Thinking about buying a Sunny Isles Beach condo to rent for the season or as a short-term stay? You are not alone. With high winter demand and a prime coastline, the area attracts snowbirds and international visitors every year. In this guide, you will learn the local licensing rules, association restrictions, taxes, income basics, management options, insurance, financing, and a practical checklist to use before you buy. Let’s dive in.
Sunny Isles snapshot: what to expect
Sunny Isles Beach allows and actively regulates short-term and seasonal rentals at the city level, but many condo associations set stricter rules. Combined state and county tourist taxes, building policies, and financing eligibility can change your net income and resale options. The smartest path is to verify your building’s recorded documents and recent board minutes, register for city and county licensing and taxes, confirm insurance and reserves, and base your income model on realistic seasonal rates and occupancy. You can start by reviewing the City’s Short-Term Vacation Rental guidance for the current requirements and enforcement practices found on the Sunny Isles Beach short-term rental page.
City licenses and compliance
What counts as short term in Sunny Isles
Sunny Isles Beach defines a Short-Term Vacation Rental as any unit leased for six months or less. If your condo falls in that category, you must hold a City Short-Term Vacation Rental License for each unit before you advertise or accept bookings. The application asks for proof of state and county tax registration, liability insurance, safety equipment, a responsible party contact, and a condo consent letter. You can confirm the current list on the City’s STR page.
License steps, renewals, and penalties
The City requires an initial license and annual renewal. Failure to comply can lead to significant civil penalties, with fines that escalate for repeat violations and potential license suspension. Renewal deadlines matter, so calendar them as part of your operations. Details are outlined on the City’s STR guidance.
Responsible party and inspections
Sunny Isles requires a 24/7 responsible party who can respond in person within a short time and maintain guest lists for inspection. The City also enforces occupancy, safety, and health standards and may conduct inspections accordingly. Many investors meet this requirement by hiring a local manager, but the owner remains ultimately responsible under the license. You can review these rules under the City’s STR requirements.
How state licensing fits in
Where state rules apply, the City application requests proof of a Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation transient public lodging license. In practice, the local license layers on top of state registration. The City explains this interplay within its application materials.
Taxes you must plan for
Florida transient rental tax
Rentals of living or sleeping accommodations for six months or less are subject to Florida’s transient rental sales tax. Owners and operators must register with the Florida Department of Revenue to collect and remit tax on short stays. You can review a summary of this requirement in the state’s business owner guidance referenced in the research brief. A helpful overview appears here: Florida transient rental tax overview.
Miami-Dade tourist and convention taxes
In addition to state tax, Miami-Dade County levies several tourist taxes on short stays. That includes a Convention Development Tax of 3 percent and other county tourist taxes that commonly total around 6 percent at the county level in many areas of Miami-Dade, on top of the state portion. Some municipalities add extra resort taxes, which can change the total in those limited areas. For specifics, see the Miami-Dade Convention Development Tax code section.
Platforms vs. owner responsibility
Some booking platforms collect and remit portions of state or county taxes on platform bookings. Rules vary by platform and locality, and you remain responsible for proper registration and for taxes on direct bookings. You can review platform collection guidance in Airbnb’s tax help article. In practice, build tax collection into pricing, and register with Florida DOR, Miami-Dade, and the City’s licensing system before you list.
Condo association rules often control
Minimum terms, bans, and approved agents
Even if the City allows short-term rentals, your building can be stricter. Many Sunny Isles condo declarations require minimum lease terms of 90 days, 180 days, or longer, and some ban platform listings or require the use of a board-approved rental agent. These limits live in the recorded declaration and rules, and they are enforceable. You can see sample developer language that addresses minimums and listing restrictions in this example condo document set.
Grandfathering under Florida law
Florida’s Condominium Act includes a key protection: if a new amendment prohibits or materially changes rental rights, that change typically applies only to owners who consented and to buyers who acquire title after the amendment took effect. This is often called grandfathering. Always ask whether your title would be grandfathered under Section 718.110(13). You can read the statute text at Florida Statutes 718.110.
