Polk County · Resort subdivisions near the parks, and lake towns along I-4
Vacation Rental & Airbnb Management in Polk County, FL
Polk County covers two different rental markets. In the northeast, around Davenport and Haines City, resort subdivisions of pool homes serve theme-park families. Further west and south, Lakeland and Winter Haven book around spring training, the SUN 'n FUN expo, LEGOLAND Florida and the Chain of Lakes. Outside city limits, Polk decides short-term rental subdivision by subdivision, so the first question for any county home is whether its subdivision or phase has county approval.
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What we deliver
Full-service management across Polk County
Florida Hosts handles every part of a Polk 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 Polk County
Families heading to the Orlando-area parks fill the Davenport and Haines City resort homes, while LEGOLAND Florida Resort and its Peppa Pig Theme Park draw families to Winter Haven. Lakeland has its own calendar: Detroit Tigers spring training at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium, the SUN 'n FUN Aerospace Expo at Lakeland Linder International Airport, and Florida Southern College's Frank Lloyd Wright campus.
Polk County
Where we manage in and around Polk County
Each Polk County city brings its own demand profile and guest mix. Pick yours for its own rules, taxes and guests.
Davenport
Davenport's vacation homes split between the small city itself and unincorporated Polk County.
ExploreHaines City
Haines City mapped out where vacation rentals belong with a short-term rental overlay zone in 2018.
ExploreLakeland
Lakeland books on its own calendar: Tigers spring training, the SUN 'n FUN expo, Florida Southern College events and a large regional hospital.
ExploreWinter Haven
Winter Haven is home to LEGOLAND Florida Resort and the city-managed Chain of Lakes, which gives rentals here a family audience and a lake-house audience at the same time.
ExploreOrange County
Orange County holds Orlando, Lake Buena Vista and Winter Garden, but many homes with those mailing addresses sit in unincorporated county land such as Horizon West, where county zoning applies.
ExploreLake County
Lake County lies west of Orlando, and Clermont is the Lake County city we cover on this site.
ExploreSeminole County
Seminole County sits north of Orlando, and Sanford, the county seat, is the Seminole city we cover on this site.
ExploreOsceola County
Osceola County takes in gated golf-resort communities such as Reunion and ChampionsGate, the city of Kissimmee with its Disney-area vacation homes, and the planned town of Celebration.
ExploreLocal vs. national
The Polk County advantage: local knowledge at every level
A national platform prices Polk 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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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
Polk County short-term rental rules
In unincorporated Polk County, Land Development Code Section 303 lets a home be used as a short-term rental only where the whole subdivision, Planned Development or phase has been approved for it, and deed restrictions can still forbid it. Each short-term rental must be registered with the Land Development Division every year, show its state license on the back of the main entrance door, and list a 24-hour contact for its management company. Cities set their own rules: Davenport permits vacation rentals with conditions in every residential district, and Haines City confines them to a short-term rental overlay zone.
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
Polk County STR management — FAQs
How does Polk County define a short-term rental?
Polk LDC Section 303 describes it as a dwelling made available more than three times a year for periods of fewer than 30 days or one calendar month, whichever is less. Timeshares, vacation rentals and holiday rentals that meet that test all count.
Can I turn one house in an existing Polk subdivision into a short-term rental?
Not on its own. Under Section 303, an individual home in a subdivision or Planned Development cannot be used as a short-term rental unless the entire subdivision, or the phase it sits in, has been approved. Any lot owner can apply on behalf of the whole subdivision through a Level 3 review, with notice mailed to the other owners.
When is the Polk County tourist tax due?
Polk County's 5% tourist development tax is remitted monthly to the Polk County Tax Collector. Payment is due on the first of the month after collection and is delinquent if not paid by the 20th, and since August 17, 2026, monthly filings are entered in the Phenix Online portal.
Sources
- Polk County Land Development Code Section 303, Short-term Rental Units (Municode) · October 2026
- Polk County Tax Collector, Tourist Development Taxes (TDT) · October 2026
- City of Davenport Unified Land Development Regulations, Table 3.07.00(A) and §4.03.19 (updated March 2, 2026) · October 2026
- Haines City Land Development Regulations Sec. 5.6.2.5, Short term rental (STR) overlay zone (Municode) · October 2026
- LEGOLAND Florida Resort, Cypress Gardens history · October 2026
- City of Lakeland, Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium welcomes the Detroit Tigers (2024) · October 2026
- SUN 'n FUN Aerospace Expo · October 2026
- Florida Southern College, Frank Lloyd Wright · October 2026
- City of Winter Haven, Annual Lakes Report (July 2025) · October 2026
- Florida DOR, DR-15TDT Local Option Transient Rental Tax Rates (R. 10/26) · October 2026
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