Does Cocoa Beach Allow Short-Term Rentals?

Yes, Cocoa Beach allows short-term rentals in some locations, but not every home or condo qualifies. Whether a property can rent for less than 30 days depends on its zoning district, any grandfathered status, and its condo or HOA documents. Every vacation rental must also register with the City of Cocoa Beach, renew yearly, pass inspections, and follow occupancy limits.

Last updated November 3, 2026.

Short-term rental rules come up with almost every buyer looking at Cocoa Beach oceanfront condos or canal homes as a second home or investment. The answer is rarely a simple yes or no for a specific address, so here is how the rules fit together and what to verify before you write an offer.

What counts as a short-term rental in Cocoa Beach?

Under Florida law, a property becomes a transient public lodging establishment when it is rented more than three times in a calendar year for stays shorter than 30 days or one calendar month, whichever is less. A house, duplex, or condo unit used that way is a vacation rental.

Stays of 30 days or a calendar month or longer fall into the nontransient category, which is treated differently. That distinction matters because many Cocoa Beach condo associations and some zoning districts permit monthly rentals while limiting anything shorter. The City of Cocoa Beach lays out these definitions at the start of its vacation rental ordinance, Chapter 26.5 of the City Code.

Where in Cocoa Beach are vacation rentals allowed?

It depends on the zoning district, so check the parcel before anything else. The city land development code lists transient lodging as a permitted use in the CT-1 oceanfront residential and transient district, while other districts are more limited.

For example, in the RM-2 district the city has validated some older transient lodging uses that existed before May 4, 2000 as special exceptions, and that status can expire if the rental use stops for a set period. Because zoning lines in Cocoa Beach can change from one block to the next along A1A and the Banana River, ask the city's Development Services department to confirm the zoning and any special exception for the exact address.

The city ordinance also says plainly that a registration is not an approval of a use that would violate the City Code. In other words, registering does not make a rental legal on a parcel where zoning does not allow it.

Can the city ban short-term rentals outright?

Mostly no. Florida Statute 509.032(7) says local governments may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate how long or how often they are rented, but it exempts local laws adopted on or before June 1, 2011.

So the age of a local rule matters. Older zoning provisions can still limit rentals in some areas, while newer local rules focus on registration, inspections, parking, occupancy, and owner contact requirements. This is a big reason two similar condos a mile apart can have different rental answers.

What does Cocoa Beach require to register a vacation rental?

Each vacation rental needs its own city registration, renewed every year, plus a city business tax receipt. The process starts on the city's Vacation Rental Registration page.

Based on Chapter 26.5, the registration package includes:

1. A city business tax receipt and the vacation rental registration application, with the registration fee.
2. A current transient public lodging license from the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
3. A current certificate of registration with the Florida Department of Revenue for sales and transient rental taxes.
4. Proof of an active tourist development tax account with the Brevard County Tax Collector.
5. A simple exterior site sketch showing structures, pools, fencing, and off-street parking spaces, and an interior sketch showing bedrooms, exits, and hallways.
6. For condos and co-ops, documentation that the association approves the parking used for the rental.

The city then inspects the rental for building and fire code compliance after the first registration and after each renewal. The owner or an agent must answer a listed phone number around the clock for police, fire, or emergency requests. A sale ends the registration unless the new owner files a modification within 30 days, so a buyer cannot assume the seller's registration carries over automatically.

How many guests can stay in a Cocoa Beach vacation rental?

The standard cap is the lesser of two occupants per bedroom plus two, or eight occupants in total. Some rentals outside the RS-1 district that were already operating may qualify for grandfathered occupancy through a city review.

Bedrooms	Two per bedroom plus two	Standard cap
1	4	4
2	6	6
3	8	8
4	10	8

The ordinance defines a bedroom carefully, with a sleeping area and a closet or ensuite bath, and it excludes living rooms, kitchens, and vessels. If a listing advertises more sleeping space than the bedroom count supports, the rental income projection may not hold up.

Can a Cocoa Beach condo association stop short-term rentals?

Yes. A condo declaration or rules can set minimum lease terms, rental frequency limits, approval steps, and fees, and those apply on top of city rules. Some Cocoa Beach condo buildings set minimum stays of a month or longer, so never assume a building allows nightly or weekly stays.

Timing matters too. Under Florida Statute 718.110(13), a condo amendment that prohibits rentals or changes rental duration or frequency applies only to owners who voted for it and to owners who take title after it passes. A buyer is a new owner, so any rental restriction already in the documents at closing will apply to you, even if the seller was exempt.

Read the declaration, the bylaws, the rules, recent board minutes, and any pending amendments. Our Cocoa Beach condo due diligence guide lists the documents to request, and the oceanfront condos page covers how buildings differ along the beach.

What taxes do vacation rental owners collect?

Short-term rentals in Cocoa Beach collect Florida sales and transient rental tax and the Brevard County tourist development tax. Rates change over time, so confirm the current rates with the Florida Department of Revenue and the Brevard County Tax Collector rather than relying on a listing sheet or a booking platform setting.

Some booking platforms collect and remit certain taxes for hosts, but the owner is still responsible for making sure every required account is open and current. Factor those taxes, insurance, management fees, and association rental fees into the numbers. The site's investor ROI calculator is a good place to test them.

A local note from Carrie

When buyers ask me whether a Cocoa Beach condo or canal home can be a vacation rental, I treat it as three separate checks: the zoning for that parcel, the condo or HOA documents, and the city registration history. I ask for all three before we write an offer, because a listing remark that says "rental friendly" is not the same as written proof. If renting matters to your plan, we can make it part of your inspection period so you have time to confirm it.

Frequently asked questions

Does Cocoa Beach allow Airbnb rentals?

Airbnb and similar platforms can be used in Cocoa Beach where zoning and the condo or HOA documents allow stays under 30 days. The property must also be registered with the city, licensed by the state, and set up to collect state and county taxes.

Do I have to register a monthly rental in Cocoa Beach?

The city vacation rental registration targets transient rentals, meaning stays shorter than 30 days or one calendar month rented more than three times a year. Rentals of a month or longer are nontransient, but confirm with Development Services and your association before you advertise.

Does a vacation rental registration transfer to a buyer?

Not automatically. Under Chapter 26.5, the registration becomes void after a sale unless the new owner files a modification with the city within 30 days, and a change in ownership is subject to a new registration fee.

How many people can stay in a Cocoa Beach vacation rental?

The standard limit is the lesser of two occupants per bedroom plus two, or eight total. Some previously operating rentals outside RS-1 may have a grandfathered occupancy approved by the city.

Who do I contact to check whether a property can be a short-term rental?

Start with City of Cocoa Beach Development Services at 321-868-3217 for zoning and registration, then review the condo or HOA documents. You can also book a call with Carrie to go over a specific property.

Thinking about a Cocoa Beach rental property?

I'm Carrie Liotta, a Realtor with Real Broker, LLC and a Military Relocation Professional (MRP) serving Cocoa Beach and all of Brevard County. I help buyers compare Cocoa Beach waterfront homes and oceanfront condos with the rental rules in hand before they commit. Learn more about how I work, browse more of the Space Coast at Carrie Liotta Space Coast Realtor, or reach me at [email protected] or 256.479.2800.

Sources: City of Cocoa Beach Vacation Rental Registration; City of Cocoa Beach Code Chapter 26.5, Vacation Rentals (2025 amendment); Florida Statute 509.032; Florida Statute 718.110; Brevard County Tax Collector.