Approvals, filings, and screenings
Most buildings require owners to submit leases and tenant applications and to obtain association approval before occupancy. Some enforce a waiting period after purchase before you can lease, as well as caps on the percentage of units that may be rented at a time. You can see a real-world example of rules and application procedures on Avila South’s rules and regulations page. If rules are violated, boards can levy fines or seek eviction, and associations are increasing enforcement across South Florida.
Practical takeaway
City permission does not override your association. Before you buy, read the full recorded declaration and all amendments, the current bylaws, and the house rules. Ask about rental caps, waiting periods, and whether any new restrictions were adopted that would or would not apply to you as a new owner. If in doubt, consult a Florida condo attorney.
Market reality and income modeling
Strong seasonality
Sunny Isles Beach demand peaks in winter and early spring, especially February and March, and dips in late summer and early fall. Public booking snapshots show higher average nightly prices in winter months, with lower rates in September. You can see real-time seasonality on public OTA pages like Airbnb’s Sunny Isles waterfront results.
Seasonal and medium-term rentals
Across Sunny Isles, many condo buildings and listings favor seasonal or medium-term stays. Six-month minimums are common in association rules, and snowbird rentals from December through April are a frequent pattern. When a building allows shorter terms, premium beachfront units may command several hundred to over a thousand dollars per night in peak season, based on public platform snapshots. Treat these as snapshots, not guarantees, and confirm current numbers for your specific building and view.
Simple income example
Use a conservative model so you are not surprised later.
- Step 1: Set expected average daily rates by season using platform snapshots or a manager’s comps.
- Step 2: Apply occupancy by season. High season might reach 60 to 90 percent, while low season can drop to 20 to 50 percent, depending on building rules and pricing strategy.
- Step 3: Subtract costs. Include platform fees, management (often 10 to 20 percent for full service), cleaning and turnover, utilities and HOA dues, insurance, repairs, and vacancy. Add taxes on short stays, which often total into the low teens when you combine state and Miami-Dade tourist taxes, noting that exact rates vary by locality. For example only: ADR $200 at 60 percent occupancy implies about $3,600 gross in a 30-day month. After taxes, management, and operating costs, your net will be meaningfully lower.
Operations, management, and insurance
Meeting the City’s 24/7 responsible party rule
Sunny Isles requires a local contact who can respond quickly on-site. Many owners hire a local co-host or full-service manager to cover guest support, dynamic pricing, cleaning, tax filings, and compliance. Fees in the area typically range from the high single digits for co-hosting to the mid-teens or higher for turnkey service. Whether you self-manage or outsource, set clear house rules and maintain guest logs to meet City expectations outlined on the STR requirements page.
Insurance essentials for rentals
Standard condo (HO-6) policies often exclude business activity like short-term rentals. Platform protection is supplemental and has gaps for things like certain damages, income loss, or pests. Work with an insurance broker who understands short-term rentals to secure the right liability, property, and business interruption coverage, and confirm your association’s master policy limits and hurricane deductible. A helpful overview of common gaps is summarized in this short-term rental insurance explainer.
Building logistics that matter
Plan for guest screening and minimum stays in line with the building rules. Coordinate parking assignments, waste and recycling, and quiet hours. Some buildings require elevator reservations for move-ins, vendor insurance certificates, or proof of guest registration. Good procedures, including keyless entry, local cleaning and maintenance partners, and documented guest rules, help avoid fines and friction with the board.
Financing and resale implications
Warrantability and loan options
Condo projects with high investor concentrations, hotel-like programs, low reserves, or litigation risk can be classified as non-warrantable. That can limit the buyer pool and push borrowers toward specialty loans with higher down payments or rates. Lenders will review project occupancy, budgets, reserves, and master insurance. For a sense of how project criteria affect conventional financing, see Fannie Mae’s guidance on condo project review in this Fannie Mae resource.
