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Destin restricts short-term rentals to designated zoning districts — generally the Tourist Commercial, Highway Commercial, Town Center, and PUD/resort districts. Single-family residential zones permit STR with stricter requirements including a notarized bedroom/parking affidavit and stricter occupancy caps. The 2022 ordinance added registration, inspection, and life-safety requirements without invoking a full ban (FL state preemption would not permit a ban regardless).
Destin requires City Vacation Rental Registration + City Business Tax Receipt + Okaloosa County TDT registration + Florida DBPR Vacation Rental Dwelling license — 4 layers. Allowed zones: Tourist Commercial (TC), Highway Commercial (HC), Town Center (TwC), Beach Commercial (BC), and resort/condominium PUDs. Single-family residential (RR-1, R-1, R-2) requires the registration but is permitted. The neighboring 30A corridor (Walton County) is a SEPARATE jurisdiction with its own rules — confirm whether your parcel is in Destin city or unincorporated Walton.
Operators must hold a short-term rental permit before listing. See the official permit portal.
Application requires a notarized affidavit stating bedroom count, max occupancy, and parking plan — these are the basis for the registration. Annual renewals. Destin Code Enforcement coordinates with the Okaloosa County Tax Collector to cross-check platform listings against the four-license stack. Violations: registration revocation + per-day fines + DBPR escalation.
Combined short-term lodging tax in Destin is approximately 12.000% of gross nightly revenue (state sales + state TRT + local TRT + applicable resort/city options).
Florida State sales 6% + Okaloosa County Tourist Development Tax 5% + small city option — combined ~12.0% on transient lodging
Verify the current combined rate via the Utah State Tax Commission before remitting — rates drift quarterly.
STR regulations vary by jurisdiction. Compare Destin against nearby markets.