Perry, Florida
Want to see how Perry compares to other top cities in Florida? Explore all city regulations in Florida. →
Perry, FL
Generally Investor Friendly
STR Regulations for Perry, Florida
Overview: Are short-term rentals allowed in Perry, FL?
Yes. Short-term rentals are allowed in the City of Perry and in the unincorporated areas of Taylor County. There is no city-specific short-term rental ordinance or separate municipal STR permit in Perry, FL. Instead, STRs are treated as transient accommodations under Florida law and are subject to state lodging regulations, state and local taxes, and the county’s Tourist Development Tax (TDT). Owners must comply with the licensing, tax collection/remittance, and reporting requirements summarized below.
Sources:
- Taylor County Tax Collector — Tourist Development Tax guidance and monthly remittance requirements
- Florida Department of Revenue — sales tax registration and administration
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation — vacation rental licensing
- Florida Department of State (Sunbiz) — fictitious name registration
How to start a short-term rental business in Perry, FL
A practical sequence of steps for investors launching an STR in Perry/Taylor County:
- Confirm your use
- Your property will be treated as transient lodging if you rent it for six months or less. This includes houses, condos, RV sites, and similar accommodations.
- Apply for state-level lodging compliance
- Vacation rentals (single units, condos, homes) are public lodging establishments under Florida law. You must apply for a Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) Vacation Rental license before operating. Note: If you operate an RV park or a lodging facility with five or more units, additional state and county oversight may apply (see “State of Florida” section for contacts).
- Contact DBPR: 850-487-1395 | Address: 2601 Blair Stone Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32399 | Website: myfloridalicense.com
- Register for state and local taxes
- Obtain a Florida Sales Tax Number from the Florida Department of Revenue (DOR). This is needed to collect and remit Florida sales tax and the county Tourist Development Tax.
- DOR phone: 850-488-9719 | Address: 2410 Allen Road, Tallahassee, FL 32312-2603 | Website: floridarevenue.com
- Register your business name (if needed)
- If operating under a name different from your legal name or business entity name, file a fictitious name with the Florida Department of State (Sunbiz) before licensing/permits.
- Phone: 850-245-6000 | Website: sunbiz.org
- Secure local business tax receipts (BTR)
- If inside the City of Perry limits: apply for a city business tax receipt.
- Contact City of Perry: 850-584-2721
- If in unincorporated Taylor County: obtain a county business tax receipt from the Tax Collector’s Office.
- Contact Taylor County Tax Collector’s Business Tax section for county BTRs.
- Enroll in Tourist Development Tax (TDT)
- Complete the Tourist Development Application and open a TDT account with the Taylor County Tax Collector.
- Download forms below under “Required documents, permits, licenses, and guidelines.”
- Set up operations for monthly filings
- Collect the 5% TDT from guests alongside rent. Remit monthly with the Tax Return Coupon. Payments are due by the 1st of the month following collection; they’re delinquent if not paid or postmarked by the 20th.
- Maintain records for at least the statutory period and be prepared for audits.
Source: Taylor County Tax Collector — Tourist Development Tax
Required documents, permits, licenses, and guidelines
Key licenses, registrations, and tax forms for Perry, FL STRs:
- Vacation Rental License (DBPR)
- Applies to vacation rentals and transient public lodging establishments. If unsure whether your property type requires a license, contact DBPR before operating.
- Florida Sales Tax Number (DOR)
- Required for collecting/remitting state sales tax and county TDT.
- Fictitious Name (Sunbiz), if applicable
- Required if doing business under a name not matching your legal or entity name.
- City of Perry Business Tax Receipt (if located within city limits)
- Contact City of Perry to confirm procedures and fees.
- County Business Tax Receipt (Taylor County)
- Contact Taylor County Tax Collector for unincorporated area requirements.
- Taylor County Tourist Development
- Tourist Development Application
- Tourist Development Tax Return Coupon
- See links below; complete, submit, and begin monthly remittance.
Source: Taylor County Tax Collector — Tourist Development Tax
Specific regulations for short-term rentals in this city, county, and state
City of Perry (no dedicated STR ordinance)
- No city-specific STR ordinance or separate municipal STR permit is identified.
- If inside city limits, obtain a city business tax receipt.
- City phone: 850-584-2721
Taylor County
- Transient accommodations are defined broadly to include rentals for six months or less.
- Tourist Development Tax rate is 5%. It is an add-on tax collected from tenants at the time rent is collected.
- Owners, property managers, and operators are responsible for collecting and remitting the tax.
- TDT remitted monthly; due by the 1st of the month following collection; delinquent if not paid or postmarked by the 20th.
- Exemptions:
- Bona fide leases longer than six months for continuous residence.
- Continuous residency for six months with tax paid; exemption begins on the seventh month as long as the guest remains at the same location.
- Full-time postsecondary students and active-duty military residing in these facilities may be exempt.
- Rentals made for business purposes by governments or non-profits may be exempt if statutory conditions are met.
- Special compliance checks:
- RV parks and mobile home parks with five or more units may need to contact county administration and the Florida Department of Health.
- See “State of Florida” contacts for DBPR (licensing) and DOH (health).
State of Florida
- Transient rentals must comply with Florida’s vacation rental and public lodging statutes and administrative code (DBPR).
- Licensing and inspection requirements apply to public lodging establishments and vacation rentals. If you operate a facility with multiple lodging units or mixed lodging types (e.g., RV park), verify scope of licensing with DBPR and whether a Florida Department of Health permit is required.
- DBPR contact: 850-487-1395 | Address: 2601 Blair Stone Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32399 | Website: myfloridalicense.com
- Florida Department of Health (Taylor County): 850-584-5087
Note: Florida rules change periodically. Confirm current licensing, inspection, and posting requirements with DBPR before opening.
