · as of September 2026The city's list titled Transient as of 9-1-2026 has about 590 address entries, some of them individual units in a building.¹⁶
850: Transient licenses on file · as of May 2022In May 2022 the city reported 850 transient rental licenses and 2,508 non-transient rental licenses. The 2022 count predates the end of the Truman Annex licenses in December 2025.¹⁷

Earnings

What Could a Key West Short-Term Rental Earn?

The rules shape the numbers: a license that costs $34.03 a year and taxes of 12.5% added to guests' bills. For a specific address, the Airbnb income calculator estimates revenue, occupancy and nightly rate from comparable listings, so you can test the numbers before applying.

Estimate what a Key West home could earn

FAQ

Key West Airbnb Rules: Frequently Asked Questions

Is Airbnb legal in Key West?

Yes, but only at addresses that hold a City of Key West transient rental license. The city prohibits all unlicensed transient rental of residential dwellings, so a home without a license can be rented only for 30 days or one calendar month and longer.^1,3,14

Do I need a permit for Airbnb in Key West?

Yes. Every residential rental needs a City of Key West business tax receipt, and stays under 30 days need the transient version with a medallion on the property. Florida also requires a DBPR vacation rental license, and Monroe County requires its own business tax receipt and a tourist development tax account.^1,13,19,23

How much is the Key West short-term rental license?

The city's business tax receipt for a transient residential rental is $34.03 per unit a year, plus an annual inspection and enforcement fee set by City Commission resolution. The state DBPR license costs $230 the first year ($50 application, $10 education fee and $170 license) and $180 to renew.^1,4,23,24

Can I rent a home I don't live in on Airbnb in Key West?

Only if the property already holds a transient license. A license can pass to a buyer for a fee of ten percent of the annual license tax, or move to another site through a Planning Board transfer that costs $6,458.33 to file. Without a license the home can be rented only for 30 days or one calendar month and longer.^1,2,15

Can I get a new transient license for my house in Key West?

The code's initial application window closed in 2003, and the Planning Board transfer program states that it does not create new transient units. In practice a license comes with a property that already holds one or by transfer from another site.^1,2

Does Airbnb collect hotel tax in Key West?

Airbnb collects the 6% Florida tax and the 1.5% Monroe County surtax. It does not collect the 5% Monroe County tourist taxes: the Tax Collector says platforms do not remit them, so the host registers and files every month.^18,20,26

What is the total tax on an Airbnb stay in Key West?

About 12.5% on the nightly price and cleaning fee: 6% state tax, 1.5% county surtax, a 4% tourist development tax and a 1% tourist impact tax.^6,7,18,20

What is the fine for an illegal Airbnb in Key West?

A violation is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $500 per day, per unit, per violation, and each day an unlicensed unit is rented or advertised counts separately. Brokers and realtors who advertise an unpermitted home can lose their business tax receipt.^1,3

Can I rent a room in my home for short stays in Key West?

Not without a transient license. The state license is not needed for a single room, but the city treats leasing space to roommates for under 30 days as a violation when the home is not licensed.^1,23

What must I display on a licensed Key West rental?

A city-issued medallion on the outside of the property, with the name and phone number of a 24-hour contact person posted on the exterior. The home also needs fire marshal approval and one off-street parking space, except in the historic district.¹

What happened to short-term rentals in Truman Annex?

The city has said the special transient licenses for Truman Annex homes ended on December 22, 2025, under a 2005 settlement agreement, and owners were told to return their medallions by February 1, 2026. Local news reports that a homeowners' association has sued and that the city has asked the court to dismiss the case.^27,28,29

How can I check whether a Key West rental is licensed?

The city publishes a transient rental address list, titled Transient as of 9-1-2026, and a map of licensed addresses. Questions about a property can go to the Licensing Department at 305-809-3959.^13,14,16

How many Key West Airbnbs are registered?

Addresses on the city's licensed transient rental list: 590 as of September 2026¹⁶. In AirROI's listing data, 0% of the 1,260 Key West Airbnb listings active in the 12 months to October 2026 displayed a permit, license or registration number. A number on a listing shows the host entered one; it doesn't confirm the permit is valid.

