Welcome to Hotels & Restaurants
MISSION: Protect the health and safety of the public by providing the industry with quality inspections and fair regulation.
The Division of Hotels and Restaurants (H&R) licenses, inspects and regulates public lodging and food service establishments in Florida under Chapter 509, Florida Statutes (FS). The division also licenses and regulates elevators, escalators and other vertical conveyance devices under Chapter 399, FS.
Important Notice for Florida’s Lodging Industry – Human Trafficking Awareness – Legislative Update – Lodging Industry Bulletin
Important Notice for Florida’s Lodging Industry – Changes to Chapter 509, Florida Statutes “Miya’s Law” – Lodging Industry Bulletin
Special Process Webpage
For information and guidance regarding a Special Process (HACCP & Variances) click here.
Vacation Rentals – Searchable Rental Unit Addresses
The Division of Hotels & Restaurants is pleased to announce that it has developed an easily searchable online database of licensed vacation rentals. This database provides the location address of every vacation rental condo or dwelling that is currently licensed by the Division of Hotels & Restaurants. It refreshes daily to reflect the most up-to-date information, as provided by our licensees. The division believes this will be a valuable tool for local governments and vacation rental guests that will assist with verifying that a condo or dwelling is properly licensed with the Division of Hotels & Restaurants as a public lodging establishment. Click the link to view the Vacation Rental Database.
The Department’s online account service offers the ability for vacation rental license holders to review and make changes to the rental unit addresses covered by their license. License holders can add or remove rental units from their vacation rental license at any time. Address changes made online integrate into the Department’s records immediately and are reflected in the public vacation rental database within 24hrs . This improved functionality supplants Form 7010 that the division previously collected from its licensees when processing requests for vacation rental address changes. The division expects this improvement to simplify the process of managing a vacation rental license.
Current information on COVID-19
On March 1, 2020, Governor Ron DeSantis directed the Florida Surgeon General to declare a public health emergency and to coordinate the state’s emergency response activities as necessary to protect the public in the prevention and control of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). For information and guidance regarding COVID-19 in Florida, visit the Florida Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage at http://www.floridahealth.gov/COVID-19.
Self-print Licenses for Food & Lodging
Every day DBPR works to improve the way we do business. In this effort to serve you better we are pleased to inform you the Division of Hotels & Restaurants is moving to paperless licenses. Licensees have the ability to self-print their license(s) electronically through their DBPR online account. Self-print (digital) licenses are in PDF format and are emailed as an attachment to the email address associated with the DBPR online account. This process significantly reduces the time and expense it would otherwise take to distribute licenses by mail. We are nearing the end of the transition period in which licensees without a DBPR Account continue to receive a hard copy paper license via US mail.
Please create a DBPR account now to manage your license now. New business owners should begin by applying online, all food and lodging license applications are available through our online services. With an account owners can perform routine license maintenance through our website, including renewals, renewal invoices, payments, mailing address updates, duplicate licenses and new applications. An account also enables electronic payments via our DBPR mobile app available from the Apple App Store or Google Play. Go to My Account and set up your account now.
Online Accounts – Video Help
Transition to the 2017 FDA Food Code
Effective November 1, 2019, the Division of Hotels and Restaurants has adopted the 2017 Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code, which establishes practical, science-based guidance and enforceable provisions for reducing risk factors known to cause or contribute to foodborne illness. There are some major changes food service operators licensed by the Division should carefully review to ensure they are in compliance. For more information please visit our Inspections page.
Human Trafficking Awareness
In 2019 section 509.096 was added to Chapter 509, Florida Statutes. This section requires all public lodging establishments to provide annual training on human trafficking awareness to employees of the establishment who perform housekeeping duties in the rental units or who work at the front desk or reception area where guests check in or check out. The training must be provided for new employees within 60 days after they begin employment in a housekeeping or reception area role, or by January 1, 2021, whichever occurs later. For more information please visit our Human Trafficking Awareness page.
Click on the license type below for more information:
Permanent Food Service (Seating)
A restaurant with seats for dining in. Permanent Food Service licenses are sometimes referred to as ‘fixed food service’ licenses as they generally are a structure with walls, floors, and ceiling that are permanently fixed to the ground.
