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Florida Sales Tax on Short Term Rentals

chapjim

chapjim

TUG Review Crew: Veteran
TUG Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2010
Messages
7,356
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5,293
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia
Resorts Owned
Wyndham VIPF & PresRes, HVC/DRI (Gold), Quarter House, Resort on Cocoa Beach (2), HGVC Tuscany Village, HGVC South Beach, HGVC Parc Soleil, Pine Acres Lodge
Put a lising on eBay earlier today and part of the process was stuff about collecting and remitting Florida's sales tax on short-term (less than 6 months, I think) rentals. The tax varies from one locality to the other. My listing is in Cocoa Beach and the tax is 12%.

Needless to say, I'm not thrilled at the prospect of registering in Florida and collecting their taxes.

Any experience with this? It's all new to me since I don't do renting like I used to. I'll do what I gotta do but don't have to like it.
 
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No responses. I guess that means one of two things -- nobody is renting timeshares in Florida or everyone is blowing off the sales tax thing. There's a third possibility -- people tried to comply but it was too difficult. I'm still trying so I'm not there (yet).

There is a very complicated form to fill out to register for the privilege of paying Florida sales tax. It is here: https://floridarevenue.com/taxes/eservices/Pages/registration.aspx

My choice for a description of my business was "Rent or lease living or sleeping accommodations to others for periods of six months or less." The timeshare is in Cocoa Beach and my business address can only be my home in Virginia. But, at the end of the application, I got this response:

Please correct the following submission error:
  • Business Information Business Addresses Because you indicated that you "Rent or lease living or sleeping accommodations to others for periods of six months or less" in the "Sales And Use Tax Section", your business physical address must be a Florida address. You must enter a Florida address, or unselect this option in order to continue. Click here to correct.
This error must be corrected before submitting your application.

Having no way to resolve the matter, I called the number on the web page -- no help from the young lady except to transfer me to Account Management. I explained the dilemma to the young man who put me on hold for a few minutes, returned with some questions, then put me on hold again. The call got to be 53 minutes long (with dreadful music) and at 5:30 PM, I figured the young man had gone for the day so I hung up.

I'll try again tomorrow. All this to be able to send $138 to the Florida Department of Revenue.

It appears that if one rents several different timeshares in Florida, the address for each must be detailed. Also, I find out from an agent who does some renting for me that you have to file a return every month even if you had no business for that month.

Now, before anyone goes high order, I'm not renting Wyndham timeshares. I'm not on that sinful path, I'm on the righteous path. Say Hallelujah! Say Amen!
 
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You may not be on the sinful path but I and others, 19 months later have not repented and continue to sin according to you. We are hoping our sins will be forgiven by God since we have made many people happy with affordable lodging.
 
My only experience is renting my sisters villa to a seasonal renter. We wrote the lease for over six months, so no tax was due. We did receive a letter from the taxing authority asking for a copy of the leases.
 
RENTER said:
You may not be on the sinful path but I and others, 19 months later have not repented and continue to sin according to you. We are hoping our sins will be forgiven by God since we have made many people happy with affordable lodging.
Click to expand...

I did not consider my rental activities to be a sin. Wyndham (and some others who frequent the Wyndham forum) did that.
 
Glad not a headache I have to deal with. I do agree with them in the sense tax is owed and it is the same as hotels.
 
That’s why when I rented my place in Clearwater beach last year, I told the agent I wanted it for six months and a day.
 
am1 said:
Glad not a headache I have to deal with. I do agree with them in the sense tax is owed and it is the same as hotels.
Click to expand...

I wish the registration process were were a bit easier. And filing monthly negative reports doesn't sound like fun. Looks like it will be one filing to remit $138 and negative reports the rest of the year.
 
chapjim said:
I wish the registration process were were a bit easier. And filing monthly negative reports doesn't sound like fun. Looks like it will be one filing to remit $138 and negative reports the rest of the year.
Click to expand...
Thats government for you. Some will find it easier to stop renting in Florida. Others may fail to report.
 
am1 said:
Thats government for you. Some will find it easier to stop renting in Florida. Others may fail to report.
Click to expand...

Yep. See the first line of my Post #2.
 
When you rent through airbnb and vrbo, they collect the taxes.
 
Also Redweek's verify process also collects taxes in your stead. There is a lot to running a rental operation nowadays.
 
Check to see if the state only requires you to file if you're only renting on the online rental sites. There are states that do not require it if you are renting privately. Like many of you we tried to follow the rules, but they are too difficult and it as a nightmare. The government workers are no help. Airbnb solves the problem a little. They withhold the taxes and sends them in. However, it is a nightmare for filling out the paperwork. They send the government once check for everyone with no indication who it is for. So, when you file the paperwork and say it is paid, the government has no record of it being paid under your name. Because of this, we have pulled out renting in these states and cities online and rent privately to our family and friends to cover our costs.
 
If a person rented out some points and the renter secured a Florida reservation, would tax still be due?
 
DRH90277 said:
If a person rented out some points and the renter secured a Florida reservation, would tax still be due?
Click to expand...
I don't think so, as long as the points were transferred to the renter. If the owner made the reservation with their points, then the tax would be applicable.
 
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