Do I need a permit to rent my house in Destin?

Yes. Destin requires a yearly short-term rental registration under City Code Section 13-118, at $500 to $700 depending on square footage, plus a Florida DBPR vacation rental license.

How much is a vacation rental certificate in Walton County?

$300 a year per rental structure under Ordinance 2023-03. Renewals are due June 1 starting with the 2026-27 cycle.

What happens if I rent without a certificate in Panama City Beach?

Renting without a Vacation Rental Certificate is unlawful under Ordinance 1632. Fines are $500 for a first offense and $1,000 after that, and a third offense within 12 months revokes the certificate for one year.

Can Florida cities ban short-term rentals?

Not under Section 509.032(7)(b), Florida Statutes, which bars local laws that prohibit vacation rentals or regulate how long or how often they are rented. Rules adopted on or before June 1, 2011, are exempt.

How much is a Florida DBPR vacation rental license?

As of Oct. 31, 2026, $170 for a full year for a single unit, plus a $50 application fee and a $10 education fee, according to DBPR. In Okaloosa, Walton and Bay counties it renews every June 1.

Destin, 30A and Panama City Beach short-term rental rules compared: permits, fees, limits

As of Oct. 31, 2026, every short-term rental in Destin, South Walton and 30A, and Panama City Beach needs two layers of approval: a Florida vacation rental license from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) and a local registration. Destin charges $500 to $700 a year under City Code Section 13-118, Walton County charges $300 a year per rental building under Ordinance 2023-03, and Panama City Beach charges $250 the first year and $150 to renew under Ordinance 1632, according to each government’s published rules.

The local rules differ on occupancy, signs, inspections and fines. The table below puts them side by side; the sections after it explain each one.

	Destin	Walton County (South Walton, 30A)	Panama City Beach
Local rule	City Code Section 13-118, in effect Jan. 22, 2019	Ordinance 2023-03 (Land Development Code Section 1.13.16)	Ordinance 1632
Fee	$500 (up to 2,499 sq. ft.), $600 (2,500 to 4,999), $700 (5,000 or more), every year	$300 a year per rental structure	$250 new, $150 to renew, plus a $75 inspection invoice
Renewal	Opens Jan. 1; late fee $100 after March 31, $500 after June 1	Due June 1, starting with the 2026-27 cycle; window opens April 1	Every year, with a new fire inspection
Occupancy	2 adults per bedroom plus 4, never more than 24 overnight	1 person per 150 sq. ft. of heated and cooled space	Set by Panama City Beach Fire Rescue after inspection
Inspection before renting	Not listed	No; a signed affidavit instead	Yes, every year
Who enforces	City of Destin Code Compliance	Walton County	Panama City Beach Fire Inspections

Sources: City of Destin, Walton County and City of Panama City Beach short-term rental pages, checked Oct. 31, 2026.

What state license does a vacation rental need in Florida?

A home or condo needs a DBPR vacation rental license if it is rented more than three times in a calendar year for stays of less than 30 days or one calendar month, whichever is less, according to the DBPR vacation rental guide. Renting a single room, not the whole unit, does not need the license.

As of Oct. 31, 2026, a single-unit license costs $170 for a full year or $90 for a half year, plus a $50 application fee and a $10 fee for the Hospitality Education Program, per the DBPR guide. Okaloosa, Walton and Bay counties are in DBPR District 6, where licenses renew every June 1 and the half-year fee starts Dec. 1.

The owner or manager also needs a tourist development tax account with the county and a Florida sales tax account. Those taxes are covered in a separate story on bed tax.

Why can these cities set their own vacation rental rules?

Florida law limits what local governments can do. Under Section 509.032(7)(b), Florida Statutes, a local law “may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate the duration or frequency” of rental. Local rules adopted on or before June 1, 2011, are exempt from that limit.

Within that limit, Okaloosa County lists what a county may do: limit occupancy, require registration, require information posted on site, impose inspections, and regulate parking, trash and evacuations.

