--- title: "Hurricane Plan for a Florida Vacation Rental | Florida Hosts" description: "Florida hurricane season dates, evacuation zones, what an order means for guests, Airbnb and Vrbo storm refund rules, and a manager's storm checklist." url: https://floridahosts.com/resources/hurricane-plan-for-florida-vacation-rentals/ --- ![Steel ladder rails in a clean, clear blue pool — rental property pool maintenance](/images/rental-property-maintenance.webp) Hurricanes & Insurance # Hurricane Plan for a Florida Vacation Rental Florida hurricane season dates, evacuation zones, what an order means for guests, Airbnb and Vrbo storm refund rules, and a manager's storm checklist. 10,000+ guest reviews since 2016 · [Call (321) 321-2348](tel:+13213212348) Free rental projection — about a minute Free, no obligation. Prefer to talk? Call [(321) 321-2348](tel:+13213212348). By the Florida Hosts team · October 13, 2026 · Hurricanes & Insurance Florida’s hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, according to the [National Hurricane Center](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/), with a peak on September 10. A hurricane plan for a vacation rental answers four questions before a storm forms: what evacuation zone the home is in, what happens to guests if an order is issued, what Airbnb and Vrbo will refund, and who secures the house before and after landfall. ## When is hurricane season, and what do watches and warnings mean? The [National Hurricane Center](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/) dates the Atlantic season from June 1 to November 30 and says most activity falls between mid-August and mid-October. A rental calendar in a coastal county carries real storm exposure for half the year. Two forecast products set the pace of a storm plan. The NHC’s [glossary](https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/aboutgloss.shtml) defines a hurricane watch as hurricane-force winds being possible in the area, issued 48 hours before tropical-storm-force winds are expected to begin. A hurricane warning means those winds are expected, and it is issued 36 hours ahead. The same glossary defines a storm surge warning as a danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water, generally within 36 hours. ## How do evacuation zones work? The Florida Division of Emergency Management runs the [Know Your Zone](https://www.floridadisaster.org/knowyourzone/) map. You type in an address and see whether it sits in one of the colored evacuation zones, which the agency describes as flood zones. It says Zone A is typically the most vulnerable and the most likely to evacuate first. Two points on that page matter for owners. Orders come from local officials, so the county emergency management office decides when a zone leaves. And not every zone is ordered out in every storm, so a home in Zone C may stay open while Zone A clears. Look the address up once and record it in the property file. Guests do not arrive knowing the zone, and the person managing the home needs to know the moment a county announces an order. ## What happens to guests when an evacuation order is issued? An evacuation order applies to everyone in the zone, guests included. Some Florida local codes write this directly into vacation rental rules: Place What the local rule says Source Walton County Every rental agreement must state that all guests must evacuate when an emergency evacuation order is posted by local, state or federal authorities [Ordinance 2023-03](https://www.mywaltonfl.gov/DocumentCenter/View/39890/Walton-County-FL-Short-Term-Vacation-Rental-Certification-Program-and-Neighborhood-Compatibility-Ordinance-) Islamorada Vacation rental units must be evacuated when a hurricane warning is posted for the Keys [Village Code Division 30-VI-6](https://islamorada.municipalcodeonline.com/book?type=ordinances#name=DIVISION_30-VI-6_VACATION_RENTALS) Marathon Licensed units must be vacated under a non-resident evacuation order [City Code Chapter 8](https://marathon.municipalcodeonline.com/book?type=ordinances#name=CHAPTER_8_BUSINESSES) Our [Santa Rosa Beach](/santa-rosa-beach/), [Islamorada](/islamorada/) and [Marathon](/marathon/) pages cover the rest of those local rules. If the host has to cancel a paid reservation, Florida’s lodging rules still apply. [Rule 61C-3.002](https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleNo.asp?id=61C-3.002) of the Florida Administrative Code treats depriving a guest of a prepaid reservation as an unethical practice. To avoid it, the establishment must make every effort to find comparable accommodations and refund all money deposited, whether it was paid to the establishment or a booking agent. ## Will Airbnb refund guests for a hurricane? Airbnb’s [Major Disruptive Events Policy](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2701) covers government travel restrictions such as evacuation or shelter-in-place orders, declared emergencies and unforeseeable natural disasters. It excludes weather common enough to be foreseeable in a location, and its own example is hurricanes in Florida during hurricane season. The exclusion lifts when the storm triggers a covered event that prevents the stay, such as government-issued mandatory travel restrictions. When the policy applies, guests can cancel for a refund, travel credit or other consideration regardless of the listing’s cancellation policy. Hosts can cancel without fees, the dates are blocked, and the host is not paid for the canceled nights; a payout already sent is withheld from future payouts. In practice, a forecast alone does not trigger an Airbnb refund in Florida. A mandatory evacuation order covering the home is one of the covered events the policy lists. ## What does Vrbo’s policy say? Vrbo’s [Extenuating Circumstances Policy](https://www.vrbo.com/tlp/trust-and-safety/extenuating-circumstances-policy) says hurricanes classified as Category 3 or higher at least 24 hours before forecasted landfall may be in scope. Below Category 3, the policy generally does not apply unless the hurricane makes landfall and causes another in-scope disruption, such as binding government travel restrictions or prolonged outages of essential utilities across most homes in a region. Vrbo decides whether the policy applies and notifies guests and hosts. Until that notice arrives, the listing’s cancellation policy still applies. When the policy does apply, the host must give a full refund if the guest has not checked in, or a partial refund for the nights that cannot be completed. Vrbo also warns that hosts who cancel before it confirms the policy applies may still face enforcement. A manager waits for the notice before canceling on Vrbo. ## What should happen before the storm? The list below is the work a manager does once a home sits in a watch or warning area: 1. Confirm the home’s evacuation zone and follow the county emergency management office for orders. 