New vacation rental licenses in Lee County, FL
Lee County approved 78 new vacation rental licenses in September, up 53% from July's 51, and 256 since July 1, 2026: the 6th most of Florida's 67 counties.
Lee County is open: every new license in the county each weekday for $800 a month, one property manager only. Claim Lee, or get a free sample first.
Month by month
New vacation rental licenses in Lee County since July 1, 2026. Statewide numbers are in the monthly report.
Almost all houses
88% of Lee County's new licenses since July were houses, against 74% statewide. Pools, yards and turnovers are the pitch.
Out-of-state owners
11% of new licenses here list a mailing address outside Florida, close to the state's 9%.
Cape Coral leads the county
Cape Coral had 132 of the county's 256 new licenses since July (52%). Fort Myers Beach was next with 50.
In the owner's own name
88% of Lee County's new licenses were single licenses in the owner's name rather than under a management company's license.
Top towns
New licenses since July 1, 2026, by the town on the rental's address.
| Rank | Town | Licenses |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Coral | 132 |
| 2 | Fort Myers Beach | 50 |
| 3 | Fort Myers | 30 |
| 4 | Bonita Springs | 10 |
| 5 | Lehigh Acres | 10 |
| 6 | Sanibel | 8 |
| 7 | Captiva | 4 |
| 8 | St. James City | 4 |
| 9 | North Fort Myers | 3 |
| 10 | N Ft Myers | 1 |
Tax on a short stay in Lee County
- Florida sales tax
- 6%
- Lee County surtax
- 0.5%
- Lee County tourist development tax
- 5%
- Total on a short stay
- 11.5%
For stays of six months or less. Lee County collects its tourist tax itself, so owners (or their manager) register with the county as well as with the Florida Department of Revenue.
Rates for 2026 from the Florida Department of Revenue and the Office of Economic and Demographic Research. Cities can add their own rules; check before you take a home on.
Questions
Nearby: Charlotte County, Sarasota County, Manatee County. Every county is in the monthly license report.
How many vacation rentals are licensed in Lee County each month?
About 66 a month since July 1, 2026: 256 in all through October 25. In September 2026 the state approved 78.
Which towns in Lee County license the most vacation rentals?
Cape Coral (132), Fort Myers Beach (50), Fort Myers (30), Bonita Springs (10), Lehigh Acres (10) since July 1, 2026.
What's the tax on a vacation rental stay in Lee County?
11.5% for stays of six months or less: Florida's 6% sales tax, Lee County's 0.5% surtax and its 5% tourist development tax (2026 rates).
How do I get Lee County's new vacation rental owners?
FiledToday sends one property manager per county the new licenses each weekday, with the owner's name, the rental's address, the owner's mailing address and a phone number for most. It is $800 a month for Lee County. Start with a free sample above.
About the data. Initial vacation rental licenses (condo and dwelling) the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation approved for rentals in Lee County, by approval date, from the state's public new lodging license file. One license can cover more than one unit. Out-of-state share uses the mailing address on the license.
See your county's new owners.
Pick Lee County (or any county) and we'll email its new vacation rental licenses from the last two weeks, with owner phone numbers, in about 15 minutes.
One property manager per county. See open counties and prices.