The City of Sunny Isles Beach defines a short term rental (STR) as any dwelling unit or group of units rented out for a term of six months or less. The following is a complete guideline for Sunny Isles Beach’s short term rental regulations so that anyone can be a responsible host when using platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and other similar services. This rundown should give you a good start in understanding your local laws.
Short Term Rental Ordinance
Anyone renting a housing unit in a condominium or apartment for less than six months is subject to the Short Term Rental Ordinance. The purpose of this Ordinance is to establish reasonable guidelines in order to reduce the potential negative impacts on health, safety, and the general welfare of the community.
Any property owner or responsible party must be in compliance with the City’s Short Term Vacation Rental Ordinance. This involves getting all necessary licenses, paying all applicable taxes and fees, and ensuring that guests follow the City’s noise ordinance and local regulations. Furthermore, property owners must notify the City of any changes to local contact information, as required by the City.
Required Short Term Rental Licenses
To operate a short term vacation rental, property owners or agents must obtain a Short Term Vacation Rental License. They must also acquire a copy of the current Local Business Tax Receipt from the City of Sunny Isles Beach.
Additionally, a short term vacation rental or owner or responsible party must have the following licenses:
- Proof of a DBPR License for a transient public lodging establishment.
- A current and operational Certificate of Registration with the Department of Revenue, Florida.
- A current and operational Certificate of Registration with the Mimi-Dade County Tax Collector to collect and submit tourist convention development taxes.
Short Term Vacation Rental License
Property owners can submit applications online. The City does not accept incomplete applications. The following is the documentation required to submit to the City in order to receive a Short Term Vacation Rental License:
- The application must be completed, notarized, and signed by the property owner or responsible party.
- Proof of a DBPR License for a transient public lodging establishment.
- A current and active Certificate of Registration with the Florida Department of Revenue.
- A valid Certificate of Registration from the Miami-Dade County Tax Collector.
- Copy of Liability Insurance coupled with Copy of Rental Agreement. The Rental Agreement must have a list of platforms and listing entities (such as Airbnb, VRBO, Craigslist, etc.)
- A sketch of the unit’s emergency exit and designated parking spaces.
- Proof that each rental unit has a smoke and carbon detector, as well as a fire extinguisher.
- Consent letter from Condominium Association or a copy of the condominium’s bylaws.
Costs of Short Term Rental Licenses
The initial application charge for a Short Term Vacation Rental License is $100. And $110 for a Local Business Tax Receipt (including a $10 application fee). Failure to renew before the license expires incurs a $50 late fee. Moreover, modifying the Short Term Vacation Rental License incurs a $50 fine. The renewal charge for the Short Term Vacation Rental License and the Local Business Tax Receipt is $100 each. Both are due on or before the 30th of September each year.
Occupancy & Rental Limits
The number of persons who can occupy a dwelling unit is a maximum of two people per bedroom and two more people per property. The number of persons should not exceed 12 people. This figure does not include children under three years of age. A condominium association may impose more restrictive occupancy limits than the City.
The Short Term Vacation Rental Ordinance for Sunny Isles Beach has no restrictions on how frequently hosts rent a unit. However, a condominium’s documents and leasing agreement may limit how often and how long hosts can rent them.
Penalties
Property owners or agents failing to comply with the short term rental regulations can be fined up to $1.000 for the first violations and $2500 for the second violation. For the third violation, the Short Term Vacation Rental License can be suspended for up to a year.
Failure to comply with the requirements of the Ordinance may result in the revocation or suspension of the STR License by the City.
Other Short Term Rental Regulations
As a responsible host, you must comprehend and abide by other vacation rental rules and regulations that bind you. These include leases, community rules, HOA rules, or other guidelines set up by tenant associations. Feel free to reach out to your landlord, housing authority, or community council to find out more. To get more information about other regulations, you can also visit Sunny Isles Beach’s official website or contact us.