monroe county florida tourist development tax

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Here’s how florida’s tourist tax, big for rays and beaches, works.

Budget season for local governments is around the corner, and with it the usual talk of property values and the tax bills local homeowners can expect to face.

But in Pinellas County, over the next few months, the pot of money that may get the most talk outside government chambers is one that most residents don’t supply: the tax dollars generated by visitors staying at hotels, motels and other short-term rentals, such as Airbnbs.

Pinellas has put those dollars toward the emergency restoration of its beaches after last year’s storms, and it could eventually use them to pay for large-scale beach renourishment to keep the tourists and locals visiting. And it’s the fund that county commissioners will consider when they vote on whether to commit more than $300 million to a new Tampa Bay Rays stadium in St. Petersburg.

Counties collect an array of taxes. Ad valorem taxes — the ones people and businesses pay based on value of property they own — cover much of Pinellas’ operating costs, paying most salaries and for many services. A lmost all counties in Florida have their own sales taxes on top of the 6% sales tax the state collects; in Pinellas, it’s a 1% tax on goods and services purchased. The so-called the Penny for Pinellas is used to build roads and bridges, maintain and improve parks, and support construction of affordable housing.

And for nearly 50 years, Pinellas has collected a local option tourist development tax, commonly called a bed tax or tourist tax. Florida began letting counties tax overnight stays in 1977, and the next year, Pinellas was among the earliest counties to take advantage of the new law.

“The hoteliers and the folks in the industry said, ‘Hey, we could impose this on ourselves, essentially, and with the collection of these funds we can then market the destination as a whole,’” said Brian Lowack, the president and CEO of Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, the county’s tourism bureau. “The better we are at doing that, the more visitation we have, the more tourist development tax is collected, and the more impact we have on our local economy.”

Today, Pinellas is one of 11 counties to impose a 6% surcharge on short-term living and sleeping accommodations, the most allowed by state law. In the 2023 fiscal year, the county collected $98 million , its most money ever from the tax . The post-pandemic years have marked a major boon for the county bed tax: Just a few years earlier, in 2017, the county pulled in $54 million in its first year with the 6% tax.

The county, in turn, has money to spend: According to this year’s budget, the county entered this fiscal year with more than $220 million in tourist tax reserves, a gain of $50 million over the previous year. About $110 million of that can be used on capital projects such as new construction.

That money can’t be used to pay police, build new libraries or widen roads. It’s limited by state law to a narrower range of tourism-oriented uses, including marketing and capital projects that attract visitors, and further focused by a tourism plan approved by county commissioners.

In Pinellas, 60% of those taxes go to marketing and advertising, including Visit St. Pete/Clearwater, which is fully funded by the tax. The other 40% goes to building things: Tropicana Field, the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg, the softball fields at the Eddie C. Moore Complex in Clearwater, Ruth Eckerd Hall and the Clearwater Marine Aquarium have all involved bed taxes.

Visit St. Pete/Clearwater hasn’t taken applications for capital funding since before the pandemic, Lowack said, so money for capital projects has been building in reserves. But two such projects could soon dominate future spending.

One is the renourishment of Pinellas’ beaches, which are the cornerstones of the local tourism economy but are badly eroded. For decades, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers pumped fresh sand onto the county’s beaches every few years, and the federal government covered about two-thirds of the cost. Pinellas paid for its share using a piece of the bed tax.

Now a change in policy interpretation at the Army Corps is requiring that 100% of beachfront property owners grant permanent public access to land they own within the project area. Previously, the Army Corps only required temporary access while the work was happening. Only about half the property owners in the largest project area, Sand Key , have been willing to give access. That has resulted in a yearslong standoff that has put renourishment on hold.

Last year, county officials said Pinellas would likely be able to pay for renourishment on its own through bed tax dollars, at a cost of nearly a half-billion dollars over the next 40 years. If projections hold, officials said then, Pinellas still may bring in enough money to pay for other large projects, but Lowack said recently that it’s critical for the county to solve the beaches issue first.

“Until we get some closure on this issue with the Corps,” he said, “I think other things take a back seat.”

County commissioners, though, may soon have to make a call on the other big project, a new ballpark for the Rays. Though no vote has yet been set for commissioners or for the St. Petersburg City Council, there are meetings planned in May for City Council members to discuss the terms that city, county and team officials have been hammering out behind the scenes for months.

Under the broad terms unveiled last fall, the city and county would each pay for about a quarter of the $1.3 billion stadium project. While the city will face complex decisions on how to fund its portion, the county’s is relatively straightforward: if it funds the stadium, it’ll be through tourist taxes. (Pinellas would not pay its whole $312.5 million portion at once, but details about how it would finance it haven’t been publicly discussed.)

