Division of Hotels and Restaurants

Guest Register FAQ

All information on this page is current and was last reviewed by the division on March 28, 2012.

1. Q. Does a public lodging establishment have to maintain records of guest occupancy?

A. Yes. Section 509.101(2), Florida Statutes (FS), requires transient establishments to maintain, in chronological order, "a register signed by or for guests who occupy rental units within the establishment." The register must include the dates the unit was occupied by the guest and the rates charged for the occupancy. Other agencies, such as the Department of Revenue, and local authorities may require other records.

2. Q. Can the Division of Hotels and Restaurants inspect guest registers?

A. Yes. Operators must make guest registers available for division inspection at any time.

3. Q. How long is an operator of a transient public lodging establishment required to keep guest registers?

A. Section 509.101(2), FS, states " Operators need not make available registers which are more than 2 years old." This section does not specify how long an operator has to keep guest registers. Other agencies and local authorities may have other requirements.