BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Through the administration and enforcement of the Vacation Rental Registration Program, the Community Enhancement and Compliance Division ensures that vacation rental operators are current with their State/local licenses and tax requirements. The division also ensures that each vacation rental property meets minimum housing and life safety standards outlined in Article X – Vacation Rentals, of Chapter 15 of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Fort Lauderdale. Ordinance No. C-16-25 is the ordinance that governs the administration and enforcement of the City's Vacation Rental Registration Program. The fee schedule for the program can be found in Vacation Rental Fee Resolution 17-81.
Who is Required to Register?
Any residential single-family, two-family, three-family, or four-family house or dwelling unit, or condominium being advertised for periods of 30 days or less to transient occupants but is not a timeshare.
Vacation rental concerns may be reported via email at VRInfo@fortlauderdale.gov.
To make a VACATION RENTAL complaint, contact the 24/7 Vacation Rental Hotline at
1-800-685-7453. This line is only for complaints relating to a vacation rental property.
ORDINANCE AMENDMENT
On September 19, 2023, the City of Fort Lauderdale Commission approved an amendment to the Vacation Rental ordinance. Summary of the approved amendments are as follows:
- The requirement that each vacation rental be equipped with a noise level detection device alerting the property owner/responsible party and transient occupants to noise emanating from the vacation rental, and all data produced by this device will be retained for a period of one hundred eighty (180) days and made available to the City upon request.
- Increasing the amount of the civil penalty for each uncontested violation from $200 to $250 and each contested violation from $275 to $325.
- The addition of language specifying the maximum penalty for operating a vacation rental during a suspension to be $5,000 per day for repeat violations and up to $15,000 per day if the special magistrate finds the violation to be irreparable or irreversible in nature.
- Removal of language limiting certificate of compliance suspension time frames to a maximum period of twelve (12) months.