Contact information (phone, email, website) for local authority in charge of STRs
For STR licensing (state):
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)
- Phone: 850-487-1395
- Address: 2601 Blair Stone Rd, Tallahassee, FL 32399
- Website: myfloridalicense.com
For sales tax registration and remittance (state):
- Florida Department of Revenue (DOR)
- Phone: 850-488-9719
- Address: 2410 Allen Road, Tallahassee, FL 32312-2603
- Website: floridarevenue.com
For fictitious name registration (state):
- Florida Department of State (Sunbiz)
- Phone: 850-245-6000
- Website: sunbiz.org
For TDT enrollment, reporting, and county business taxes:
- Taylor County Tax Collector’s Office
- Tax Department (TDT and business taxes) Phone: 850-838-3580
- Tourist Development info page: taylorcountytaxcollector.com/tourist-development
For city business tax receipt (inside City of Perry):
- City of Perry
- Phone: 850-584-2721
For health and RV/MHP oversight with 5+ units:
- Taylor County Administration (general contact): 850-838-3500
- Florida Department of Health (Taylor County): 850-584-5087
Links to source pages (where available)
- Taylor County Tax Collector — Tourist Development Tax
- Tourist Development Tax Application (PDF)
- Tourist Development Tax Return Coupon (PDF)
- Tourist Development Application (PDF, general)
- Taylor County — Business Tax Receipt info (Business Tax page)
- Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR)
- Florida Department of Revenue (DOR)
- Florida Department of State (Sunbiz)
Practical filing checklist for monthly compliance (keep on file)
- Collect 5% TDT plus state sales tax from guest payments at the time rent is collected.
- Reconcile rent receipts and taxes due for each calendar month.
- Prepare and submit the Taylor County TDT return with the coupon by the 1st of the following month.
- If the 20th falls on a weekend/holiday, ensure payments are postmarked by the 20th.
- Retain guest reservation records, rate details, and tax remittance documentation for at least the statutory retention period.
Final note for investors
Perry’s regulatory environment is straightforward for STRs: there is no city-specific STR licensing, but state lodging compliance, state sales tax registration, and the county’s 5% TDT are mandatory. Start with DBPR licensing and DOR registration, secure city/county BTRs as applicable, open your TDT account with the Tax Collector, and operationalize monthly remittance. For properties with five or more units (including RV parks), coordinate early with county administration and the Florida Department of Health. All links and forms are provided above for onboarding and ongoing compliance.
What do Airbnb hosts actually earn in Perry?
Perry hosts earn a median $15,987/year with $145 ADR and 43% occupancy.
Top performers pull in $28,048+ per year.
See the full Perry market breakdownNext step
Found a property in Perry?
Paste any address and get estimated revenue, cash-on-cash return, and comparable STR performance in under 5 minutes. 3 free analyses per day.
Free brief
Get the free Perry STR Investment Brief
Revenue data, top neighborhoods, seasonal trends, and the key regulations for Perry, Florida in one email.
Perry
Market Saturation Score
Photos of Perry
Overview of Perry
Perry is a small, friendly city in north-central Florida that serves as the seat of Taylor County. With a population of roughly 7,000, it has the unhurried feel of a traditional Southern town, shaded by live oaks and surrounded by pine flatwoods, working timberlands, and ranch country. Long known as the "Forest Capital of the World" because of the longleaf pine industry that has shaped the local economy for more than a century, Perry also functions as a gateway to the quiet Gulf Coast of Florida's Big Bend, a stretch of shoreline that draws visitors looking for uncrowded beaches, sport fishing, and laid-back small-port towns rather than the busier beaches farther south. The nearest major city is Tallahassee, the state capital, which sits about 50 miles to the northwest and is reached by roughly an hour's drive along U.S. Highway 19/27.
Within the city limits, Forest Capital Museum State Park offers a window into the region's deep ties to the timber industry. The park includes a museum housed in a replica of a 1930s-era turpentine camp commissary, along with restored buildings, period artifacts, and walking trails through longleaf pine habitat. It is essentially a stone's throw from downtown Perry, making it an easy stop for travelers passing through or staying in town.
Just to the south, the small Gulf-side community of Steinhatchee sits about 30 miles from Perry, or roughly a 40-minute drive. Set along the Steinhatchee River where it meets the Gulf of Mexico, the town is a popular base for inshore and offshore fishing, scalloping during the summer season, and kayak trips up the river's spring-fed stretches. A little farther west along the coast, Keaton Beach and the surrounding Taylor County shoreline offer sandy Gulf beaches, boat ramps, and the kind of low-key, low-density coastal scenery that has largely disappeared from more developed parts of Florida.
Up the road from Perry, the Econfina River provides another outdoor draw, with paddlers traveling short distances to put in for trips through limestone bluffs, cypress bends, and the springs that feed the river. Day trips to the Gulf, the rivers, and the surrounding national forests pair easily with time spent exploring downtown Perry, where locally owned restaurants, antique shops, and a handful of historic buildings give the town its small-city character.
For short-term rental owners and guests alike, Perry's appeal is its mix of inland small-town atmosphere and quick access to the Gulf. Visitors can spend the morning on a forest trail or at the local museum, the afternoon scalloping or fishing on the coast, and the evening back in a quiet residential neighborhood with easy walks to dinner, all while being less than an hour from a major university city and its airport. That blend of accessibility, natural scenery, and under-the-radar character is what makes the area an inviting base for a north-Florida getaway.
Want to know if a property in Perry is a good investment?
Enter an address to get instant revenue potential and comps.