Commissioners wary of subsidizing a private sports enterprise, such as Brian Scott, have signaled that using bed tax dollars makes the idea more appealing — especially in concert with the planned redevelopment around the stadium, which would eventually turn now-unused publicly owned land into tax-generating homes and businesses. It’s also an easier sell to their constituents, who wouldn’t be footing the bill for the stadium.

When it comes to residents and tourists, Lowack said he knows there’s some friction. Many locals may not realize that visitors’ spending supports the beaches, ballparks and museums they love.

“I was in the dentist’s chair, for example, and she said, ‘What are we going to do about all these tourists?’” Lowack said. “And I said, ‘Well, we’re going to get more to come here.’”

Florida Tourist Development Tax

Vacation rentals and Airbnb properties are subject to tourist development tax in the State of Florida. Tourist Development Taxes are to be paid on all short-term rental income. Short-term income is defined as individual bookings of less than six months. File these monthly to the Tax Collector in your county. They are due by the first of the month. After the 20th, late penalties are effective.

If you have a property management company, they will usually collect these taxes for you. If you receive income in your country, you will need to collect and report the Tourist Development Tax (TDT) you have collected through your property management company or as a taxpayer. You can apply for a tax account directly with your county tax collector. Or you can hire a tax professional who can help you navigate the licensing, tourist tax application, and filing process.

Filing Deadline for Tourist Development Tax

Unless otherwise advised, Tourist Development Tax Returns should be completed monthly and submitted to the Tax Collector’s Office along with your tax payment by the 20th of the month following the reporting month. Thus rental income received during July should be reported and tax paid by 20th August. A $50 penalty is payable for any late filing (even where there was no income received) and interest is calculated on any late tax payment.

Please note– the information and filing deadlines provided are specific to the State of Florida. Contact us to find your specific tax rate and information regarding filing and payment deadlines.

Florida Tourist Development Tax Rates

For both owner bookings and bookings taken through Airbnb , VRBO , or HomeAway you must file and pay taxes. The rental income that you collect on your own bookings is subject to both Sales & Use Tax and Tourist Development Tax.

The Florida state tax rate is 6% plus a discretionary rate applied per county. The current rates of tax are for Lake, Monroe, Orange, Osceola, & Polk county are as follows:

How to File a Tourist Development Tax Return in Florida

The links provided here will allow you to file your tourist development tax return for your county.

• Lake County Tourist Development Tax
• Monroe County Tourist Development Tax
• Orange County Tourist Development Tax
• Osceola County Tourist Development Tax
• Polk County Tourist Development Tax

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Revenues derived from tourist development tax

Important alert title goes here

Tourist development tax.

Flagler County began collection of the Tourist Development Tax, also known as “bed tax,” effective 8/1/2018, pursuant to Flagler County Ordinance 2018-10 .

The Flagler County Tourist Development Tax applies to any living quarters or accommodations, including but not limited to, hotels, motels, apartment buildings, single or multifamily dwellings, mobile home parks, recreational vehicle parks, condominiums, cottages, and boats permanently affixed to a dock and not operated on the water by the tenant. Any person who rents or leases any transient accommodations for a period of 6 months or less is responsible for collecting and remitting the tax.

For additional information on how Flagler County "bed tax" revenues are utilized, please visit http://www.visitflagler.com/tdc/

ONLINE RENTAL PLATFORMS

THE TAX COLLECTOR DOES NOT HAVE AN AGREEMENT OR CONTRACT WITH ONLINE PLATFORMS, SUCH AS AIRBNB, VRBO, ETC.

• THESE ONLINE PLATFORMS DO NOT REMIT THE 5% TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX TO OUR OFFICE.
• IT IS THE HOMEOWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THE TAX IS REMITTED TO THE TAX COLLECTOR.
• ALL RENTAL PROPERTIES ALSO REQUIRE A LOCAL BUSINESS TAX, REGARDLESS OF HOW LONG THE PROPERTY IS BEING RENTED

PAY TOURIST TAX ONLINE

What is a Tourist Development Tax?

Tourist Development Tax is a 5% tax on the total rental amount collected from every person or other party who rents, leases, or lets for consideration living quarters or accommodation in any hotel, apartment hotel, motel, resort motel, apartment, apartment motel, rooming house, mobile home park, recreational vehicle park, or condominiums for a period of 6 months or less. This tax is collected by the Flagler County Tax Collector. The local Tourist Development Tax is in addition to the 7% State of Florida Sales and Use Tax remitted to the Florida Department of Revenue.

Who Must Collect the Tax?

Any person (business) who rents or leases any transient accommodations for a period of 6 months or less.

