Walton County · Scenic Highway 30A and Miramar Beach, under one county rental certificate
Vacation Rental & Airbnb Management in Walton County, FL
Walton County’s coast, from Miramar Beach through the Scenic Highway 30A towns to Rosemary Beach, is unincorporated: the county lists only DeFuniak Springs, Freeport and Paxton as municipalities. That puts every beach rental under one county program, the Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate, plus the covenants of planned communities such as Seaside, WaterColor, Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach. Florida Hosts files the certificate, serves as the responsible party and runs Airbnb management, with mid-term and long-term leasing through licensed brokers.
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What we deliver
Full-service management across Walton County
Florida Hosts handles every part of a Walton 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 Walton County
South Walton’s draw is its beaches and parks: Grayton Beach, Topsail Hill Preserve, Deer Lake and Eden Gardens state parks all carry Santa Rosa Beach addresses, and the county’s coastal dune lakes sit just behind the sand. Planned towns such as Seaside, Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach bring guests who want to walk and bike. Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort and Ascension Sacred Heart Emerald Coast anchor Miramar Beach.
Walton County
Where we manage in and around Walton County
Each Walton County city brings its own demand profile and guest mix. Pick yours for its own rules, taxes and guests.
Miramar Beach
Miramar Beach sits just east of Destin but in Walton County, not Okaloosa.
ExploreSanta Rosa Beach
Airbnb and short-term rental management along Scenic Highway 30A, from Dune Allen to Seagrove, run to Walton County's short-term vacation rental certificate and its 5% South Walton tourist tax.
ExploreRosemary Beach
Airbnb and short-term rental management at the eastern end of 30A, where a planned town's covenants sit on top of Walton County's rental certificate and 5% South Walton tourist tax.
ExploreSeaside
Seaside's cottages sit on brick streets around Central Square on 30A.
ExploreAlys Beach
Alys Beach is a New Urbanist town on Scenic Highway 30A, next to Rosemary Beach, with shared amenities for owners and guests.
ExploreWaterColor
WaterColor is a planned community on Scenic Highway 30A in Santa Rosa Beach, set beside a coastal dune lake.
ExploreOkaloosa County
Okaloosa County’s coast packs three different rule sets into a few miles.
ExploreBay County
Bay County’s rental coast runs from the Walton line through Panama City Beach to Mexico Beach.
ExploreSanta Rosa County
Santa Rosa County’s beach is Navarre Beach, with the mainland community of Navarre across Santa Rosa Sound.
ExploreEscambia County
Escambia County pairs a historic Navy city with a barrier-island beach that cannot be bought outright.
ExploreGulf County
Gulf County is the quiet end of the Panhandle coast: Cape San Blas and the St. Joseph Peninsula wrap around St. Joseph Bay, with Port St. Joe across the water.
ExploreLocal vs. national
The Walton County advantage: local knowledge at every level
A national platform prices Walton 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.
Get my free Walton County projectionFree projection · about a minute
Own a property in Walton County?
Send us the address and we'll come back with real numbers for it, from a person on our team, within one business day.
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
Walton County short-term rental rules
Ordinance 2023-03, adopted January 24, 2023, added §1.13.16 to the Land Development Code: any home rented for under 30 days in unincorporated Walton County needs a Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate, renewed annually. Condominiums and multi-family developments under common management are exempt, and homeowners’ associations may elect a community certificate. Certified homes are limited to one guest per 150 square feet of gross floor area and must show the certificate number on an exterior sign and in all advertising. The county lists fees of $300 per property, or $227 under a community registration.
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% (South Walton ZIP codes)
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
Walton County STR management — FAQs
What tourist tax applies to vacation rentals in Walton County?
It depends on location. DOR form DR-15TDT lists Walton’s rate as 5% for ZIP codes 32459, 32550, 32454, 32461 and the Walton part of 32413, and the Walton County Clerk’s guide calls that the South Walton district, everything south of Choctawhatchee Bay. North of the bay the rate is lower. Add Florida’s 6% sales tax and Walton’s 1% surtax; the Clerk totals a South Walton stay at 12%.
Are 30A towns like Seaside and Rosemary Beach cities?
No. Walton County names DeFuniak Springs, Freeport and Paxton as its only incorporated municipalities, so Santa Rosa Beach, Seaside, WaterColor, Alys Beach, Rosemary Beach and Miramar Beach are unincorporated and follow county rules, plus each community’s own covenants.
Does Walton County inspect vacation rentals?
Not routinely. The ordinance says routine interior inspections are not performed, but an inspection can follow a notice from the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, and any violations found must be corrected within 30 days. The responsible party must check the home at least weekly.
Sources
- Florida DOR, DR-15TDT Local Option Transient Rental Tax Rates (R. 10/26) · October 2026
- Florida DOR, DR-15DSS Discretionary Sales Surtax, Calendar Year 2026 · October 2026
- Florida Statutes §509.241 (DBPR license for public lodging, incl. vacation rentals) · October 2026
- Walton County Ordinance 2023-03 — Short-Term Vacation Rental Certificate Program (PDF) · October 2026
- Walton County — Vacation Rental Certification Program · October 2026
- Walton County — Municipalities · October 2026
- Walton County Clerk — STR Tax: How Much to Collect (PDF) · October 2026
- Florida State Parks — Grayton Beach State Park · October 2026
- Florida State Parks — Topsail Hill Preserve State Park · October 2026
- Seaside — History · October 2026
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