Tourist Development Tax

What is Tourist Development Tax?

Tourist Development Tax (Resort Tax) is a 4% tax on the total gross rental amount collected from every person or other party who rents, leases, or lets for consideration living quarters or accommodation in any hotel, apartment hotel, motel, resort motel, apartment, apartment motel, rooming house, mobile home park, recreational vehicle park or condominium for a period of 6 months or less.

This tax is collected by the Lake County Tax Collector pursuant to Lake County Code, Chapter 13, Article III, as authorized by Florida Statute 125.0104. The Local Tourist Development Tax is in addition to the 6% Sales tax and 1% Local Option Sales Tax that is remitted to the Florida Department of Revenue.

In accordance with Florida Statute 212.12, managers/owners shall be permitted a collection allowance in the form of a deduction equal to 2.5% of the amount of the tax collected, up to a maximum of $30.00, providing returns are filed and paid electronically by the due date (Florida Statute 212.11 requires electronic payment and filing of tax returns in order to receive a collection allowance). Tax returns must be filed and paid on or before the 20th of the following month for which the taxes are collected. Tax returns filed and/or paid after the due date will result in forfeiture of the collection allowance and penalties with interest will be due.

How do you register for an account to file and remit Tourist Development Tax?

• Register for an account on TouristExpress
• Click the confirmation link in your ‘New User Account’ e-mail
• Login to TouristExpress and begin adding properties (by clicking ‘add a property’, the system will prompt you to start an application if you have not previously been assigned an account number).
• Once your property information and account number have been assigned, you may login to TouristExpress and begin filing returns and remitting payment