Guides › Panama City Beach: the vacation rental certificate and the 1% city tax
Panama City Beach: the vacation rental certificate and the 1% city tax
Last checked Oct 26, 2026 from official sources. Not tax advice.
Inside PCB city limits you deal with two governments: Bay County for the 5% tourist tax, and the City of Panama City Beach for a certificate and a separate 1% tax.
Rather not track this yourself? See in two minutes what your rental owes and whether your platform already pays it. Free, private, no sign-up.
Check my countyReserve a founding place| City 1% tax | 1% business tax on rentals inside city limits. The city says owners on Airbnb or Vrbo must remit it themselves. |
|---|---|
| Due | Monthly, due the 1st. A 3% discount applies if paid by the 10th; an 8% per month late fee applies after that. |
| Vacation Rental Certificate | Ordinance 1632: $250 new, $150 re-registration, $75 inspection, with annual re-inspection. |
| To apply you need | A notarized affidavit, a state DBPR license, a Bay County TDT registration and a PCB Business Tax Receipt. |
| Total tax in PCB | About 13%: 5% Bay County TDT + 1% city tax + Florida 7% (6% state + 1% Bay surtax). |
The order that works
- DBPR vacation rental license.
- Bay County TDT account.
- PCB Business Tax Receipt.
- PCB Vacation Rental Certificate and inspection.
- Then file monthly: county by the 20th, city by the 10th for the discount.
Fees and the 1% schedule are from the city’s pages and brochure as checked Oct 26, 2026; the city’s site was not reachable from our checker today, so confirm the current fee before you apply.
Questions owners ask
Does Airbnb collect the Panama City Beach 1% tax?
No. The City of Panama City Beach says hosts on Airbnb and Vrbo must remit the 1% city tax themselves.
How much is a Panama City Beach vacation rental certificate?
Under Ordinance 1632: $250 new, $150 re-registration and $75 inspection, with an annual re-inspection.
Sources
- City of Panama City Beach, Business Registration (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- City of Panama City Beach, Short-Term Rentals (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- PCB, How to Start a Short-Term Rental (brochure) (checked Oct 26, 2026)
- Bay County Tax Collector, TDT FAQ (checked Oct 26, 2026)
Related
- How to file Bay County tourist development tax (Panama City Beach and Mexico Beach)
- Every license a 30A, Panama City Beach or Destin rental needs (and what each costs)
- Florida DBPR vacation rental license
- Panama City Beach
- Bay County, FL (Panama City Beach)
How it works
- Free checkTell us the address. We list every lodging tax, permit and deadline, and which ones Airbnb or Vrbo already pay.
- Authorize onceSign one payment authorization for your own bank account and the county’s agent form. How it stays secure.
- We file and payEvery return, including $0 months, filed and paid from your account to the county, with each confirmation in your file.
Find out in two minutes what your rental owes.
A free, private check of your county’s lodging tax, whether Airbnb or Vrbo already pays it, and which permits apply. Founding prices from $19 per property per month; we file and pay from your own account, so your money never touches ours.
Check my county