How Much is the Tax and What Charges are Taxable?

The Tourist Development Tax is 5% of the gross monthly revenue. The gross monthly revenue you should be reporting and remitting tax on includes all charges paid by the guest/renter to stay at your accommodation (excluding the tax).

Taxable charges include:

• Cleaning Fees
• Traveler Service Fees

Non-taxable charges include:

• Damage Deposits
• Optional Travel Insurance

Who is Exempt from Tourist Development Tax?

Any person who has entered into a bona fide written lease for longer than six (6) months in duration for continuous residence.

Any person who has continuously resided for 6 months and has paid the tax imposed for this time shall become exempt on the seventh month and every month thereafter provided he or she continues to reside at the same location.

Anyone who is exempt from paying state sales tax. These include federal government employees and other government agencies (state, county, city, etc.), full-time students, active duty military personnel, churches, and nonprofit organizations that have a sales tax exemption number from the Florida Department of Revenue.

When is the Tax Due?

The tourist development tax is due to the Tax Collector's Office monthly. It is due on the 1st day of the month following the reporting period and becomes delinquent if not paid or postmarked by the 20th day of the month following the reporting period. All owners/operators must submit a return even if no taxes were collected for the month.

What Happens When the Tax Becomes Delinquent?

If the return and payment are not filed with the Tax Collector by the 20th day of the month following the reporting period, the tax is considered delinquent. This applies to individuals filing online through Tourist Express as well. The penalty is 10% of the tax due for each month or a fraction of a month that the return is delinquent. The penalty is a minimum of $50 and up to a maximum of 50% of the tax due. The interest rate is variable. You will need to contact the Tourist Development Tax Department at (386) 313-4160 for the current rate.

Terminating the Property Management of a Rental Property

Notify the Tourist Development Tax Department by emailing this form to [email protected] . The tourist tax account will be updated.

Save Money by Filing Online Through Tourist Express

For your convenience, we allow online payments for Tourist Development Tax through Tourist Express . Property owners that have signed up for Tourist Express are entitled to deduct 2.5% of the first $1,200.00 of tax due, or a maximum of $30.00 if the return is paid by the 20th day of the month following the reporting period. In order to be eligible for Tourist Express , the property owner must already have an active Tourist Development Tax account.

Click here to sign up for Tourist Express

HOW MUCH IS THE TAX?

The tourist development tax is 5% on taxable rental receipts.

Sales and Use Tax of 7% must also be collected and remitted to the Florida Department of Revenue ( http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/taxes/sales_tax.html ).

WHEN IS THE TAX DUE?

The tourist development tax is due to the Tax Collector's office monthly or quarterly. It is due on the 1st day of the month following the reporting period and becomes delinquent if not paid or postmarked by the 20th day of the month following the reporting period. A return must be submitted even if no taxes were collected for the month.

A collection allowance of 2.5% of the first $ 1,200.00 of tax due, or a maximum of $30, may be deducted if the return is paid or postmarked by the 20th day of the month following the reporting period.

HOW DO I REGISTER TO FILE?

To register to file, you will need to create an online account through our Tourist Express website.

TOURIST EXPRESS

Participants are required to obtain a Sales Tax Identification Number from the Florida Department of Revenue for filing of the tax. For information on Sales and Use Tax and the application for a Sales Tax Identification Number please visit the Department of Revenue's website: http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/taxes/sales_tax.html or call the Daytona Beach branch of the Florida Department of Revenue at 386-274-6600.

WHO DO I SUBMIT MY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX TO?

Online: https://flagler.county-taxes.com/tourist OR you can submit your tax returns by mailing to the address below:

Suzanne Johnston - Tax Collector

Flagler County Tax Collector

P.O. Box 846

Bunnell, FL 32110

WHO IS EXEMPT?

Any person exempt under the provisions of Chapter 212, Florida Statutes and holds a valid certificate of exemption issued by the Florida Department of Revenue.

Anyone who has signed a bona fide written lease for six months +1 Day is exempt from Tourist Development Tax. If there is not a written agreement, the owner is required to collect and remit the Tourist Development Tax for the first six months. The seventh month and every month thereafter will be exempt provided the renter continuously resides at the same location.

WHAT IF THE TAX IS DELINQUENT?

If the return and payment are not postmarked by the 20th of the month following the reporting period, the collection allowance is forfeited. In addition penalty and interest are assessed. The penalty is 10% of the tax due for each month or fraction of a month that the return is delinquent. The penalty is a minimum of $50, up to a maximum of 50% of the tax due. The interest rate is variable. The interest rate may be found online at www.floridarevenue.com or by contacting the Tax Collector’s office (386) 313-4160.

