Hollywood, FL Vacation Rental License (2026): Owner Guide

Hollywood is a popular short-stay market in Broward County, from the Broadwalk condos to pool homes west of the Intracoastal. It is also a city that checks. Before you list a house or condo for nightly or weekly stays, the City of Hollywood expects a vacation rental license, and the license depends on several state and county accounts being in place first.

This guide walks through what the City asks for, what it costs, and how the inspection works, with a link to the official source for each point.

Not legal or tax advice. Rules and fees change. Every point below links to the official source we checked on October 28, 2026. Confirm with the City before you apply.

Do you need a license?

The City's definition is broad. Advertising a dwelling unit for stays of less than 30 days, more than three times a year is treated as operating a vacation rental. (City of Hollywood, Vacation Rental License)

The City Code adds two points owners often miss:

• You may not operate or advertise the property before the license is issued. That means your Airbnb or Vrbo listing should not go live first.
• Each vacation rental needs its own license, and the rule also covers an owner who lives on the property and rents out part of it.

(Hollywood Code of Ordinances, Sec. 119.10)

What goes into the application

Under Section 119.11 of the City Code, a complete application includes:

1. The application form, naming the owner, the property address, and a vacation rental representative with a phone number.
2. The fee (see the table below).
3. A Florida DBPR transient lodging license for the property. Owner-occupied rentals are exempt from this item. (DBPR vacation rental guide)
4. A Florida Department of Revenue certificate of registration for sales tax on transient rentals.
5. A Broward County Tourist Development Tax account, or a written statement that the platform you book through remits that tax for you. You list every platform you use, and if one of them does not remit, you need your own county account.
6. City of Hollywood and Broward County local business tax receipts for the rental, plus receipts for the representative where the Code requires them.
7. Floor and site sketches with photos, proof of liability insurance, and the acknowledgments the Code lists, such as smoke detectors, noise devices and maximum occupancy.

(Hollywood Code of Ordinances, Sec. 119.11)

The City takes applications online only. The owner certification form has to be notarized and uploaded with the application, and paper applications are no longer accepted. (City of Hollywood)

Tip: Do steps 3 to 6 first. The City application asks for proof of each one, so having them ready saves a round trip.

What it costs

From the City's published fee schedule for vacation rental licenses (City of Hollywood fee schedule, PDF):

• Application: $850 if not owner-occupied, $100 if owner-occupied
• Annual renewal: $600 if not owner-occupied, $45 if owner-occupied
• Initial inspection, up to 1,500 sq ft: $400
• Initial inspection, each sq ft above 1,500: $0.15
• Annual renewal inspection: $150 per condo unit, $300 per unit for all other types, $150 if owner-occupied

The same schedule lists penalties, including a $350 penalty for operating without a City license, $250 for operating without a DBPR license, and a daily fine of up to $5,000 for operating without a license. A late registration fee is $250 and a late renewal is $100.

So for a non-owner-occupied 2,500 sq ft pool home, the first-year City cost before any re-inspection works out to $850 for the application plus $400 and $150 (1,000 extra sq ft at $0.15) for the inspection, or $1,400. Check the current schedule on the day you apply, as the City sets these fees by resolution.

The inspection

Once your application is complete, the City's Code Compliance team schedules the inspection. The same office handles annual inspections, re-inspections, cancellations and rescheduling. (City of Hollywood, Vacation Rental Inspection Program)

A few things help it go smoothly:

• Make sure every room and outdoor area is accessible on the day.
• Have the safety items the application lists in place before the visit, not after: a smoke detector in each bedroom, in each hallway leading to a bedroom and in the kitchen, plus the indoor and outdoor noise devices. (Hollywood Code, Sec. 119.11)
• Book early in the season. A failed inspection means a re-inspection fee and a later start date.

The noise device rule

Hollywood requires a noise level detection device in every vacation rental. It has to alert the owner or representative and the guests to noise from the property, and its data has to be kept for 180 days and made available to the City on request. Guests must also be told that noise is limited by the City's noise ordinance. (City of Hollywood)

The City also runs a 24/7 complaint line, and the registered owner, manager or emergency contact is notified when a complaint comes in. (City of Hollywood) On top of that, the City Code requires the vacation rental representative to answer the listed phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and to be able to be at the property within 60 minutes of being notified. (Hollywood Code, Sec. 119.20) That is the practical reason to have a local team who can actually get to the house.

Renting a condo in Hollywood?

A City license is only half the answer for a condo. Your association also has to allow short stays. We cover how to check that, building by building, in Hollywood, FL Condos That Allow Airbnb.

A quick checklist

• Florida DBPR license (unless owner-occupied)
• Florida DOR sales tax registration
• Broward County Tourist Development Tax account, or platform remittance statement
• City of Hollywood and Broward County business tax receipts
• Notarized owner certification
• Online City application and fee
• Noise level detection device installed
• Inspection passed
• License issued, then the listing goes live

Want help getting it right?

We manage vacation rentals in Hollywood and across South Florida, and we're rated Google 5.0★ and Airbnb Superhost 4.88★. We can walk through what your property needs, from licensing to the first booking, and how we'd run it.

Book a call with our team · Hollywood vacation rental management

Last reviewed October 28, 2026. Fees and requirements come from City of Hollywood pages and the City Code linked above. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.