Usually not as a separate short-term rental. As of October 2026, unincorporated Miami-Dade does not let an ADU or guesthouse be a vacation rental on its own, and published summaries of City of Miami rules say ADUs may not be used as short-term rentals. Long-term renting is generally allowed, with conditions.
What does Miami-Dade County allow?
The county ADU page says an ADU or guesthouse cannot be a vacation rental by itself; a vacation rental must include the entire property, main house included. County coverage of the 2022 ordinance described a one-month rental minimum meant to keep ADUs from becoming vacation rentals.
What about the City of Miami?
Published summaries of Miami 21 say the ADU must be used mainly as permanent housing, may be rented only while the main house is owner-occupied with a homestead exemption, and may not be a short-term rental. We confirm the current wording with the city.
Doesn't Florida law stop cities from banning vacation rentals?
Partly. Florida Statutes s. 509.032(7)(b) says a local law may not prohibit vacation rentals or regulate how long or how often they are rented, but that limit does not apply to local rules adopted on or before June 1, 2011. Local governments can still regulate vacation rentals in other ways. How that interacts with an ADU-specific rule is a legal question for a Florida attorney.
What if I do rent short stays where allowed?
Florida generally treats a unit rented more than three times a year for stays under 30 days as transient lodging that needs a license from DBPR's Division of Hotels and Restaurants, plus state and county tourist taxes. Check your HOA rules and your insurance too.
Will renting affect my homestead?
It can. The county warns that an ADU may raise assessed value and affect homestead and senior exemption eligibility. Talk to the Miami-Dade Property Appraiser before renting.
When could short stays be possible?
It depends on where you are and how you rent. Renting the whole property, house and ADU together, is treated differently from renting the ADU alone in unincorporated Miami-Dade. Inside a city, that city's code and any grandfathered rules decide. We are builders, not lawyers, so confirm a rental plan with the city or county and an attorney.
Related
Sources, as of October 2026: Miami-Dade County ADU and guesthouse page; National Association of Counties article on the Miami-Dade ADU ordinance; Florida Statutes s. 509.032(7)(b) and Florida Attorney General Opinion 2022-01; published summaries of Miami 21.
Updated October 2026