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Short Term Rental Changes

Published on Dec 09, 2023

You may be getting questions from your clients regarding the Walton County Board of County Commissioner’s Short-Term Vacation Rental Ordinance which went into effect in January of this year. We wanted to keep you apprised of what we know so you can keep your clients informed. Please note, condos are exempt from this ordinance.

Below we’ve laid out the steps that need to be taken by your client, and of course by us, to come into compliance with Walton County for vacation rentals. Please also note other management companies may have a different process for ensuring their properties are compliant with the county so I can only speak to our approach and process. Our goal is to keep you informed and handle as much as possible on your clients’ behalf, should they choose 360 Blue as their vacation rental management company.

So let’s begin:

There are eight steps in the process of obtaining the Certificate of Compliance for the Short-Term Vacation Rental Ordinance. As a homeowner, your client will need to complete the first two steps which are:

1. Fill out the Affidavit of Compliance, which you can find here and have it notarized. (Please fill out pages 1, 2 and 5 of the Affidavit.)

2. Provide proof of ownership of your property (e.g., the Recorded Warranty Deed or a copy of your County Tax Notice).

Once your client has filled out the Affidavit of Compliance and has their proof of ownership in hand, they would send them back to us at compliance@360blue.com.

We take it from there.

living room

Below are the six steps 360 Blue would be handling on your clients’ behalf:


1. External sketch of the property with designated parking spots.


2. Internal sketch of the property with fire extinguishers and smoke detectors labeled.

3. Property Information sheet: This is required to be posted in the main entryway of the home with hurricane evacuation routes, beach flag system, trash information, noise ordinance, etc. The brochure linked here has been approved by the county. Although it will be specific to your property, we have it here to serve as an example of what it will look like.

4. Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation license as transient public lodging establishment.

5. Florida Department of Revenue sales surtaxes and transient rental taxes certificate of registration.

6. Walton County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller proof of registration for collecting and remitting tourist development tax.

The additional requirements of each property are below. The good news is that 360 Blue has many of these already in place, including most of the safety requirements. That said, there are significant requirements for each home to comply with. They are as follows:

  • Outside sign: This can be no larger than 12 by 18 inches. We are working with our local HOA communities to ensure we comply with their requirements. For any homes in non-HOA communities, we are working on getting a sign approved by Walton County. Below is the information required on the sign:

    1. Name and phone number of rental company
    2. Short-Term Vacation Rental certificate number
     
  • If the home is 3-stories or greater, an evacuation map is required in the home which needs to be minimum of 8-1/2 by 11 inches size. We are working on getting the maps approved by the County.

Below are the Safety Requirements that should already be in place in your client’s homes.
 

  1. Swimming pool, spa or hot tub shall comply with current standards of the Residential Swimming Pool Safety Act, Chapter 515, Florida Statutes.
     
  2. All sleeping rooms shall meet the single-family and two-family dwelling minimum requirements of the Florida Building Code.
     
  3. Automatic smoke detection requirements: All units are required to meet the requirements of Chapter 69A-43, F.A.C.
     
  4. Fire extinguisher requirements: A portable, multi-purpose dry chemical 2A:10B:C fire extinguisher shall be installed, inspected, and maintained in accordance with NFPA 10 on each floor/level of the unit. The extinguishers shall be installed on the wall in an open common area or in an enclosed space with appropriate markings visibly showing the location.
pool steps

There is one additional safety requirement for STVR certification: The installation of a battery-powered emergency lighting for the primary exit. We also handle this requirement on your client’s behalf.

I hope you find this information helpful. Should you have questions regarding the Short-Term Rental Ordinance for Walton County—or you would like to request a courtesy rental projection—please reach out. My team and I are here for you.