How much does an Airbnb make in Key West?

The average Key West listing earned $97,100 in the 12 months to October 2026, according to AirROI, averaged across every active listing including those booked for only part of the year. The Key West Airbnb market report breaks it down by month, property size and neighborhood.

Method

How These Rules Were Checked

Each rule on this page was checked in October 2026 against the official source cited beside it: the ordinance or statute, the permit office's own pages and the tax authority. Airbnb's help pages are cited on their own only for what Airbnb itself does, such as the taxes it collects and the permit checks it runs, and otherwise only beside an official source; news reports only for when a change was announced. Rules that could not be confirmed on an official page are left out. The Key West and Monroe County codes on Municode were read in a browser, and the city's transient rental map page was read from an Internet Archive copy.

Rules change with council votes, court rulings and new state laws, so the page is rechecked every three months and whenever a scheduled change takes effect. It summarizes the rules for information and is not legal advice; the local authority has the final word on any application.

Listing figures come from AirROI's tracking of 1,260 active Key West Airbnb listings over the 12 months to October 2026.

Sources

Each rule above links to the source it comes from. Official ordinances, statutes and government pages come first, then Airbnb's own help pages.

1. Division 7. Transient living accommodations in residential dwellings (sections 122-1371 and 122-1372) · City of Key West Code of Ordinances (Municode)
2. Division 6. Transient units (sections 122-1336 to 122-1340) · City of Key West Code of Ordinances (Municode)
3. Article XI. Transient rentals (sections 18-601 to 18-603) · City of Key West Code of Ordinances (Municode)
4. Chapter 66, Article IV. Business taxes (section 66-109, schedule of taxes) · City of Key West Code of Ordinances (Municode)
5. Section 1-15. General penalty · City of Key West Code of Ordinances (Municode)
6. Chapter 23, Taxation: sections 23-178 and 23-179 (tourist impact tax) and 23-197 (tourist development tax) · Monroe County Code of Ordinances (Municode)
7. Florida Statutes s. 212.03 (Transient rentals tax) · Florida Legislature
8. Florida Statutes s. 509.032 (Duties; preemption of vacation rental regulation) · Florida Legislature
9. Florida Statutes s. 509.241 (Licenses required) · Florida Legislature
10. Florida Statutes s. 509.261 (Revocation or suspension of licenses; fines) · Florida Legislature
11. Florida Statutes s. 718.110 (Amendment of declaration) · Florida Legislature
12. Florida Statutes s. 720.306 (Meetings of members; voting and election; amendments) · Florida Legislature
13. Licensing Division FAQs: residential rentals, business tax receipts and confirming vacation rentals · City of Key West
14. Map & Addresses of Transient Rental Properties · City of Key West
15. Transfer of Transient Unit and License Application · City of Key West Planning Department
16. Transient rental address list (Transient as of 9-1-2026) · City of Key West
17. Transient Rentals and Other GIS Maps on Website (news flash, May 16, 2022) · City of Key West
18. Tourist Development Tax · Monroe County Tax Collector
19. Rental Property Requirements · Monroe County Tax Collector
20. Discretionary Sales Surtax Information for Calendar Year 2026 (DR-15DSS, R. 11/25) · Florida Department of Revenue
21. Local Option Transient Rental Tax Rates (DR-15TDT, R. 03/25) · Florida Department of Revenue
22. Tax Information for Hotels, Motels, and Other Transient Accommodations (GT-800034) · Florida Department of Revenue
23. Vacation Rentals and Timeshare Projects: licensing guide · Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels and Restaurants
24. Lodging license fees · Florida DBPR, Division of Hotels and Restaurants
25. Key West, FL: hosting rules · Airbnb Help Center
26. Occupancy tax collection and remittance by Airbnb in Florida · Airbnb Help Center
27. Time's up for transient rentals in Key West's Truman Annex · Keys Weekly
28. HOA sues city over transient licenses · Key West Citizen (keysnews.com)
29. City seeks dismissal in Foundry rental lawsuit · Across the Florida Keys West