The government finds ways to tax things multiple ways. Florida is no different. On the rental or lease of accommodations (e.g., hotels, motels, RV parks, etc.) for a term of six months or less, sales tax (both the state rate and possibly the county rate) is usually imposed. In addition to these taxes, a tourist development tax (“TDT” but also known as the bed tax) is thrown on top of everything else as well. Keeping track of the rates can be a nightmare, especially as rates change.
In Levy County, the TDT rate has been 2%. This means the state sales tax rate of 6%, plus the discretionary sales surtax of 1%, plus the bed tax of 2% resulted in a combined tax rate of 9%. Starting January 1, 2020, the bed tax in Levy County will increase from 2% to 4%. The sales tax rate (state and county) currently remains unchanged. This means the combined tax rate for transient rentals of 6 months or less will now be 11%.
Be mindful of the change and start collecting the higher rate. If you do not, you might find yourself having to pay the tax out of pocket!
About the author: David Brennan is an associate attorney with Moffa, Sutton, & Donnini, P.A. His primary practice area is multistate tax controversy. David received a B.S. in Accounting and Finance, with a minor in Computer Science, from Florida State University. He worked as an accountant for a CPA firm before attending law school at Regent University. He received his Juris Doctor in 2013 and was licensed to practice law in Florida in the same year. In 2015, David earned his Masters of Laws in Taxation from Boston University. As a former senior attorney for the Florida Department of Revenue, he handled informal protest appeals, among other things. If you are interested in learning more about Florida sales tax from David, you can find his speaking engagements around the state HERE. Otherwise, you can learn more about David in his firm bio HERE.
At the Law Office of Moffa, Sutton, & Donnini, PA, our primary practice area is Florida taxes, with a very heavy emphasis in Florida sales and use tax. We have defended Florida businesses against the Florida Department of Revenue since 1991 and have over 100 years of cumulative sales tax experience within our firm. Our partners are both CPAs/Accountants and Attorneys, so we understand both the accounting side of the situation as well as the legal side. We represent taxpayers and business owners from the entire state of Florida. Call our offices today for a FREE INITIAL CONSULTATIONto confidentially discuss how we can help put this nightmare behind you.
AUTHORITY
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
PASCO COUNTY TOURIST DEVELOPMENT TAX REPORTED TO COUNTY: NOVEMBER 1, 2019, published September 16, 2019, by Jeanette Moffa, Esq.
2019 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMMERCIAL RENT TAX RATE: 8.2%, published March 7, 2019, by Matthew Parker, Esq.
FLORIDA COUNTY SURTAX CHANGES FOR 2019, published May 1, 2012, by James Sutton, CPA, Esq.
FL SALES TAX AUDIT: GAS STATION CONVENIENCE STORE, published October 11, 2019, by Matthew Parker, Esq.