Taxes

[Wendy1022]

Does anyone else in Escambia County FL get a 4% Tax added to total rent and  cleaning fees for their short term rental through AIRBNB? AIRBNB currently doesn't have Escambia county listed as a participating FL county for TDT collection. However the Escambia County Clerk and Comptroller mandates a 4% TDT be collected on all short-term rentals.

https://www.escambiaclerk.com/251/Guideline-Authority

1. Home
2. Financial Services
3. Tourist Development Tax (TDT) 
4. Guideline Authority

Guideline Authority

The authorization to levy and administer Tourist Development Tax (TDT) of up to 6% is stated in Section 125.0104, Florida Statutes, and in Chapter 21203, Florida Statutes. Sales and Use Tax as stated in Florida Administrative codes 12A-1061, further clarifies the taxable rental charge to include any applicable reservation deposit and prepayments. The owner of the transient accommodation is required to collect, or cause to be collected, and ensure the applicable taxes due are remitted to the proper taxing authority on the total consideration received for the room or rental, including any amounts separately stated as deposits or prepayments.

Escambia County Ordinances 1989-7 and 2000-22 collectively establish a levy for TDT of 4% on all short-term rental income. The person receiving the consideration for the lease or rental are required to register property located within Escambia County with the Escambia County Clerk of Courts Finance Department and collect and remit the tax monthly along with a completed TDT return. The State of Florida also requires registration of property engaged in short-term rental activity for Sales Tax purposes. You must contact the Florida Department of Revenue to acquire the necessary registration forms for sales tax purposes.

Revenue Use

The TDT is levied by the Escambia County Board of County Commissioners and is administered by the Escambia County Clerk of Court's Finance Office. Under the guidelines of Florida Statutes Chapter 125.0104(3)(1), the revenue is to be used for:

• The acquisition and operation of convention centers
• Auditoriums and museums
• Funding of tourist and convention bureaus and tourist information centers
• Promotion and/or advertisement of tourism
• Sports stadiums and arenas

Registration Form

In order to begin remitting the TDT to the Escambia County Clerk of Court, it is necessary for you to fill out a registration form (PDF), which will provide us with the required information to set up your account. It is not necessary for you to have your Federal Employer Identification Number or sales tax account number at this time, although, you will need to provide this information as soon as it is available.

Multiple Properties

If you remit taxes for more than one property, please send a current list of units on your rental program by completing the Import Property Spreadsheet (XLS). Send completed forms via email to Tourist Development Tax (TDT).

[Tee-And-Alex0]

Wendy, were you able to get any help with adding the TDT? I host in West Palm Beach and we are required to submit the TDT every month. Airbnb support has not been help and the state of Florida is aggressively process audits to collect the tax.  If you have succeeded with adding the tax please share in order to help others.

regards, 

Tee s and Alex!

[Wendy1022]

We have been working on this for the past two days, and support keeps telling me there is not a platform to add this additional TDT tax on Airbnb.  They ask I add this into my nightly rate, which makes no sense. I will keep you updated and let you know if we have any success with customer support. 

-Wendy 

[Sierra11]

It is the same in Manatee County where my property is. You must remit a 5% TDT independent from what Airbnb collects. 

Sierra ****

*[Personal information hidden for safety reasons–in line with the Community Center Guidelines] 

[Jennifer2368]

I have the same exact problem in Duval.  I added a community fee and listed in the description that it was a Duval TDT.  Palm Beach seems to be contacting their county office I think we should do the same. Ryan is the authority at the Duval County Tax Collectors office on the TDT

[Jennifer3285]

@Wendy1022 

i have two new rentals in Escambia and I am so confused about the sales tax. I am in process of obtaining my business license. If Airbnb collects taxes and I add the 4% tdt tax and Airbnb and vrbo are the only platforms I use… my question that I can’t seem to find the answer to is: do I need a Florida sales tax id to complete my business license form? I don’t want to double pay taxes since Airbnb collects them. Thoughts? Advice? 

[Wendy1022]

@Jennifer3285  I never filled out anything with the Florida Department of Revenue. Since it is paid directly from air bnb and vrbo I thought I did not have to. The more I read on this subject the more confusing it gets.  I am going to call them in the am to confirm to make sure there is no other step to take since air bnb and vrbo pays these taxes directly. 

[Jennifer3285]

I have called and gotten no where but on hold for a long time. So if you find out anything by calling please comment here and let me know! Or let’s connect elsewhere. You can call me! I could use a friend while dealing with all of this! 😂

[Wendy1022]

@Jennifer3285 Hi Jennifer, I did not need a florida tax Id # to get my business license. I used my social security # for the W9 I had to fill out on air bnb and vrbo. I think I used my social as well for the business license. The taxes are complicated and it took me a while to finally figure out.  Airbnb and Vrbo both take out occupancy taxes and remit them directly to the state of Fl. Vrbo also takes out the 5% Escambia tdt tax (it just went up from 4 % to 5% this past year) they send the 5% tax in your payout to pay yourself.  Airbnb I had to manually add the 5% tdt tax, it is under pricing then taxes. They also send the tax to you in your payout to remit. You have to go to the Escambia clerk website (google tdt tax Escambia county clerk) and fill out a form they then email you back with your own tdt account and provide you with login information. Every month you have to pay the 5% on all bookings you had for the month. I think you have until the 8th of each month to pay or you are receive a late fee. From what I understand this is the only additional tax you have to pay, since the 6% state tax is being taken out and paid directly for you by Airbnb and vrbo. Hope this information helps. 

[Ryan2833]

Thank you Wendy, that is very helpful.  So whatever money goes into my bank account after the fees and taxes Airbnb takes out, that is what I need to pay 5% tax on and send it to Escambia County? @Wendy1022 

[Wendy1022]

@Ryan2833 You only pay 5% on the nightly rate and cleaning fee., but air bnb now has it added in for Escambia County.  It is under property use taxes. They will charge the customer for you the additional 5% , and they will submit that to you in your payout. You then have to pay Escambia county TDT monthly through their website. They will set you up a username to login.

[Forrest40]

Do we not need to pay the state taxes monthly or is the yearly remittance that ABNB does for us adequate?

[Wendy1022]

@Forrest40  Airbnb pays the occupancy taxes directly to the state for you every month or quarterly.  If the county your air bnb is located in has a tourism tax, then you are responsible for paying that each month. 

[Forrest40]

AirBnB said they remit those taxes yearly - is that not the case?  Do we need to register with the state or does AirBNB do that?

Escambia county required a Florida certification number for their application.  Is that separate from registering with the DBPR?

[Wendy1022]

@Forrest40 Yes they remit those taxes for you, and I am unsure if it is yearly or quarterly. All I know is it gets paid and they submit it directly to the state of Florida. From what I understand and have been told is you do not have to register through the state it is submitted in your name on your behalf by Airbnb.( If you find out otherwise please let me know)  The only reason to set up an account through the state of Florida is if you decide to rent out your condo outside of Airbnb and have to submit the state taxes yourself.   The Florida certification # is the license number  that was provided to you when you got your business license through DBPR. Hope this information helps.