Can a West Melbourne home be rented on Airbnb?

According to the West Melbourne short term rental page, a resident may rent a house or part of a house only on a weekly, monthly or longer basis. Rentals of less than one week are prohibited in each of the city's residential zoning districts.

An owner renting for a week or more needs a city Business Tax Receipt, and state transient rental taxes plus the Brevard Tourist Development Tax apply to stays of 182 days or less. Homeowner association covenants may be stricter, though the city does not enforce them.

Under section 509.032(7)(b), Florida Statutes, a local law may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate the duration or frequency of their rental, unless it was adopted on or before June 1, 2011. Whether the West Melbourne rule predates that date determines whether the state limit applies to it.

Under section 196.061, Florida Statutes, renting all or substantially all of a homestead counts as abandonment of the homestead. An abandonment after January 1 does not affect that year's exemption unless the property is rented for more than 30 days per calendar year for 2 consecutive years.