2. Message every guest in the house and every guest arriving inside the forecast window with the zone, the order status and the platform’s current position. 3. Bring in patio furniture, grills, umbrellas, pool equipment and anything else wind can throw. 4. Install shutters or panels where the home has them, and close interior doors. 5. Photograph and video every room and the exterior, so the insurance file shows the condition before the storm. 6. Unplug electronics and appliances the house does not need, and note the main water and electrical shutoffs for the crew. 7. Check that the flood policy is active. FloodSmart says a new NFIP policy takes effect [30 days](https://www.floodsmart.gov/get-insured/buy-a-policy) after purchase, with limited exceptions, so it has to be in place before the season, not after a storm forms. ## What happens after the storm? Nobody returns until local officials allow re-entry. Then the home is inspected room by room for water intrusion, roof and window damage, and the condition of the AC, pool equipment and electrical panel, with photos before anything is cleaned up. Insurance claims start with that record. Airbnb’s own damage program will not cover storm damage: its [Host Damage Protection Terms](https://www.airbnb.com/help/article/2869) exclude acts of nature, naming hurricanes. Our guide to [Florida short-term rental insurance](/resources/florida-short-term-rental-insurance/) explains what each policy covers, and the [flood zone guide](/resources/florida-flood-zones-for-rental-owners/) covers the NFIP side. Before reopening the calendar, the home needs working power, water, AC and a clean inspection. Guests booked for the following weeks get an honest status update, and any stay the house cannot deliver is canceled under the platform’s policy and the refund rule above. ## How Florida Hosts helps Storm work needs people on the ground, and we have our own cleaning and maintenance staff across Florida to prepare a home before landfall and check it afterward. Our team handles guest communication 24/7, so guests hear about orders and platform decisions as they change. We also offer licensing and registration help with the DBPR license, local registration and tax accounts. Short-term management is 18–25% of booking revenue, quoted in writing; see [pricing](/pricing/) or ask for a [free rental projection](/rental-projection/) within one business day. This guide is general information and not legal or tax advice; confirm current rules with your county emergency management office, the platform, or a professional. FH Written by the Florida Hosts team We're a vacation rental management company working across Florida. We manage 350+ homes, have earned 10,000+ guest reviews, and bring 10 years of hands-on hosting experience to every guide we publish. [More about Florida Hosts →](/about/) Questions about your specific property? Talk to a real person on our team — straight answers, no scripts. [Call (321) 321-2348](tel:+13213212348) [Get a free projection](/rental-projection/) Free projection · about a minute ## What could your property earn? Tell us about it and we'll build a free, comps-based projection — a real person, not an algorithm, back to you within one business day. Free, no obligation. Prefer to talk? [Call (321) 321-2348](tel:+13213212348) Common Questions ## Frequently Asked Questions When is hurricane season in Florida? The National Hurricane Center says the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. It puts the peak on September 10, with most activity between mid-August and mid-October. Does Airbnb refund guests when a hurricane is coming? Not automatically. Airbnb's Major Disruptive Events Policy excludes weather that is common enough to be foreseeable, and it names hurricanes in Florida during hurricane season as the example. The exclusion falls away if the storm triggers a covered event, such as a government-issued mandatory evacuation order. Does Vrbo refund guests for a hurricane? Vrbo's Extenuating Circumstances Policy says hurricanes classified as Category 3 or higher at least 24 hours before forecasted landfall may be in scope. Vrbo decides whether the policy applies and notifies guests and hosts; until then, the listing's own cancellation policy applies. How do I find my rental's evacuation zone? Use the Florida Division of Emergency Management's Know Your Zone map and type in the property address. The agency says Zone A is typically the most vulnerable and the most likely to evacuate first, and that orders come from local officials. Do any Florida local codes require guests to leave during an evacuation? Yes. Walton County's vacation rental ordinance requires every rental agreement to state that guests must evacuate when an emergency evacuation order is posted, and Islamorada and Marathon in the Keys require rental units to be vacated under their evacuation rules. Looking for more owner guides? [← Back to all resources](/resources/) [See our pricing](/pricing/) [Get my free projection](/rental-projection/) Related guides ## Keep reading [Hurricanes & Insurance ### Florida Flood Zones: What Rental Owners Need to Know How FEMA flood zones work, how to look up a Florida rental's zone, when flood insurance is required, and what an NFIP policy does and does not cover. Read the guide →](/resources/florida-flood-zones-for-rental-owners/) [Hurricanes & Insurance ### Florida Short-Term Rental Insurance: What the Rules Say What Florida regulators, Citizens Property Insurance and Airbnb's own terms say about insuring a short-term rental, from hurricane deductibles to AirCover. Read the guide →](/resources/florida-short-term-rental-insurance/) [Hurricanes & Insurance ### Sea Turtle Lighting Rules for Florida Beach Rentals Florida sea turtle nesting season dates from FWC, the low, long and shielded lighting rule, and what Sarasota and Walton County codes require of rentals. Read the guide →](/resources/sea-turtle-lighting-rules-beach-rentals/) ## See what your home could earn Get a free, no-obligation rental projection from people who actually manage homes in your neighborhood. [Get my free projection](/rental-projection/) [or call (321) 321-2348](tel:+13213212348) Free · comps-based · delivered within one business day.