What does Destin require for a short-term rental?

Destin requires every short-term rental to register with the city each year, starting Jan. 1, according to the City of Destin short-term rental FAQ. The fee depends on the square footage listed by the Okaloosa County Property Appraiser: $500 for 2,499 square feet or less, $600 for 2,500 to 4,999 square feet and $700 for 5,000 square feet or more.

Late fees: $100 for registrations after March 31 and $500 after June 1.
Sign: posted on the property within seven days after registration is complete.
Overnight occupancy (10 p.m. to 7 a.m.): two adults per bedroom plus four more people, with a cap of 24, according to the city’s occupancy FAQ.
Contact: a local responsible party who can reach the property within one hour.
Zoning: short-term rentals are allowed only in listed zoning districts, so check the city zoning map before you buy.

The City of Destin takes registrations online and answers questions at 850-837-4242.

What does Walton County require on 30A and in South Walton?

Walton County requires a short-term vacation rental certificate for each rental structure, at $300 a year, under Ordinance 2023-03, according to the Walton County short-term vacation rental FAQ. Renewals are due June 1 each year starting with the 2026-27 cycle, and the application window opens April 1. Properties in the 32459 ZIP code (Santa Rosa Beach) stay on their current cycle until the county says otherwise.

No inspection to register: the owner signs an affidavit instead. Inspections can follow a complaint or a DBPR notice, and buildings of three or more stories need a balcony and stairway inspection certificate, valid three years.
Occupancy: one person per 150 square feet of heated and cooled living area.
Parking: new construction needs one space per six occupants.
Trash: 35 gallons of closed containers per four occupants.
Ads: must show the certificate number and the tourist development tax number.
Noise: quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., and noise violations carry civil fines of up to $500.
Local responsible party: 18 or older, reachable 24 hours a day, able to arrive within one hour and checking the unit at least once a week.

Some properties are exempt from the county certificate but not from the state license and taxes, including many condominiums, owner-occupied homesteads and developments of four or more connected units under common rental management, the county says. Questions go to [email protected].

What does Panama City Beach require?

Panama City Beach makes it unlawful to rent without a Vacation Rental Certificate under Ordinance 1632, according to the City of Panama City Beach short-term rental page. The rule applies inside city limits only; unincorporated Bay County has separate rules.

To register, the owner uploads four documents: a notarized registration affidavit, the DBPR license, the Bay County tourist development tax registration and the city business tax receipt. Fees as of Oct. 31, 2026: $250 for a new registration or a change of ownership, $150 to renew, $75 for a reinspection and $100 if the inspector cannot get in.

Fire inspection: every year. Panama City Beach Fire Rescue sets the maximum occupancy after the unit passes.
Signs: houses need a sign visible from the street; condos need a decal on an exterior door or window with the responsible party’s 24-hour number and the certificate number.
Fines: $500 for a first offense, $1,000 for a second, and for a third offense within 12 months, $1,000 and a one-year revocation of that unit’s certificate.

Fire Inspections answers at 850-233-5100, ext. 2413.

What should a buyer check before closing?

Check the local layer before you count on rental income. In Destin, confirm the zoning district. On Okaloosa Island, protective covenants in Zone B-1 can restrict rentals; Okaloosa County Growth Management checks a parcel at 850-651-7180. In Walton County, confirm whether the building needs its own certificate or falls under an exemption. In Panama City Beach, plan for the yearly inspection.

Registrations in all three places do not carry over to a new owner: Destin says registration does not transfer when the home sells, and Panama City Beach requires a new registration and fee after a change of ownership.

Own a rental here? Tell us what the rules mean in practice: email our newsroom through the Contact link at the bottom of this page.

This story is information, not financial or legal advice.

More Real Estate guides and local services ›

Live in the Emerald Coast? Write for us as a Community Contributor and share what you see in your town.