Short-term rental rules in Mexico Beach, FL
Bay County runs a certificate program for vacation rentals, but its code applies it within unincorporated Bay County only. A home inside the City of Mexico Beach falls outside that program.[8]
Every rule below links to the official source it comes from, verified October 2, 2026.
Can you rent short term in Mexico Beach?
State and county rules only
- Seasonal homes
- 467
- Housing units
- 1,320
- Residents
- 1,099
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates
- City ruleNo city ordinance
- City feeNone published
- Tax on each stay12%
- Seasonal homes354 per 1,000
Mexico Beach vacation rental rules
Mexico Beach has no vacation rental chapter in its code, so a host deals with the city through its general occupational license. Chapter 110 makes that license compulsory for anyone carrying on a business in the city. Its tax schedule charges $4 a year for each apartment or rental house. The city starts selling licenses each September 1. Payment is due by October 1, and every license lapses on September 30. One issued after April 1 costs half. A late renewal adds 10% for October, then 5% for every month after. Skipping the license entirely triggers a penalty equal to 25% of the amount owed. On top of that, each day of violation can draw a fine of at most $25.[6]
What Mexico Beach asks of you
No chapter of the city code deals with vacation rentals. The business regulations run from Chapter 110 to Chapter 115 without one.[6]
The city requires a license from every person engaging in business within its limits. Each license is valid from October 1 to September 30.[7]
Section 110.14 sets the license tax at $4 a year for each apartment or rental house.[6]
Under Section 110.04(B), a rental agent or manager who runs rentals for an owner has to obtain the appropriate license.[6]
The license must be displayed conspicuously at all times.[6]
Bay County's short-term vacation rental certificate is required within unincorporated Bay County, which leaves the city outside it.[8]
What Florida asks wherever you host
These rules apply at this address whatever the city decides.
Florida licenses vacation rentals itself. A dwelling license covers houses, townhouses and buildings of up to four units. A condominium or cooperative unit takes a condominium license instead. The license costs $150 plus $10 per rental unit, plus a $10 hospitality education fee.[2]
No Florida city may ban vacation rentals. It may not set how long or how often you rent either. The one exception is a local ordinance already in force on June 1, 2011, which still applies.[1]
State sales tax is due on every rental of six months or less. A bona fide written lease for more than six months of continuous residence is exempt. So is the seventh month onward once a guest has stayed and paid for six.[3]
What a guest pays on top of your nightly rate in Mexico Beach
Each layer is set by a different authority, and not all of them are collected by the platform.
| Layer | Rate | Remitted to |
|---|---|---|
| Florida state sales tax[3] | 6% | The state revenue department |
| Bay County discretionary sales surtax[5] | 1% | The state revenue department |
| Bay County Tourist Development Tax, Mexico Beach district[9] | 5% | The county |
| Total on a taxable stay | 12% |
The Bay County Tax Collector took over the tourist development tax on October 1, 2026. The Clerk of Court administered it until then, and it expects hosts' reporting system to stay the same.[10]
Airbnb taxes for hostsWhat the census counts
How much of Mexico Beach is already a second home
The Census Bureau counts 467 of Mexico Beach's 1,320 homes as vacant for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That is 354 out of every 1,000. It ranks Mexico Beach 13th of the 48 Florida cities on this site for the share of its housing stock kept for part-year use.
- Rank in the state
- 13th of 48
- Share of housing
- 354 per 1,000
- Median home value
- $466,300
U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 ACS 5-year estimates, tables B25004, B25001, B01003 and B25077.
Nearby and comparable
Where Mexico Beach sits among its neighbors
Panama City Beach, FL
Certificate required
11,177 seasonal homes, 527 per 1,000 housing units.
Panama City Beach short-term rental rulesPanama City, FL
Registration required
304 seasonal homes, 18 per 1,000 housing units.
Panama City short-term rental rulesCarrabelle, FL
No city ordinance
260 seasonal homes, 340 per 1,000 housing units.
Carrabelle short-term rental rulesAnna Maria, FL
License required
517 seasonal homes, 344 per 1,000 housing units.
Anna Maria short-term rental rulesFAQ
Mexico Beach short-term rental questions
Is there a vacation rental permit in Mexico Beach?
My rental agent runs the house. Who needs the license?
Where does the Mexico Beach tourist tax go?
Which taxes go to the state?
Sources
- Florida Statutes § 509.032(7), Duties — preemption of vacation rental regulation, The Florida Legislature, read on September 20, 2026
- Guide to Vacation Rentals and Timeshare Projects, Division of Hotels and Restaurants, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, read on September 20, 2026
- Sales and Use Tax on Rental of Living or Sleeping Accommodations (GT-800034, R. 10/25), Florida Department of Revenue, read on September 20, 2026
- Local Option Transient Rental Tax Rates (DR-15TDT, R. 10/26), Florida Department of Revenue, read on October 2, 2026
- Discretionary Sales Surtax Information for Calendar Year 2026 (DR-15DSS), Florida Department of Revenue, read on September 20, 2026
- Code of Ordinances, Chapter 110, Licensing (current supplement 2026 S-10), City of Mexico Beach, read on October 1, 2026
- Occupational Licenses & Beach Vending Applications, City of Mexico Beach, read on October 1, 2026
- Code of Ordinances, Section 14-141, short-term vacation rental requirements, Bay County, read on October 1, 2026
- Code of Ordinances, Sections 14-44 and 14-45, tourist development tax and Mexico Beach extension, Bay County, read on October 1, 2026
- Tourist Development Tax, notice to all taxpayers, Bay County Clerk of Court & Comptroller, read on October 1, 2026
This page is not legal advice. It summarizes the official sources listed on this page as they read on October 2, 2026. Rules can change after that date, so check with the issuing office before you apply or publish a listing.
Before you list
Free tools for new hosts
Short-term rental agreement generator
Parties, dates, rent, deposit checked against your state's cap, and the house rules clauses you enforce. A signed-ready PDF for direct and Vrbo bookings.
Airbnb host fee calculator
What Airbnb takes on a booking under the 15.5% host-only fee or the old split fee, what the guest pays on top, and the payout that reaches you.
Airbnb house rules
Generate a complete PDF house rules document for your property: rules, schedule, amenities, emergency contacts.
Check-in instructions
The message a guest reads before getting in: access, keys, WiFi, parking, contact. English or bilingual output.