Monroe County · The Florida Keys, where every town writes its own rental rules
Vacation Rental & Airbnb Management in Monroe County, FL
Monroe County covers the Florida Keys, and owning a rental here means working with more than one rulebook. The county lists five municipalities with their own governments: Key West, Islamorada, Marathon, Key Colony Beach and Layton. Each of the first three regulates short stays in its own code, while Key Largo and the rest of the unincorporated Keys follow the county Land Development Code. We manage vacation rentals where a home holds the right local license or permit, and furnished monthly or annual rentals where it does not.
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What we deliver
Full-service management across Monroe County
Florida Hosts handles every part of a Monroe County vacation rental — listing creation and photography, dynamic pricing, 24/7 guest communication, cleaning, and turnovers. One fee: 18–25% of booking revenue, quoted in writing before you sign.
See all services →Why Monroe County
Demand in the Keys comes from the water. The Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary protects the only coral barrier reef in the continental United States, and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo calls itself the country's first undersea park. Key West adds Old Town, the Hemingway Home and Fantasy Fest in October. Guests arrive through Key West International Airport and Florida Keys Marathon International Airport, both run by the county.
Monroe County
Where we manage in Monroe County
Each Monroe County city brings its own demand profile and guest mix. Pick yours for its own rules, taxes and guests.
Key West
In Key West, nightly and weekly stays are legal only at homes holding a city transient license.
ExploreKey Largo
Key Largo follows Monroe County's rules: stays under 28 days need the right zoning, an annual county permit and a licensed local manager.
ExploreIslamorada
Islamorada caps vacation rentals at 331 licensed units, sets a seven-day minimum in residential subdivisions and retires a license when the home is sold.
ExploreMarathon
Marathon licenses vacation rentals for stays of 7 to 28 nights and bans anything shorter.
ExploreLocal vs. national
The Monroe County advantage: local knowledge at every level
A national platform prices Monroe County from a spreadsheet and sends whoever is free to turn the unit. We work it address by address: which city or county code applies, which tax accounts the stay needs, and our own cleaning and maintenance staff on every turnover, with guests able to reach us 24/7.
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Free, no obligation. Prefer to talk? Call (321) 321-2348
Step 1 of 4 · Address
What’s the address of your property?
We’ll pull real, comparable Florida listings to build your projection.
Regulatory compliance
Monroe County short-term rental rules
In unincorporated Monroe County a vacation rental is a tenancy of less than 28 days, and it needs an annual special vacation rental permit and a county-licensed vacation rental manager (Code §134-1). Vacation rentals are prohibited in Improved Subdivision districts except IS-V districts and qualifying gated communities (§130-83). Key West requires a city transient business tax receipt for stays under 30 days or one calendar month; Islamorada caps licensed units at 331; Marathon allows 7 to 28 nights only. All rentals, of any length, need a county business tax receipt.
Always confirm the latest rules with the relevant local authority before listing — we'll point you to exactly what applies to your property.
Tourist development tax
5%
On rentals of six months or less, on top of Florida's 6% state tax.
Florida DOR, DR-15TDT Local Option Transient Rental Tax Rates (R. 10/26)Common questions
Monroe County STR management — FAQs
Who collects the tourist tax in Monroe County?
The Monroe County Tax Collector collects the 5% tourist development tax on stays of six months or less. Its office says Airbnb, VRBO and similar platforms do not remit the tax to the county, so the owner or manager must file and pay it.
Which Keys rules apply to my property?
It depends on whether the home is inside a city. Key West, Islamorada and Marathon each have their own vacation rental ordinance. Homes in unincorporated areas such as Key Largo follow Monroe County Code §134-1 and the zoning rules in Chapter 130, and the county publishes a GIS map showing where vacation rentals are prohibited.
Do Keys vacation rentals have to close for hurricanes?
Yes. Marathon's code requires vacation rentals to be evacuated when a non-resident evacuation order is issued, and Islamorada's requires units to be evacuated when a hurricane warning is posted for any part of the Keys. Guest departures come before resident evacuations.
Sources
- Monroe County, Municipalities · October 2026
- Monroe County Land Development Code §134-1 (Municode) · October 2026
- Monroe County Land Development Code §130-83 (Municode) · October 2026
- Monroe County, Special Vacation Rental Program · October 2026
- Monroe County Tax Collector, Tourist Development Tax · October 2026
- City of Key West Code §18-601 (Municode) · October 2026
- Village of Islamorada Code, Division 30-VI-6 Vacation Rentals · October 2026
- City of Marathon Code, Chapter 8 Article 8-II Vacation Rentals · October 2026
- City of Marathon, Vacation Rental Training (July 2026) · October 2026
- NOAA, Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary · October 2026
- Florida State Parks, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park · October 2026
- Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum · October 2026
- Fantasy Fest (official site) · October 2026
- Key West International Airport · October 2026
- Monroe County, Florida Keys Marathon International Airport · October 2026
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