WHAT IF THE UNIT IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE FOR SHORT-TERM RENTAL?

After filing and paying your final return notify the Tax Collector's office in writing that the property will no longer be rented on a short term basis.

DOES AIRBNB, HOMEAWAY, OR OTHER ONLINE AGENTS PAY MY TOURIST TAXES FOR ME?

At this time, the flagler county tax collector does not have an agreement with any online rental platforms to remit tourist development tax on behalf of the hosts., i was unaware of my responsibility to collect and pay tourist tax. what should i do now.

Contact our office as soon as possible. We will work with you to bring your property into compliance. Our email is [email protected] or call us at (386) 313-4160.

DO I NEED TO APPLY FOR AN ACCOUNT AND SUBMIT PAYMENTS IF I AM USING A RENTAL AGENT?

In most cases, the Rental agent has their own account and will submit your tourist tax on a consolidated tax return that includes the rental properties of all of their clients. However, you should be aware that you, as the property owner, are ultimately responsible for the required tax to be paid. Any failure by your rental agent to pay the tax could result in penalties being applied against your property.

If you also rent the property yourself, you are required to collect and remit taxes under your own account.

FRIENDS AND FAMILY USE MY PROPERTY DURING THE YEAR. AM I REQUIRED TO COLLECT TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX FROM THEM?

If you collect rent from them or accept any other form of compensation in lieu of rent you will be required to remit tourist development tax based upon the amount of rent paid, or upon the fair market value of the compensation received in lieu of rent.

DO I NEED TO COLLECT TAX ON CLEANING FEES?

Yes, if the charge is a mandatory fee to use the property, you would include the amount in the rental receipts. Other examples of additional fees to include would be non-refundable fees such as pet fees, early check-in/check-out fees, etc.

REPORT AN EVADER

If you suspect a person or business is evading the Tourist Development Tax, you may report this information anonymously by calling our Tourist Tax Department at (386) 313-4160 or by written correspondence to:

Please provide as much detailed information as possible.

You may also submit tips anonymously online by clicking the link below:

SUBMIT AN ANONYMOUS REPORT

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Tdc seeks 6th penny for bed tax revenue.

by Lisa Neff | Be the first to comment

Another penny under the pillow?

The Manatee County Tourist Development Council unanimously agreed in a voice vote April 15 to recommend the county commission add a sixth cent to the resort tax.

The commission was expected to consider the recommendation during a 9 a.m. meeting Tuesday, April 23, after The Islander went to press.

The resort tax — also known as the bed tax or tourist development tax — is collected on overnight accommodations of six months or less, including vacation rentals and hotel rooms.

Manatee County first enacted the tax in 1980 and has previously raised the collection figure, with the most recent bump in 2009.

Based on the county’s 2023 tourist tax revenues, Manatee meets criteria to be a high tourism-impact county eligible for an additional 1% tourist tax.

Florida counties can collect a sixth cent of tourist tax — the maximum allowed — once they pass the threshold of $30 million a year in collected bed taxes.  Hillsborough, Pinellas and Sarasota counties levy 6%.

Manatee collected $30,090,618 in tourist tax revenues in the calendar year 2023. Also, according to the Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the county generated $625,890,749 in rental revenues.

A penny increase in the tax would generate another $6 million a year.

State law requires tourist tax revenues to be used for tourism-related programs and projects.

Elliott Falcione, executive director of the BACVB, pitched the penny increase to the TDC, highlighting capital improvements and projects funded with tourist tax dollars that benefit visitors but also residents, including beach renourishment, ferry service, pier reconstruction, airport expansion, preserve and park enhancements, cultural and heritage centers.

“We do not plan to ask for marketing dollars” from the sixth penny, Falcione said.

The vote to recommend the tax bump was unanimous.

TDC chair Ray Turner called the increase “insignificant for visitors.”

“It’ll be a good move. It’ll be seamless,” said Turner, county commissioner for District 5.

If the commission approves a tax increase, the collection could begin Aug. 1.

In addition to the bed tax, there is a 7% sales tax collected on short-term accommodations.

Measuring Manatee tourism

The estimated number of visitors to Manatee County in February outpaced the number in 2023 — 93,300 in February 2024 and 88,900 in February 2023, according to Anne Wittine, director of quantitative research for Research Data Services.

The economic impact of tourism also was higher — $227,622,800 in February 2024 compared with $214,439,600 in February 2023, said Wittine, who presented a report April 15 to the Manatee County Tourist Development Council.

However, room nights for February 2024 were down 1.6% from February 2023.

How can the impact dollars be higher and room nights be lower?

One explanation is accommodations cost more — the average room rate in February 2024 was $275.52 compared with $265.02 in February 2023.

— Lisa Neff

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