International owners and U.S. tax basics
If you are a nonresident owner, rental income from your U.S. condo is U.S.-source income that must be reported to the IRS. On resale, the sale of U.S. real property by a foreign person generally triggers FIRPTA withholding, often at 15 percent, unless an exemption or withholding certificate applies. Review IRS rental property guidance and speak with a CPA experienced in cross-border filings. Start with IRS Publication 527 and obtain professional advice tailored to your situation.
Due diligence checklist before you buy
Use this list to verify the details that drive income, compliance, and resale value:
- Recorded Declaration of Condominium with all amendments, current Bylaws, and Rules and Regulations. Look for minimum lease terms, platform restrictions, rental caps, and whether any units or owners are grandfathered. Reference this sample document set as an example of how these provisions can appear.
- Recent board meeting minutes from the last 12 to 24 months that discuss rental policies, enforcement, or amendments. Associations across Florida are actively debating short-term policies. See a legal overview on condo rental enforcement.
- Estoppel or resale certificate, plus any pending special assessments, fines, or liens.
- Association budget, reserve study, master insurance declarations, named insureds, and hurricane deductible levels, along with current HOA delinquency rates.
- Current rental statistics, such as the number or percentage of units leased, any rental cap status, and any violations on record.
- Sample leases and the tenant application and approval process. For a process example, review Avila South’s rules and applications.
- If the building uses on-site or branded management, request the management contract and any list of qualified or approved rental agents referenced in the declaration.
- Tax and license confirmations: Florida Department of Revenue registration for transient rentals, Miami-Dade tourist tax account, and City of Sunny Isles Beach STR license. See the Miami-Dade CDT code and the City STR page for context.
- Statutory check on rental-rights amendments and potential grandfathering under Florida Statutes 718.110.
Next steps
Seasonal rentals in Sunny Isles Beach can work well when you align city licenses, association rules, and realistic seasonality with professional operations. Your best outcomes come from careful document review, clean tax registration, proper insurance, and a conservative income model. If you are a snowbird or international buyer, bilingual support and turnkey management can make ownership truly hands-off.
Ready to find the right building and set up a compliant, profitable rental plan? Schedule your bilingual concierge consultation with Linda Faille-Roy to evaluate options, confirm rules, and map your next steps.
FAQs
Can you Airbnb a condo in Sunny Isles Beach?
- Yes, but only if your building allows it and you obtain a City Short-Term Vacation Rental License for stays of six months or less; start with the City’s STR page.
What licenses and registrations do I need for seasonal rentals?
- Register with the Florida Department of Revenue for transient rental tax, set up Miami-Dade tourist tax accounts, and secure the City STR license before advertising or accepting bookings.
How much tax applies to short stays in Miami-Dade?
- Short stays are subject to Florida transient rental sales tax plus Miami-Dade tourist taxes, including a 3 percent Convention Development Tax; totals vary by locality, so review the county CDT code and follow current guidance.
Do condo associations in Sunny Isles often require 6-month minimums?
- Many buildings do set longer minimum lease terms or ban short-term rentals entirely, and some require approved rental agents; check recorded documents like the sample declaration language.
What is rental-rights grandfathering under Florida law?
- Under Section 718.110(13), certain new rental restrictions typically apply only to owners who consented and to buyers who take title after the amendment date; see Florida Statutes 718.110.
Who is the required 24/7 responsible party for Sunny Isles rentals?
- The owner designates a local contact who can respond on-site quickly and maintain guest logs for inspection; many owners use local managers to satisfy this rule per the City’s STR requirements.
How do lenders view condo-hotel style buildings?
- Projects with hotel-like programs or heavy investor occupancy may be non-warrantable, which can limit financing options; see Fannie Mae’s condo project guidance and consult your lender.
