New Cape Coral Rental Rules Effective January 1, 2026

🏘️ Important Change for Cape Coral Rental Property Owners — Effective Jan 1, 2026

📌 New Annual Registration Fees

• Long-term rentals (over 6 months): $35 / year
• Short-term rentals (under 6 months): $350 / year

(Previously either rental option was only a 1 time fee of $35 to the City of Cape Coral)

⚠️ Enforcement & Penalties

• 1st violation: $1,000 fine
• 2nd violation: $2,000 fine
• Subsequent violations (within 36 months): + $2,000 each
• Late fees apply if renewal isn’t completed within 30 days after initial registration

💡 Why the change?

The city is bolstering oversight (police & code enforcement) and addressing neighborhood issues (noise, unruly guests, etc.). The new fees will help fund staff and monitoring resources.

✅ What you need to do now:

1. Register all your rental properties (if not done already).
2. Keep your contact / management info updated (notify the city within 15 days of any changes).
3. Budget for the new fee structure starting in 2026  don’t miss the renewal deadline.
4. The new information has not yet been codified (as of today/ Oct 7, 2025 so it does not yet appear on the City's website but I will update this post once I see it there).

As before, don’t forget that a state license is required for any short term rentals. You can apply and pay (Currently $50) for that here: https://www.myfloridalicense.com/CheckListDetail.asp?SID=&xactCode=1030&clientCode=2007&XACT_DEFN_ID=7694

You can apply online or with a printable application found on that page.