One of the most common mistakes buyers make when shopping for short-term rental property in Florida is assuming that what works in one city automatically carries over to the next. It does not.
Within a 40-mile stretch of coastline spanning Volusia and Flagler counties, you can find cities that permit short-term rentals in all residential zones, cities that only permit them in a handful of named condo buildings, and cities that ban them entirely in residential areas, with fines aggressive enough to make the local news.
This guide covers all nine cities and unincorporated areas most relevant to coastal investors. It is current as of 2026, based on municipal ordinances, county code, and city planning department guidance. Verify the zoning status of any specific parcel with the city planning department before making a purchase decision.
Daytona Beach Shores: The Most Permissive Market in Volusia County
Daytona Beach Shores is where serious STR investors in Volusia County tend to focus. The city's built environment is predominantly multifamily oceanfront condominiums, and its zoning structure reflects that. Most of the oceanfront condo corridor along S. Atlantic Avenue is tourist-zoned, meaning short-term rentals are broadly permitted at the city level.
The binding restrictions in Daytona Beach Shores come almost entirely from HOA rules rather than city zoning. Depending on the building, minimum stay requirements run the full range: daily, 3-day, 1-week, and 2-week minimums all exist in active, income-producing buildings along this stretch. Some buildings also require use of an in-house management program.
No minimum stay is imposed by the city of Daytona Beach Shores.
Palm Coast: Citywide Permitted (Flagler County)
Palm Coast entered 2025 with one of the cleaner STR frameworks in the region. Ordinance 2025-01, effective March 3, 2025, explicitly permits short-term rentals in all residential and commercial zoning districts, citing Florida Statute 509.032(7).
Operating requirements include annual registration ($400 fee, $200 annual renewal), maximum occupancy of 10 guests, a prohibition on recreational trailers or boats on-site, and a background check for the primary renter. No minimum stay is imposed by the city. HOA rules in gated communities like Hammock Beach, Ocean Hammock, and Hammock Dunes should still be verified.
New Smyrna Beach: Permitted in Designated Beachside Zones
New Smyrna Beach has one of the clearest STR zone maps in the region. Short-term rentals are permitted in the following specific zoning designations only:
East of the Intracoastal Waterway: R-3A (east of Atlantic Avenue), R-4, R-5, R-6, B-4, M-U, and BBH. East of the ICW and south of Third Avenue: R-2A. West of the ICW: M-U and BBH only.
The city has conducted active enforcement since 2016 and monitors rental platforms directly. Silver Sands, Bethune Beach, and other nearby communities sometimes marketed as part of "New Smyrna Beach" may fall within unincorporated Volusia County, where the county's 30-day minimum applies instead.
Daytona Beach: Permitted in Designated Tourist and Redevelopment Zones
Daytona Beach operates one of the more complex STR zoning maps in Florida. Short-term rentals are permitted in specific tourist base districts and community redevelopment area sub-districts.
The five tourist base zones where STRs are permitted: T-1 (Tourist Accommodations, covering the primary oceanfront beachside strip), T-2 (Tourist/Office/Restaurant), T-3 (Tourist/Entertainment), T-4 (Tourist/Retail), and T-5 (Tourist/Highway Interchange) along International Speedway Blvd near I-95.
Beyond the T districts, five Community Redevelopment Areas have STR-eligible sub-districts: Downtown (RDD), Main Street (RDB), South Atlantic (RDS), Midtown (RDM), and Ballough Road.
Outside these zones, STRs are prohibited. The city has issued fines up to $15,000 for listing a property on a short-term rental platform without proper zoning. Verify every parcel through the city's GIS portal at gis2.codb.us.
Ormond Beach: Commercial Zones Only
Ormond Beach prohibits short-term rentals in all residential zoning districts. The city defines transient lodging as any rental under six months, and this use is not permitted in residential zones. STRs are only permitted in B-4, B-6, and B-7 commercial designations, specifically in properties east of State Road A1A that are not residentially zoned.
Ormond-by-the-Sea: County Rules Apply, 30-Day Minimum
Ormond-by-the-Sea is not an incorporated city. It is a census-designated place within unincorporated Volusia County, meaning county zoning governs. Volusia County's 2004 ordinance defines short-term rentals in residential zones as hotel/motel use, which is not a permitted residential use. The ordinance was upheld in December 2022. A 30-day minimum applies to all residential rentals. Monthly rentals are fully legal.
Port Orange: Residential STRs Prohibited
Port Orange follows the Volusia County framework. Short-term rentals are permitted only in zoning districts that allow hotels or motels as a principal use, meaning commercial and mixed-use zones. Residential STRs are prohibited. Properties operating as STRs in residential zones are non-compliant regardless of what individual owners may be doing on rental platforms.
Ponce Inlet: Named Buildings Only
Ponce Inlet permits short-term rentals in a specific list of approved buildings only. The approved buildings are: Southpoint (4453 S. Atlantic Ave.), Towers 1 through 6 (4525-4575 S. Atlantic Ave.), Lighthouse Shores (4745 S. Atlantic Ave.), Antigua (4757 S. Atlantic Ave.), and Martinique (4767 S. Atlantic Ave.). All other properties are prohibited. Operating requires a $500 permit, $175-$325 maintenance inspection, and $50 fire inspection fee.
Flagler Beach: Grandfathered Properties and Commercial Zones Only
Flagler Beach passed its STR ordinance in 2008, before Florida's 2011 state preemption law. New STR registrations are only possible in commercially-zoned properties. Residential operations require documented active operation before the 2008 ordinance with continuous licensing since that date. Approximately 190 registered STRs exist, and that number is not meaningfully growing in the residential market. A 7-day minimum stay applies citywide.
State-Level Requirements Apply Everywhere
All vacation rental operators renting more than three times per year for periods under 30 days must hold a current DBPR Vacation Rental License. Volusia County's combined TDT and state sales tax rate is 12.5%. Flagler County's combined rate is 12%. Platforms collect and remit the state portion automatically, but owners remain responsible for TDT compliance on direct bookings.
Coastal Ventures specializes in luxury real estate and physician relocation across Volusia and Flagler counties. For a personalized consultation on STR-eligible properties currently on the market, reach out directly.
