Cape San Blas short-term rental rules

Short-Term Rental Rules in Cape San Blas, Florida

Key STR compliance items in Cape San Blas (Gulf County) typically come from county licensing/inspection requirements and tax registration. Always verify the latest requirements with Gulf County before you purchase or start operating.

Rules summary

Are short-term rentals allowed?

Generally yes in unincorporated Gulf County (including Cape San Blas), but you must comply with Gulf County’s short‑term rental business licensing requirements and any HOA/condo rules. If your address is inside a municipality (e.g., Port St. Joe), additional city licensing or zoning rules may apply.

Where is it regulated?

Verify whether rules are set by the city, the county, or both.

Registration or license

Required in Gulf County. Operators must obtain a Short‑Term Rental Business License through the county’s STR licensing portal and complete the county inspection requirements.

Local taxes

Florida state sales tax is 6%. Gulf County’s discretionary sales surtax is 1.0%. Gulf County’s Tourist Development Tax (TDT) is 5.0% on transient rentals (≤ 6 months), for a combined lodging tax burden of 12.0% (before platform fees).

Fees

Gulf County’s short-term vacation rental business license fee is $100/year (vacation rental classification). The short-term rental inspection checklist lists a $75 reinspection fee if a follow-up inspection is required.

Occupancy and parking

County rules focus on licensing/inspection; practical constraints are often property/HOA‑driven (e.g., parking capacity, septic limits, condo rules). Confirm any posted occupancy and parking expectations required by your license/inspection checklist.

Minimum stay

County STR rules apply to transient rentals of 6 months or less. Minimum-stay limits are commonly set by owner policy or HOA/condo rules; verify any local restrictions tied to your specific property or subdivision.

Enforcement and penalties

Gulf County’s business license ordinance allows enforcement and penalties up to $500 per day per incident and can render a business license inactive until compliance is met.

What to do next

• Confirm your exact address and jurisdiction (unincorporated Gulf County vs inside a municipality).
• Apply for Gulf County’s Short‑Term Rental Business License and review the inspection checklist early (before you list).
• Register with the Gulf County Tax Collector for Tourist Development Tax and confirm your platform remittance setup.
• If applicable, obtain and review HOA/condo governing docs for minimum stays, rental caps, and fines.
• Create a compliance playbook: parking map, trash instructions, quiet hours, and a local contact for issue response.

FAQ

Official sources

• Gulf County Short-Term Rental Business License (portal + resources)
• Gulf County Ordinance 2020-04 (Business License Ordinance, PDF)
• Gulf County Tourist Development Tax (Tax Collector)
• Florida DOR: Discretionary Sales Surtax Information (DR-15DSS)
• Florida DBPR: Vacation Rental & Timeshare Licensing Guide

Last verified: 2025-12-18. Rules and fees can change. Confirm directly with the relevant authority and any HOA or condo association.

Cape San Blas STR Market Context

Cape San Blas is a low‑density barrier‑peninsula market where demand is highly seasonal and the “make or break” factor

for investors is often compliance logistics more than headline regulation. You’ll underwrite best by treating licensing, inspection readiness, parking, and waste logistics as first‑pass filters before you assume peak‑season revenue.

What makes this market different

• County licensing + annual inspection is the baseline: build your setup around passing the checklist and renewing on time.
• Taxes are not optional: Gulf County Tourist Development Tax (5%) plus Florida sales tax (6% + 1% Gulf surtax) generally applies—confirm what your platform remits vs what you must file.
• HOA/condo restrictions can be stricter than the county: minimum stays, rental caps, guest screening, and fines can materially change ROI.
• Operational gotchas are usually complaints/quality-of-life items (parking overflow, trash set-out, noise) in tighter neighborhoods—write house rules like you’re managing for the 1% of problem stays.
• Investor tip: verify address-level eligibility, inspection readiness, and HOA policy before you finalize purchase assumptions.

Investor tip: treat compliance as a first-pass filter. Verify property-specific rules before finalizing purchase assumptions.

Short-Term ROI Calculator in Cape San Blas

Estimate monthly revenue, expenses, and cash flow for a short-term rental in Cape San Blas.