🎯 STRisker: Bulletin - Fort Myers Beach, FL
Over 500 STRs Flagged: Fort Myers Beach Launches Major Compliance Push
Fort Myers Beach Turns Up the Heat on Unregistered Vacation Rentals
Fort Myers Beach is stepping up enforcement on short-term rentals, and hundreds of homeowners may soon feel the impact. The town recently implemented new software that scans online booking platforms like Airbnb and Vrbo, identifying vacation rentals that are operating without proper registration or required fire safety inspections. The early results revealed more than 500 noncompliant listings, far exceeding officials’ expectations.
According to Public Information Officer Abigail Eberhart, the scope of the issue surprised town staff. What was expected to be a minor compliance sweep quickly became a major safety initiative. Town leaders emphasize that the crackdown is less about penalties and more about ensuring rental properties meet basic safety standards for guests and first responders.
Government Websites by CivicPlus®
Fort Myers Beach cracks down on illegal short-term rentals https://t.co/lhJ3e0TfcS
— Gulf Coast News (@GCNNow) January 1, 2026
Property owners found to be out of compliance will soon receive official warning letters. These notices give owners 15 days to register their vacation rental or risk fines of up to $500. To complete registration, owners must pay a $300 fee and pass a fire inspection both now mandatory steps before legally renting to guests.
Fire Chief Scott Wirth noted that inspections are focused on fundamental safety requirements, including smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and clearly visible house numbers. While the process itself is straightforward, the volume of inspections has surged. About 60 short-term rental inspections are currently scheduled, and fire department staff are working additional hours to handle the increased workload.
Social Listening 🎧: Podcast
Policy talk doesn’t just happen in the news cycle—it can also live in long-form audio. STRisker’s Podcast Signal turns hours of episodes into actionable insight, indexing transcripts so you can surface key mentions of STRs, ordinances, and local decision-makers in seconds.
The town has outlined a temporary grace period for owners who are actively working toward compliance. Those who have scheduled inspections will not face fines, as long as they do not rent out their property before passing inspection. However, continuing to host guests without approval could lead to fines and potential suspension of rental privileges.
This enforcement push marks a turning point for short-term rentals in Fort Myers Beach. With technology now doing the heavy lifting, unregistered rentals are easier to find, and deadlines are harder to ignore.
Stay Updated with STRisker
STRisker offers tools and features to keep you updated with the Short-Term Rental movement across the U.S.
👍 We’d love your feedback.
We're always looking for ways to improve Bulletins.
Was this one useful to you? Other topics you'd like to see get covered?
✉️ Just reply directly to this email. We read and respond to every message!
-Will McClure
🙋 P.S.
Know someone else who should be reading this Bulletin? Feel free to forward this along. We want to make sure operators and stakeholders are aware of regulatory changes in their area.