Short answer: Vacation rentals are legal in Hollywood, Florida, but every unit needs a city Vacation Rental License before it is advertised, plus a Florida DBPR vacation rental license. The city inspects each home before licensing and again at every renewal, caps overnight guests at two per bedroom, and requires a representative who answers 24 hours a day. YourSTRManagement manages vacation rentals in Hollywood and handles the licensing paperwork with owners.
What Hollywood requires
Hollywood regulates vacation rentals under Chapter 119 of its Code of Ordinances, the Vacation Rental License Program. The city's FAQ says a license is needed for any single-family home, condo, apartment or duplex unit rented "more than 3 times a year for periods of less than 30 days." Each unit needs its own license. Florida law bars the city from banning vacation rentals, so the city regulates them through licensing and inspection instead.
The Chapter 119 text posted by the city asks for these with the application:
- A current DBPR license for the home as a transient public lodging establishment.
- City of Hollywood and Broward County local business tax receipts.
- A to-scale floor sketch showing bedrooms, exits, smoke and CO detectors and fire extinguishers, plus an exterior sketch with pools, fencing and parking spaces.
- A certificate of insurance covering liability to guests.
- A noise monitoring device, with its data kept for 180 days.
A 2023 amendment added interior and exterior photos to the application and blocks licenses for condo units in buildings with open violations or that haven't passed Broward County's building safety inspection. Smoke and CO alarms must be hardwired and interconnected, and each floor needs a 2A:10B:C fire extinguisher.
Fees, inspections and renewal
The city's vacation rental fee schedule lists:
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application, not owner occupied | $850 |
| Application, owner occupied | $100 |
| Renewal, not owner occupied | $600 |
| Initial inspection, up to 1,500 sq ft | $400, plus $0.15 per extra sq ft |
| Annual renewal inspection, condo unit | $150 |
| Annual renewal inspection, other units | $300 |
| Re-inspection | $300 |
| Operating without a city license | $350 penalty |
Licenses expire every September 30. You can renew from July 1, and a renewal filed after September 30 costs $100 more. The license doesn't transfer to a buyer.
Guest limits and house rules
Section 119.34 allows two guests per bedroom overnight and three per bedroom at other times, never more than the Florida Building Code occupant load. Up to four children under four don't count. Quiet hours are 11 p.m. to 6 a.m., per the city FAQ.
Every listing has to show both the DBPR license number and the city license number, and must match the bedroom count and occupancy the city inspected. Inside the home you post one page by the main door with the representative's contact details, the occupancy limit, parking, trash days, the nearest hospital and the police non-emergency number.
The vacation rental representative must answer the listed phone 24/7 and be able to reach the property within 60 minutes when the city or police call. The city's complaint hotline contacts the owner or manager directly, and the FAQ says licensed properties get 30 minutes to fix most issues.
Taxes on Hollywood stays
Short stays in Hollywood carry Florida's 6% state sales tax, Broward County's 1% discretionary surtax (DOR surtax table) and Broward's 6% tourist development tax (DOR rate table). Broward collects its tourist tax itself, through the Records, Taxes and Treasury Division, not through the state.
Hollywood's application checklist says a home advertised only on Airbnb or Vrbo doesn't need its own DOR certificate or county tourist tax account. If you take direct bookings or use any other channel, you need both. Ask your accountant how this applies to you.
Why guests book Hollywood
Hollywood sits between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk, a brick promenade, runs nearly 2.5 miles along the Atlantic, according to the city's beach page. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is just north of the city. Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, home of the Guitar Hotel and the 7,000-seat Hard Rock Live venue, is on the Hollywood Seminole Reservation along State Road 7, per Hard Rock. Beach homes draw families and winter visitors. Homes near the airport and I-95 suit travelers flying in for concerts or cruises.
How we work with Hollywood owners
We help you assemble the license file: the DBPR license, both business tax receipts, the sketches, photos and insurance certificate. We walk the home before the city inspection so detectors, extinguishers and postings are in place. After licensing, we act as the 24/7 contact and run the listing, pricing, guest messages, cleaning and repairs, with a monthly statement. Our standard fee is 15% of booking revenue.
We've hosted 8,000+ stays over 5 years with a 4.8 star average, and we carry $1M in liability and $100K in damage coverage. See our South Florida page for the wider market, our services, or contact us. We reply within one day, or call (689) 407-2095.