Permanent Food Service (Non-Seating)
This is a restaurant that offers take out or delivery but doesn’t have seats for customers to dine in.
Catering
A food service that only provides catering services and nothing else. Note – Any public food service establishment licensed by the division may also provide catering services without holding a separate catering license. Exclusion- Temporary event license holders may not provide catering services.
Mobile Food Dispensing Vehicle or Hot Dog Cart
A food truck or hot dog cart where food is prepared or served.
Vending Machine
This is a self-service device that dispenses servings of food and doesn’t need replenishing between each operation. Generally food items served from vending machines are pre-packaged (milk cartons, packaged sandwiches, etc…).
Theme Park Cart
This is a specialty food service license for carts that operate within a theme park or entertainment complex meeting criteria defined in 509.013, F.S. (Florida Statute).
Culinary Education Program
This is a specialty food service license intended for educational institutions meeting the criteria defined in 381.0072, F.S. (Florida Statute).
Temporary Food Service Event
A temporary license for preparing food at fairs, carnivals, festivals, or other temporary community events.
Click on the license type below for more information:
Apartment - Non-Transient
- Five or more units in a building or complex.
- The rental periods are for at least 30 days or 1 calendar month (whichever is less) – OR – the rental unit is advertised or held out to the public as a place regularly rented to guests.
- 75% or more of the units in the apartment building or complex are available for rent as nontransient occupancy – meaning the rental unit is considered to be the renter’s sole residence and the stay is not temporary.
Apartment - Transient
- One or more units in a single complex of buildings.
- The unit is rented more than 3 times in a calendar year and the rental periods are less than 30 days or 1 calendar month (whichever is less) – OR – the rental unit is advertised or held out to the public as a place regularly rented to guests.
- More than 25% of the units in the apartment building or complex are available for rent as transient occupancy – meaning the rental unit is not considered to be the renter’s sole residence and the stay is only temporary.
Bed and Breakfast Inn
- Family home structure with no more than 15 sleeping rooms (bedrooms).
- Has been modified to serve as a transient public lodging establishment.
- Provides accommodation and meal services generally offered by a bed and breakfast.
- Recognized as a bed and breakfast in the community in which it is situated (or by the hospitality industry).
- If the limitations of a continental breakfast are exceeded, a plan review and separate public food service license is required (a continental breakfast serves only: packaged, individually portioned foods, coffee/tea in urns or closed delivery systems, milk/juice from a closed, disposable bag delivery system or individual containers).
Hotel
- Rents transiently (temporary – not the sole residence).
- Has sleeping room accommodations for 25 or more guests.
- Provides the services generally provided by a hotel and is recognized by the community as a hotel.
Motel
- Rents at least six units transiently (temporary – not the sole residence).
- Has exits from each unit that exit outside the building (not into an inside hallway).
- Offers daily and weekly rates.
- Provides off-street parking for each unit.
- Has a central office on the property with specific hours of operation.
- Provides a bathroom or connecting bathroom for each unit.
- Is recognized by the community as a motel.
Timeshare Project
- You have a time-share property (an arrangement where several joint owners have the right to use a property as a vacation home for an allotted period of time).
- You rent to guests outside the timeshare owners for temporary stay occupancy.
Vacation Rental - Condo
- You have a single unit or group of units that you rent transiently (temporary – not the sole residence).
- The unit or group of units is located in a condominium or cooperative (a building where the units are individually owned).
Vacation Rental - Dwelling
- You have a single unit or group of units that you rent transiently (temporary – not the sole residence).
- The unit or group of units are single-family homes, townhouses, duplexes, triplexes or quadruplexes.
Quick Links
Need Help?
All requests for public records, complaints, forms, and applications for licenses can be obtained by contacting the Customer Contact Center.
Steven von Bodungen, Director
Division of Hotels and Restaurants
2601 Blair Stone Road
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1011
Telephone: 850.487.1395
Email: dhr.info@myfloridalicense.com
